:nvironnement Canada
iervice des peehes
t des sciences de la mer
The Dimensions of a
Salt-Water Sport
Fishing Trip
I
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~~~~o People look
~or in a Fishing Trip
besides Fish?
Richard C. Bryan
PACIT-74-1
Southern Operations Branch
Pacific Region
\
FORWARD
This study is the first in a series on
recreation that will be published in 1974.
The
objective is to examine some of the critical variables
affecting the fish-recreation equation, and in so doing,
to lay a reliable groundwork for recreational management
and planning.
Management of sport fishing is, to the
present, notable for two things - a general lack of
empirical data - and a predominance of subjective opinion,
for after all, we are all sport fishermen:
This study
is intended to replace that subjectivity with the broader
views of our clients -
the sport fishermen.
Philip A. Meyer
Chief Economist
Southern Operations Branch
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Gary McKay for conducting
the survey and in particular for allowing his working
hours to be governed by the times when people fish which
are generally at variance with normal working hours.
The study has benefited substantially from critical
comments made on various drafts by Phil Meyer and Gerard
Mos.
My thanks also to Mary Harrison for editing the final
draft.
Special appreciation is given to Jackie Wiebe
who cheerfully deciphered my writing and typed all of the
drafts.
R.C.B.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
List of Tables
... 1
List of Figures
2
Introduction
3
Chapter I
The Setting
5
Chapter II
Sport Fishing Effort and
Catch in Perspective
7
Chapter III
The Motives Underlying a
Fishing Trip
12
Chapter IV
Relationships Between Fishing
Performance and the Primary
Motives for Fishing
21
Chapter V
Socio-economic Characteristics
of Sport Fishermen
27
Conclusion
32
Appendix
34
1
•
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1
Place of residence of the
surveyed sport
fishermen, 1973
6
Table 2
British Columbia salmon sport
fishing effort and catch, 1960 to 1972
8
Table 3
Salmon sport fishing effort and
catch in the Nanaimo and Cowichan
Bay areas, 1960 to 1972
9
Table 4
Motives of the sport fishermen for
their current fishing trip, 1973
14
Table 5
Primary motives of the sport fishermen for their current fishing trip,
1973
17
Table 6
Catch and evaluation of the fishing
by primary motives of fishermen, 1973
22
Table 7
A comparison of the number of fish
caught per boat and the respondent's
evaluation of the fishing, 1973
24
Table 8
Duration of current trip and number of
expected annual
fishing trips by
primary motives of fishermen, 1973
26
2
,
Table
9
Table- 10
Distribution of each age group
of fishermen by primary motive
categories, 1973
28
A comparison of family incomes
of surveyed fishermen (1973) and
all British Columbian families
families (1972)
30
List of Figures
".
Figure 1
Primary motives for fishing trip
by general categories, 1973
19
"
-
INTRODUCTION
This study was designed to investigste the dimensions of
a salt-water sport fishing trip.
Sport fishing is a complex activity
which is pursued for a number of different motives.
These include
the desir~ to Ilescape" from the growing demands of civil.ization,
to be outdoors, to be with friends or family, and to enjoy the
various satisfactions which can be gained specifically through the
activity of sport fishing.
The sport fishermen surveyed were asked
to select which particular reasons motivated their current fishing
trip, and to rank them in order of importance. *
If a sport fishery is to be managed for the benefit of
people it is axiomatic that fishery managers need to know which
characteristics of a fishing trip are most important to fishermen.
Up to the present time fishery msnagers have concentrated on providing
adequate stocks of sport fish.
Success in achieving this goal has
been measured through estimates of the sport catch and the ratio of
catch to effort expended.
With stocks available to the sport fisher-
men remaining roughly constant and greater fishing effort being
expended, not surprisingly, catch to effort ratios have declined
over recent years.
Most recently, success has been measured by the
growth of sport fishing effort in terms of boat-days, with emphasis
being gradually removed from catch statistics.
*
See Appendix
Unfortunately,
4
this measure discloses nothing about changes in the
quality of sport fishing.
It implies that a doubling
of sport fishing effort doubles the benefits regardless
of how the characteristics of the activity, such as
crowding and catch levels, have been altered.
