NSW fishing survey

Surveys show that recreational fishers are a diverse group of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, with a range of different reasons for participating in fishing.

The reasons why you fish can be influential on how much you enjoy a fishing outing, your style of fishing and how often you fish.

A project by University of Wollongong is currently exploring the different motivations that exist within the NSW fishing community in order to better understand 'who are recreational fishers and what makes them tick?'

Is it the thrill of the catch, the ambience and environment, bringing something home for the table? We reckon the research will prove what we suspect. That is, it's a combination of factors that tempt people to cast a line.

Fishing is a holistic activity that encompasses a wide range of benefits. It is also central to the psyche of millions of Australians. Estimates put angling numbers at 4-5 million nationally and 2 million in NSW, the angling state.

Our collective economic output and expenditure is terrific. In the Sydney region alone it amounts to $1B+ for economic rec fishing output and Sydney anglers account for 56 per cent of total $1.62B NSW angling expenditure (NSW DPI stats). So any new Marine Parks in the Hawkesbury Bioregion could have a large economic impact.

The University researchers say understanding the characteristics of NSW fishers may assist in providing more targeted educations campaigns, improve the ability to predict the way management changes may impact different sections of the fishing community, and provide insight into the reasons why some fishers stop fishing.