Recreational Fishing

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Abstract

Fishing is popular throughout Canada, but in the more remote parts of the country it is a major part of the local economy. Frequency of participation in recreational fishing has a strong relationship to the distribution of population, but the northern areas for which there is data also have a substantial amount of fishing activity. This map shows the participation in fishing shown by major watershed areas. The advantage of using these areas is that indicates usage by river systems, and, as well, it differentiates the northern from southern parts of the larger provinces. The pattern shows a strong relationship to the distribution of population, but the northern areas for which there is data also have a substantial amount of fishing activity.

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Recreational fishing is probably the most important and popular water-based recreational activity in Canada. Not only is fishing popular right across Canada, but in many of the more remote parts of the country, it is a major part of the local economy. The text below consists of a description of the map, which shows data on the basis of watersheds, and then gives further details from the data source used for the map.

In 1996, Statistics Canada conducted a survey on behalf of a nationwide partnership of 16 federal, provincial and territorial agencies interested in nature-related activities. The Survey on the Importance of Nature to Canadians asked 87 000 Canadians 15 years and over about relevant activities in 1996.

Some of the major findings of the survey related to recreational fishing were as follows:

• In 1996, an estimated 4.2 million Canadians fished for recreation in Canada (17.7 percent of the population aged 15 years and over).
• Recreational fishing was more popular among men than women.
• Fishing was also more popular among rural Canadians than among urban Canadians.
• Participation was more concentrated among those younger than 45 years of age than among the older age groups.
• Fishing was more popular among Canadians with education beyond high school but less than university.
• The personal incomes of participants were higher than for the Canadian population in 1996 and were particularly concentrated in the $30 000 or more personal income ranges.
• The number of people participating is shown in Figure 1. Newfoundland and Yukon residents have participation rates well above the national average (17.7%), whereas participation in Prince Edward Island is considerably below this average. (There is very little open freshwater in Prince Edward Island).
• The database also gives frequency of participation. Nationally, there were 72 million trips in 1996, an average of 17.2 days per participant. The number of trips per participant is considerably higher than this average in Newfoundland (24 days per participant), and somewhat lower in Quebec (13 days).

The forms that recreational fishing takes are varied. To distinguish between them, two forms were defined. The first, fishing as the main activity, occurs when recreational fishing is the main reason for a trip. The second, fishing as a secondary activity, occurs when recreational fishing is a secondary reason for taking the trip. In 1996, 3.1 million Canadians participated in recreational fishing as the main activity, whereas 2.2 million fished as a secondary activity see figure 1 below.

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Figure 1. Participation in Recreational Fishing, 1996

More detailed results are available from the survey for participants in fishing as the main activity:

• The majority of these anglers fished in freshwater lakes, rivers or streams (96.4%). Fewer fished in the Pacific Ocean (5.8%) or the Atlantic Ocean (4.1%).
• Three quarters (75.6%) caught fish on their trips during the year.
• Nearly one-third of these anglers (30.4%) visited national or provincial parks or other protected areas for the main reason of fishing for recreation.