Fishery managers have known, at least intuitively,
that the fish component accounted for only a part of the
pleasurable recreational aspects of sport fishing.
As it
becomes increasingly expensive to increase the supply of
fish, and, as we suspect, the quality of sport fishing is
gradually deteriorating, it is important to know Which
attributes of the activity
to preserve or improve.
This
study represents an effort to identify the characteristics
of sport fishing and their relative importance to fishermen.
It is only after we know what people are looking for in
a fishing trip that we can hope to formulate policies to
provide it.
'.
5
CHAPTER I
",
The Setting
The survey was conducted by one interviewer who
regularly visited the marinas, docks and launching ramps along
the east coast of Vancouver Island from Nanaimo to Cowichan Bay
during the summer of 1973.
viewed when they came ashore
Sport fishermen were personally interafter a fishing trip,
In addition,
the interviewer cruised among the Gulf Islands surveying fishermen
in their boats while docked or at anchor.
Table I shows the distribution of the surveyed fishermen
by place of residence.
.'
Almost all of the fishermen surveyed were
local residents within thb Nanaimo-Cowichan Bay area,
This is a
reflection of the study design which was to determine the motives
underlying sport fishing trips primarily by residents of British
Columbia.
Thus, while the survey mainly reflects the
attitudes of local residents who fish in the vicinity
of the Gulf Islands,
the results are believed to be
generally applicable to the entire south coastal area of
British Columbia.
6
,
Table 1
Place of Residence of the Surveyed Sport
Fishermen - 1973
Number
Percentage
Nanaimo
226
43.1
Duncan
205
39.1
Ladysmith
42
8.0
Vancouver
15
2.9
Cobble Hill
9
1.7
Chemainus
7
1.3
Cowichan
5
1.0
13
2.5
2
0.4
524
100.0
Other B.C.
U.S.
..
7
CHAPTER II
sport Fishing Effort and Catch in Perspective
Fishery managers can expect growing pressures from sport
fishermen on the reSources they manage.
in number but also in complexity.
Not only will demands grow
It will no longer suffice for
managers to measure the quality of sport fishing activity solely
by numbers of fish caught or by effort expended in the form of
boat-days as has been the case up to the present.
Numbers of fish caught, effort in terms of boat-days and
catch per boat-day for all of British Columbia from 1960 to 1972
can be observed in Table 2.
Fishing effort has increased steadily
over the period, showing a 60 percent increase from 1960 to 1972.
Although the total annual catch has varied considerably from year
to year, its increase from 1960 to 1972 has not kept pace with
that of fishing effort.
A five year moving average of the catch
per boat-day shows a decline from 1.3 in 1964 to 1.1 in 1972.
Table 3 shows the historical sport fishing data for the
locations covered in this survey.
Fishing effort has increased from
a mean of 29,090 boat-days from 1960 to 1966 to a mean of 48,830
from 1967 to 1972; an increase of almost 70 percent.
A five year
moving average of catch per boat-day over the period shows a
decline from 1.3 in 1964 to 1.1 in 1972.
8
Table 2
British Columbia Salmon Sport Fishing Effort and Catch,
1960 to 1972
*
5 Year
Moving
Average
of (3)
(1)
Total
Catch
(2)
Total
Boat-Days
1972
317,109
325,652
0.9
1.1
1971
539,953
372,939
1.4
1.1
1970
381,275
335,700
1.1
1.1
1969
281,050
305,500
0.9
1.0
1968
312,870
285,500
1.1
1.1
1967
276,800
277,450
1.0
1.1
1966
345,325
276,175
1.3
1.2
1965
237,650
267,200
0,9
1.1
1964
243,375
216,090.
1.1
1.3
1963
385,225
268,525
1.4
1962
261,375
223,481
1.2
1961
236,975
213,185
1.1
1960
314,125
204,700
1.5
* Dept.
(3)
Catch per
Boat-Day
of the Environment, Fisheries & Marine Service,
Salmon Sport Fishing Catch Statistics for British Columbra
Tidal Waters; various years.
..
