The document discusses trends in saltwater angler participation in the United States. It notes that fishing participation has increased 11% since 2006 according to USFWS surveys, with 8.8 million new participants between 2010 and 2011. In 2011, there were 12 million saltwater fishing participants in the US. The Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) works to promote saltwater fishing through their Take Me Fishing campaign and education programs.

1. Saltwater Angler Participation
Numbers & Trends
Frank Peterson, Recreational Boating & Fishing
Foundation (RBFF) President & CEO
TRCP Saltwater Media Summit
October 19, 2012

2. Overview
• U.S. Fishing Participation
– USFWS Survey
– RBFF Special Report
– Fishing License Sales
• Saltwater Fishing Participation
• RBFF’s Role

3. Fishing Participation
USFWS Survey:
Fishing participation
up 11% since 2006
(reversing what has been
declining participation levels in
fishing over the past 10 years)

4. Fishing Participants, 2010-2011
The RBFF Special Report on Fishing & Boating revealed that for the first time in several years, fishing added more
participants (8.8 million) than it lost (eight million), bringing the total of Americans who fished to 46.2 million (or
16.2 percent of the population).

5. Fishing License Sales
The USFWS is seeing the biggest increase in years in fishing licenses: up nearly 1
million in 2010. (NOTE: The number of licensed anglers has not declined since 2007.)

6. Saltwater Fishing
12 Million Saltwater Fishing
Participants in 2011

7. Saltwater Annual Outings

8. Saltwater Demographics

9. Saltwater Participation Life Cycle

10. First Time Saltwater Participants
8.4% of saltwater fishing
participants tried the sport
for the first time in 2011.

11. Saltwater Travel
44.4% of saltwater fishing
participants travel overnight to
participate in saltwater fishing.

12. RBFF’s Role
• Take Me Fishing™ National Campaign
• TakeMeFishing.org & Mobile Tools
• State Boating & Fishing Marketing Program
• Youth Education

13. For more information,
please contact RBFF at rbff@rbff.org.