Fishing has consistently attracted new people during the last few years, according to a report released today by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation and The Outdoor Foundation.
The 2011 Special Report on Fishing and Boating revealed that in 2010, 3.36 million people participated in fishing for the first time - an increase of 2 percent since 2008.
"We're delighted to see the number of newcomers is increasing year over year," RBFF president and CEO Frank Peterson said in a statement. "The challenge lies in keeping people engaged in the sport. Eight million new or returning anglers participated last year, but more than 10 million dropped out. This is where we need ongoing programs that continue to engage them."
Key findings about boating include:
The average number of boating outings declined slightly, reducing total boating days from 705 million in 2009 to 676 million in 2010.
Boating participants spent an average of 13 days on the water.
Most boating participants enjoyed outings with friends (61.7 percent), and most outings were taken in fresh water (61.7 percent).
Almost 21 percent of boating participants rented or chartered a boat on vacation.
Bass boats are the most popular boat type at 21 percent, followed by bowrider/runabout/jet boat at 13.8 percent.
The majority of owners (78.5 percent) own only one boat. Nearly 55 percent of boaters purchased their boat new and, of those, nearly 85 percent purchased from dealerships. Those buying used boats sourced them primarily from friends and newspaper ads.
Click here for the full report.