9
TABLE 3
Salmon Sport Fishing Effort and Catch In The
Nanaimo to
Total
Catch
Cowichan Bay Area
*
Total
Boat-Days
Catch per
Boat-Day
5 Year
"Moving
Average
of (3)
1972
45,239
45,100
1.0
1.1
1971
81,233
52,837
1.5
1.1
1970
58,675
54,325
1.1
1.1
1969
44,375
51,275
0.9
1.0
1968
53,820
47,630
1.1
1.2
1967
42,075
41,800
1.0
1.2
1966
52,100
40,105
1.3
1.2
1965
26,150
28,945
0.9
1.2
1964
37,400
24,685
1.5
1.3
1963
33,400
27,070
1.2
1962
33,675
28,260
1.2
1961
27,900
28,300
1.0
1960
46,400
26,250
1.8
* Dept.
of the Environment, Fisheries and Marine Service,
Salmon Sport Fishing Catch Statistics for British Columbia
Tidal Waters; various years - Areas 17 & 18.
10
r
Thus, in terms of the traditional approach to sport
fishing management, the problem is clear; a steady, substantial
increase in Lffort, a variable but slight increase in
total
annual catch, and a declining catch per boa'.t-day.• ,
The
traditional solution would be to consider alternative methods to
increase stocks of the salmon sport species, coho and chinook, in
order to maintain the catch per boat-day at some arbitrary level.
Once this had been accomplished through the implementation of a
combination of hatcheries, spawning channels, or commercial fish-
ing restrictions, the problem would be considered solved until
pressures rebuilt.
However, the cost of such programs in terms of
actual outlays and foregone earnings in the commercial fishery is
substantial.
In fact, even if cost_ waS not an Jmportant factor,
the problem has become too complex to yield to this type of solution.
In the past the satisfactions to be gained from many
of the other dimensions of a fishing trip could be taken for granted.
Fewer people and less industrial activity in the past meant that the
.satisfactions gained from solitude, unspoiled natural surroundings,
and availability of fish were easily achievable.
Growing populations
and industry pressures have acted to reduce many of the satisfactions
inherent in a fishing trip.
In fact, it is possible that sport
11
fishing activities may become so hectic that they will no longer
provide a change of pace from day-to-day urban living.
12
CHAPTER III
The Motives Underlying A Fishing Trip
This chapter investigates the possibility
that for most people a fishing trip represents more than
the satisfactions inherent in catching and eventually
eating fresh fish.
Table 4 displays the motives selected
by fishermen for their current fishing trip.
Respondents
were allowed to choose more than one reason and were
not required to order them in terms of importance.
The
524 respondents selected an average (mean) of 2.4
motives.
In many cases the specific motives chosen can be
grouped under more general headings indicating a broader
division of satisfactions pursued.
The following list
indicates the headings under which specific motives are
included. *
*
The assignment of motives to specific headings is
not always clear-cut; for instance it could be argued
that solitude should be included under Escapism rather
than Nature.
..
13
",
Escapism (for those motives implying a search for a change
of daily routine or escape from the growing demands
of civilization).
To take it easy and get rid of tension.
Change from working pressures.
Change from home pressures.
To do something different.
Nature
(for those motives relating to being out-of-doors
and the appreciation of nature).
To be outdoors.
Solitude
To enjoy the scenery
Fishing~
Oriented
(for those motives concerned with the catching or
harvesting aspect and the potential of good or
fair fishing),
To eat fresh fish.
The experience of a catch.
Good fishing available.
Fair fishing available.
Companionship
Travel
To take family and/or friends out.
Travelling to and from the fishing site.
14
"
Table 4
Motives of the Sport Fishermen for their Current Fishing Trip *
1973
Summary
Motives
%
No.
1.
To be outdoors
290
22.3
2.
To take it easy and get
rid of tension
230
18.0
3.
To eat fresh fish
166
13.1
4.
Change from working pressures
153
12.1
5.
The experience of a catch
126
9.9
6.
To take family and/or friends out
69
5.4
7.
Change from home pressures
53
4.1
8.
To do something different
47
3.8
,
9.
Solitude
37
2.9
10.
Good fishing available
23
1.8
11.
Fair fishing available
21
1.7
12.
