Some information required, please!

I have read in various angling publications that, in the United Kingdom, sea angling generates more money than commercial fishing does. This sounds convincing and logical. In fact, I have used this comparison in several discussions myself in the belief it was true. Then suddenly it occurred to me that I had not seen the actual figures to support this theory; nor how they were made up; and what factors were taken into consideration. As I am a man who does not like to quote data that I do not have at least a reasonable understanding of, I would like to verify the accuracy of the above allegation. I therefore ask for your help. Does anybody know where this information originated from, the actual figures involved; the factors which were taken into consideration in the make up of these figures of comparison; and/or have any other information pertaining to this issue? I would appreciate your input.
With thanks…

Over to you!

You can find this info by searching http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn/latest try putting 'economic' in the site search engine - You also want to track down the Drew report.

Old Man of The Sea,

Love that name, (real one would`nt be Hemmingway would it???)

Could try hear, Defra, Govt Statistics estimating around, (from memory), £594 million was the value of sea angling in UK in the period covered by the statistics. http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/reports...ing/onepage.pdf

Its on the save our sharks forum under my own posting. A click there takes you straight through.

Stan.

The reports below do describe how the figures and conclusions arrived at were calculated, methodologies used, breakdowns by region, type of angler etc. Have Fun


Economics of Recreational Sea Angling

Version: August 2005

Compiled by the Sea Anglers’ Conservation Network
http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn


Recent Studies


In August 2005, a study by the Environment Agency (‘Public Attitudes to Angling 2005’)notes:

“Based on a population aged 12 and over in England and Wales of 44,254,462 the number of people aged 12 and over who had been sea angling is 3 million.”

See:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/commo...ree_1153660.pdf


A report into the value of Recreational Sea Angling was commissioned from Drew Associates by DEFRA.

Published in July 2004, it calculated that the direct spend by Recreational anglers in the England & Wales amounted to £538 million and the total worth of the sector could be some £1.3 billion.

The report can be downloaded from:

http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/reports...ing/default.asp


A report entitled ‘A Bio Economic Review Of Recreational Angling for Bass’, produced by the Scarborough Centre for Coastal Studies can be downloaded from:

http://www.hull.ac.uk/coastalobs/media/pdf/bass.pdf


A report into the UK fishing Industry, produced by the Prime Ministers Strategy Unit also contains information about the Recreational Angling sector.

It values the recreational sector as being worth ‘at least £1 billion’ and estimates that there are 2 million people who went sea angling in England & Wales in 2002

This report can be downloaded from:

http://www.strategy.gov.uk/work_areas/fish...eries/index.asp


An authoritative study, conducted by Nautilus consultants, valued the South Wales Inshore fishery at £8 million per annum. It valued the contribution of Recreational Sea Angling to the South Wales economy at £28 million. The full report (PDF format) can be downloaded from:

http://www.nautilus-consultants.co.uk/pdfs/wales.pdf

In fact, the Nautilus report was challenged in a document produced by the Countryside Commission of Wales that felt that a truer figure for the economic benefit of Recreational Angling is closer to £57million.

Wherever the commercial landed catch is valued, it also includes the value of species that are of no interest at all to anglers. Crustaceans, shellfish, nephrops (prawns), hake, monkfish etc. And those species of most interest to anglers are usually of no great importance to the commercial sector eg mullet, conger eel, wrasse, flounder, tope and hounds and other small sharks and rays, etc, even bass.


A further report on the value of recreational angling has been compiled by Nautilus for the Invest In Fish project in the South-West ( http://www.investinfish.org ).

See:
http://www.investinfish.org/documents/TheM...Anglers_001.pdf


And a European Study is now underway

See: http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn/latest/i...ex.php?view=155

And: http://www.anglers-net.co.uk/sacn/latest/i...ex.php?view=154

----------------------------------------------

The latest (2003) statistics on the UK commercial fishing industry, including first sale value of the landed catch (£520 million) can be downloaded from:
http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/publica...tat/default.asp


note: a direct comparision cannot be made between the sectors as it is a bit like comparing apples and cheese!

However, the figures do show that angling is very Big Business in comparison with Commercial Fishing, however you look at the figures!

Tight Lines - leon

[ 17. September 2005, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

David Pessel, In Fishing News 9 Sep 2005, is quoted as saying:

"I do recognise the importance of the angling lobby but feel it does itself a tremendous disservice when it finds it necessary to cost the price of a cheese sandwich to boost the importance of its stakeholding" *

Amusing then to compare the value of the UK sandwich industry alone with the commercial fishing industry.

Sandwiches are worth £3.5 billion! (cheese is 15% of that - compare that to the value of fish landed by the UK fleet! )

see: http://www.sandwich.org.uk/infocentre.asp?...aram=view&id=68



Tight Lines - leon

* All of the reports giving a value to Recreational Sea Angling were compiled by independent consultancies experienced in the fishing industry, nowhere do they mention the value of a cheese sandwich!!

[ 17. September 2005, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: Leon Roskilly ]

Leon & OMOTS,

see you are a retired business analyst Leon. May I first say I mean no personal dis-respect to either yourself or your profession or similar professions.

Is it not the case however that no matter how many statistics and studies are churned out, `beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. All these facts and figures mean little unless they say what you want them to say. They also rely on a perfect world where nothing ever strays from the projected analysis. I mean for example (and I`m in no way politically minded, wouldn`nt trust a politiciam as far as I could spit them), ` a particular UK Governement is voted in with an #impressive# majority of 46%. Sounds good except that all it means is that 54% of the people did`nt want or vote for them. I`m not at all sure what is to be gained by quoting all these statistics and facts. As far as I can see the most relevant fact is that fishing catches, angling or commercial, appear to be diminishing. I can`t speak for the commercial sector but I`ve been sea angling some 45 years. If the fish aint where they used to be in the numbers they used to be then try somewhere else, try a different technique, bait, tide, try boat instead of shore or vice versa. Even after 45 years I`m still learning. Recent posts from a new member asked questions regarding shock leaders, beachcasting etc. I learned from these as I`m a crap shore angler unless its mullet and wrasse even then I`m not too good. Think all I`m trying to say is that regardless of the statistics the fact remains that you have to find the fish and if that means trying new things then fine.

Probably rambling, once again no disrespect to business analysts and their kin I`m just extremely wary about statistics and even more wary of Govt produced ones.

Do you get it now.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for all the information provided - I'm grateful for your time and efforts in answering me. As time permits, I will investigate all the links you have kindly provided. I will then be able to form a more well-informed opinion on this matter. Once again, I thank you.