A new online survey is being launched in April for sea anglers to contribute to Sea Angling 2012, the largest survey yet of sea angling activity, catches and economic value in England. All sea anglers who fish from the shore or boats, beginners and experts alike, are invited to participate in the survey, and have a chance to win fishing tackle prizes. Simply click on the project web site www.seaangling2012.org.uk and follow the links.
The survey will ask about the number of days anglers fished in different regions, and about the species that were caught. It will also ask how the quality of sea angling has changed over the years. This first online survey is specifically covering the period January to March 2012 and further surveys will go online in July, October and the following January to cover the rest of 2012.
This is one of several surveys comprising Sea Angling 2012 – information is being collected directly from anglers during their fishing trips all round the coast, and an on-line survey is also available now on the Sea Angling 2012 web site for sea anglers to tell us how much they spend on sea angling and the other benefits they get from the sport. The economic survey is being run by the social research co-operative Substance in collaboration with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the Universities of Cardiff and Newcastle.
Anglers contributing to these surveys are in with a chance to win rods, reels and tackle vouchers from Daiwa, Shimano, Go Outdoors and Pure Fishing in our quarterly prize draws – see our web site www.seaangling2012.org.uk for details of the prizes available and how to win them.
The Project Manager, Cefas’ Mike Armstrong, said: “We are carrying out these online surveys alongside the direct interviews with anglers to help build up a more complete picture of sea angling activity and its economic and social benefits in England.
“Taking part in the surveys is voluntary,” he continued, “but we hope that most anglers will participate as they will see the benefits of having evidence that can give sea angling a bigger voice in the development of marine policy. Even if you are just a beginner, or didn’t catch much – we still want to hear from you.”
The Sea Angling 2012 project is the biggest-ever survey of the sport in England. The project is being run throughout 2012 by Cefas on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and in collaboration with the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities who are interviewing anglers directly for this project, and by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
Sea Angling 2012 aims to improve the scientific understanding of fish stocks off the English coast and to ensure that the needs of sea angling are represented as effectively as possible in future marine policy development.