To enjoy the scenery
20
1.6
13.
Travelling to and from the fishing site
7
0.5
14.
Other
36
2.8
1,278
100.0
*
Respondents were allowed to choose more than one reason
for their trip from a selected list or write in any
reason not listed - See Appendix.
.
15
It will be noted that the two motives most frequently
",
mentioned for the respondents' current fishing trip were "to take
it easy'" O;scapism), and" to be outdoors" (Notute).
Net ther
these two motives bear any relation to the supply of fish
oj'
beyond
some minimum level which is necessary to allow sport fishing to take
place.
Following these two motives, the next most important was
"to eat fresh fish". (Fishing-Oriented).
There is a direct relation-
ship between this "harvesting" aspect and the supply of fish.
However, the sporting or skill sspect of fishing is specifically
not included in this mo t i ve .
If protein foods such as meat
and fish continue to be relatively scarce,
the "harvesting"
motive may become increasingly important as people supplement
their diets with sport-caught fish.
Next most important was lTchange from working pressures n
(Escapism) followed by "the experience of a catch" (Fishing oriented),
a reason embodying the sporting, skill and pursuit aspects of sport
fishing.
In fact, traditional views might well suggest that this
is the most important aspect of sport fishing.
As will become even
more obvious in the next table, this view is not supported by the
results of this study.
16
Among the remaining motives listed, the lOth and 11th
,-
are interesting for their positions of low importance in light of
their role in the traditional view of fishing activity.
These
two motives involve the importance of potentially good or fair
fishing.
(Fishing-Oriented).
The few times that either of these
motives were picked by respondents indicates that the respondent
fishermen were largely indifferent to fishing potential, at least
within the limits of good to fair fishing.
surprising
It is also somewhat
to note that the four motives which are Fishing-Oriented
(3,5,10, 11) represented only 27 percent of all motives selected.
Finally, the two least popular characteristics of a
fishing trip were found to be the scenic aspects (Nature) and
travelling to and from the fishing site.
(Travel)
To some extent
these two reasons may be included under the more general motive,
lito be outdoors".
In
addition, substitutes are readily available
nearby for the particular scenic qualities encountered.
Primary Motives
While the foregoing has presented an overview of the
dimensions of sport fishing, Table 5 represents the respondents'
primary motives for their current fishing trip.
..
17
.'
Table 5
"
Primary Motives of the Sport Fishermen for their Current
Fishing Trip. 1973
Primary Motive
Number
Percent
1. To take it easy
148
28.2
2. To be outdoors
112
21. 4
3. To take family and/or friends out
59
11.3
4. Change from working pressures
40
7.6
5. To do something different
29
5.5
6. Solitude
25
4.7
7. The experience of a catch
23
4.4
8. To eat fresh fish
16
3.1
9. Fair fishing available
14
2.7
10. Good fishing available
12
2.3
11, 'Change from home pressures
10
1.9
12. Travelling to and from fishing site
3
0.5
13. To enjoy the scenery
2
0.4
26
5.0
5
1.0
524
100.0
14. Other
15. No reply
18
'.
This table allows us to focus more closely on the dimensions of
sport fishing since here each respondent was asked to list his
motives in order of importance and only the most important motive
for each fisherman was tahulated.
The results of Table 5 are shown graphically in Figure 1.
The primary motive
for their fishing trip selected by the respondent
fishermen are grouped under the general headings outlined earlier.
This form of presentation emphasizes
the
general objectives sought
by the respondent fishermen dUring a fishing trip.
The most significant finding in Table 5 is that more than
80 percent of the primary motivations for fishing trips are not
directly related to the activity of fishing.
primary motive was "to take it easy""
The most often cited
This motive and those
numbering 4, 5 and 11 are included under the general heading of
Escapism
and displayed in Figure 1.
They were cited by 227 or 43
percent of the respondent fishermen as the
primary motive for
their current fishing trip.
The second most frequently cited primary motive was
"to be outdoors".
This motive as well as those numbering 6, and
13 are included under the general heading of Nature as shown in
'.
Figure 1
19
Primary Motives for Fishing Trip by General
Categorieg, 1973
No.
of
Fisherme
240
220
l
200
-
180
;..
