With over a quarter of Tasmania’s population fishing, scientists have cast a line to capture a snapshot of recreational fishing practices across the state.
Researchers from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) have released the 2022-23 Survey of Recreational Fishing in Tasmania – the fifth survey since 2000 – which provides insight into how many Tasmanians recreationally fish, how often they fish, and what they catch.
In the 12 months leading up to October 2022, approximately 130,500 Tasmanians aged five and older engaged in recreational fishing, representing 27% of the population.
Despite the largest number of recreational fishers being in the 45 to 59-year-old age group, young people aged five to 14 had the highest participation rate, with one in three fishers from the youngest age group fishing at least once a year.
“The decline in participation reported since the year 2000 has turned around, with participation now close to that reported over 20 years ago. The biggest growth has been in the youngest age group, and it’s encouraging to see that more kids are getting outdoors and doing something away from technology,” Research Fellow and report co-author Dr Kate Stark said.
While participation rates have increased, the survey revealed that most fishers don’t fish often, with about two-thirds of fishers fishing fewer than five days per year.
To read the full article, click here: IMAS scientists cast line to capture recreational fishing trends | University of Tasmania (utas.edu.au)