160
-
140
-
120
.
100
-
80
-
60
40
-
20
.
ERell pIi 8m
Natul'e
ll'lsnln g
Oriented
comp an-
ionship
Travelling
Other
20
Figure 1.
One of these reasons was chosen as the primary motive
for their current fishing trip by 139 or 27 percent of the
respondent fishermen.
The third most often cited primary motive was "to take
family and/or friends out".
This was the only selection provided
on the questionnaire to cover the Companionship aspect of sport
fishing.
It was selected as their primary motive by 59 or 11.3
percent of the respondents.
The lIexperience of a catch" ranks seventh in Table 5
and represents the primary motive for approximately 4 percent of the
fishermen questioned.
Immediately following in importance are
three additional Fishing-Oriented motives directly related to the
supply of fish.
fish ll
,
They are, in order of popularity, "to eat fresh
"fair fishing available", and "good fishing available".
A
total of 65 or 12.5 percent of the fishermen surveyed selected one
of these four as his primary motive for going fishing.
21
CHAPTER IV
Relationships Between Fishing Performance and
Primary Motives for Fishing
Table 6 provides a comparison of catch by the respondent
fishermen and their evaluation of the quality of the fishing.
The
fishermen are grouped by the primary motives given for their current
fishing trip.
Tbe primary motives are grouped under major headings
to allow summaries under each of the broad motivational categories
to be compared.
Those respondents who were primarily motivated by the
---..--
Nature aspects of sport fishing were the most successful fishermen
"
..
in terms of catch per boat during their current fishing trip.
Averaging
1.7 fish per boat, 56 percent of them considered the fishing to be
either average or
~ood.
The next most successful group in terms of catch per boat
were those fishermen who were primarily motivated by Escapism.
They averaged 1.59 fish per boat and 51 percent of them evaluated
the fishing as either average or good.
22
Table 6
Catch and Evaluation of the Fishing
by Primary Motives of Fishermen, 1973
Subjective Evaluation
of the Fishing
No. of
Fishermen
Primary
Motive
ESCAPISM
Working Pressure
Home pressure
To take i t easy
Something different
Total
Average
NATURE
To be outdoors
Solitude
Enjoy scenery
Total
Mean Catch
Per Boat
Good
Average
Bad
+
%
II
%
1. 42
1. 40
1. 67
1. 52
10
0
8.8
9.7
32.5
50
43.9
41. 9
57.5
50
47.3
48.4
1. 59
8.7
41.9
49.4
1. 74
1. 52
1. 50
7.9
4.0
0
48.2
52.0
50.0
43.9
44.0
50.0
1. 70
7.1
48.9
44.0
2.25
1. 79
1. 00
0.94
16.7
14.3
4.3
6.3
50.0
35. 7
26.1
18.7
33.3
50.0
69.6
75.0
1. 39
9.2
30.8
60.0
60
1. 55
10.0
36.7
53.3
29
0.74
9.7
22.6
67.7
1. 54
8.6
40.7
50.7
40
10
148
31
zzg--
114
25
2
141
Average
+
%
FISHING-ORIENTED
Good fishing avail.
Fair fishing avail.
Experience a catch
Eat fresh fish
Total
12
14
23
16
65
Average
COMPANIONSHIP
Take others out
OTHER
TOTAL FISHERMEN
OVERALL AVERAGE.
524
= 100%
23
The Fishing-Oriented group caught an average of 1.39
fish per boat.
Their relatively low average catch success is
reflected in their evaluation of' the fishing; only 40 percent
indicating they felt it to be average or good.
However, there is
a substantial degree of variability of the responses within this
group.
High catches per boat (2.25) were reported by those
fishermen who were primarily motivated by knowledge of "good fishing
In turn, 67 percent of these fishermen reported good
available'.' .
or average fishing.
An average of 0.94 fish per boat were caught by
those fishermen who were primarily motivated by a desire to "eat
fresh fish", and only 40 percent of these fishermen reported good
or average fishing.
and as yet,
This group may be composed of new,
unskilled sport fishermen who are attempting
to supplement their diets with "free" fish.
Membership
in this group may increase dramatically in the future,
particularly if low cost
(to the user)
innovations such
as fishing piers were introduced.
What
is Good Fishing?
Table 7 compares the respondents'
evaluation of
the fishing with their actual catches per boat.
percent of those reporting "good fishing"
7 fish per boat, while
fishing"
89
percent of
caught either 2 or 3 fish.
87 percent of
Seventy-six
caught between 5 and
those reporting "average
No fish were caught by
those reporting "bad fishing".
24
Table 7
A Comparison of the Number of Fish Caught Per Boat
and the
Respondent's Evaluation Of The Fishing. 1973,
Evaluation of the Fishery
No. of Fish
Caught per boat
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
More than 8
Average No. of fish
caught per boat
Number of Respondents:
Good
Fishing
Average
Fishing
Bad
Fishing
0
2.2
2.2
4.4
6.7
28.9
31.1
15.6
6.7
2.2
0
4.3
61.3
27.8
6.1
0
0.5
0
0
0
100.0
100.0
100.0
5.6
2.4
0.2
45
213
266
86.9
10.1
2.6
0
0
0
0
0.4
0
0
---
25
Table 8 outlines fisbing effort in terms of duration of
the present fishing trip and the expected number of annual trips.
The fishermen are again grouped according to their primary motives
for their current fishing trip.
Taken as a whole the respondent
fishermen expected to fish an average of 38 times in 1973.
Only two
sets of fishermen expect to fish a significantly different number of
times this year.
Those, primarily motivated by reasons of "taking
family and/or friends out" expected to fish 52 times in 1973, while
those wishing "to do something different" expected to fish only 16
times in 1973.
In general, those respondents who are primarily
Fishing-Oriented, expected to fish less often than those who had other
primary motives for their fishing trip.
Although wide variations are present within the major
groups in terms of the length of the current fishing trip, these
variations are no longer significant when the groups themselves are
compared.
Only those respondents whose primary motives for fishing
were a "change from home pressures" or "good fishing available" had
a majority of their members spending from 3 to 6 hours on their current
fishing trip.
In all other single motivational categories, the majority
of respondents fished from 1 to 3 hours.
26
Table 8
"
Duration of Current Trip and Number of Expected Annual
Fishing Trips by Primary Motives of Fishermen - 1973
No. of
Fishermen.
Primary Motive
Fishing
Trin~'
Length of Trip - Hours
0-1
1-3
3-6
Over 24
% +
#
-- + - %
%
% = '100%
+
ESWISli
Working Pressure
Home pressure
To take it easy
Something different
40
10
148
31
Total
229
Escapism-Average
35
35
38
16
5
0
0
0
62.5
30.0
59.5
67.7
27.5
70
39.9
29.0
37.6
5
0
0.6
3.3
34
0.9 59.8
1.7
41
39
31
0
0
0
55.3
68.0
100.0
36.8
28.0
0
6.1
4.0
0
40
0
58.2
34.7
5.7
32
34
38
38
0
0
4.3
0
41.7
57.1
73.9
81. 2
58.3
35.7
21.7
12.5
7.2
0
6.3
36
1.5 66.2
29.3
3.0
NATURE
To be outdoors
Solitude
Enjoy scenery
Total
Nature
-
114
25
2
141
Average
FISHING~ORIENTED
Good fishing avail.
Fair fishing avail.
Experience a catch
Eat fresh fish
12
14
23
16
Total
Fishing-Or. Average
65
COMPANIONSHIP
Take others ou t
60
52
0
71. 7
28.3
0
OTHERS
29
37
6.5
58.1
29.0
6.4
1.0 61. 7
34.4
2.9
TOTAL' ,FPSHERMEN
OVERALL AV£RAGE
524
38
'
.
27
Chapter
V
Socia-Economic Characteristics of Sport Fishermen
The Effect of Age on Motivation
Table 9 displays each age group of fishermen by major
headings of primary motives for their fishing trip.
In this survey
almost 50 percent of the fishermen interviewed were in the 30 to 39
age category.
This is substantially greater than 14.5 percent which
is the comparable proportion of the British Columbian population
(those over 10 years of age)
in the 30 to 39 age group. *
In fact,
69 percent of the fishermen surveyed were within the ages of 30 to 49
in
comparison with 29 percent of the population of British columbia.*
The age distribution of the surveyed fishermen is thus distinctly
different from that of the population of British Columbia (over 10
·.
years of age) as a whole.
For every age group up to that of 70 years, Escapism
is the most popular motive for the trip.
This is particularly noticeable
in the 30 - 39 age group which includes more than one-half of all
surveyed fishermen, and is also strongly evident for the two age
groups between 50 and 69 years.
Fishermen who are primarily motivated by various aspects
of Nature have the second largest representation in all groups other
than the very youngest.
Their representation is greatest in the 40
to 49 age group.
*
Statistics Canada, Population - Age Groups, 1971 Census of Canada,
April 1973.
-
28
Table 9
,
Distribution of Each Age Group of Fishermen
by Primary Mo·t.ive Categories, 1973
10-19 yrs
y,
#
20-29 yrs.
%
IF
30-39 yrs o
#
%
40-49 yrs. 50-59 yrs.
#
#
%
%
60-69 yrs. Over 70 yrs.
#
#
%
%
Escapism
7
41. 2
14
34.1
116
47.1
45
38.5
31
47.0
14
Nature
3
17.6
13
31.7
61
24.8
38
32.5
16
24.2
7
FishOriented
5
29.4
8
19.6
27
11.0
13
11.1
10
15.2
1
Companionship
1
5.9
3
7.3
31
12.6
12
10.3
6
9.1
Travel
1
5.9
0
0
1
0.4
1
0.8
0
0
56.0
:I
16.7
28
3
25.0
4.0
1
8.3
3
12.0
4
33.3
0
0
0
.
0
..
Other
TOTAL
3
0
0
----
~
17
41
100.0
7.3
10
100.0
246
4.1
8
100.0
117
- - ----- --
6.8
100.0
3
4.5
0
0
2
16.7
12
100.0
-----
----- --
66 100.0
25
100.0
'.-
29
Those fishermen who are primarily Fishing-Oriented
are more heavily represented in the younger age categories than in
the older groups.
As will be noted, their greatest representation
is in the 10 to 19 age group.
The age distribution of those fishermen primarily
motivated by Companionship is just the opposite to those who are
Fishing-Oriented.
In fact, Companionship is the most important
motivator in the over 70 age group.
Only 5.4 percent of all fishermen who were 60 years of
age or older were primarily Fishing-Oriented.
In conjunction with
declining Canadian birth and mortality rates and a continuing flow of
adults into British Columiba,this finding implies that motives of
Escapism, Nature, and Companionship will become increasingly important.
30
Effect of Income on Motivation
There were no significant differences in income distribution
among the differently motivated groups.
A comparison of family incomes surveyed with all British
Columbia family incomes is presented in Table 10.
This comparison
Table 10
A Comparison of Family Incomes of Surveyed Fishermen (1973)
and all British Columbian Families
(1972)
*
Family Incomes
Income Groul?:
Fishermen
%
$
Less than 5,000
All B.C.
%
2.0
16.6
5,000
9,999
32.5
28.6
10,000
14,999
39.2
31. 7
15,000
19,999
17 .6
15.4
20,000
24,999
6.5
5.5
2.2
2.2
100.0
100.0
Over 25,000
*Statistics
Canada - Preliminary Family Income Survey
in British Columbia - 1972.
supports the hypothesis that salt-water sport fishermen
and their families are more affluent than British
,
Columbian families in general.
Only 2 percent of the
surveyed fishermen had annual family incomes of less
than $5,000 in contrast to 16.6 percent of all British
Columbian families.
The necessity of having the use nf
a boat and motor in order to troll,effectively bars most
of
the lowest income group from participating in the
salt-water sport fishery.
32
CONCLUSION
This study has investigated in broad terms the variety
of satisfactions which fishermen look for in a fishing trip.
Few
readers will be surprised that the harvesting aspect of fishing
is relatively unimportant but more may be surprised that the catching
aspect seems to be as well.
The most important dimensions of a
fiahing trip for the surveyed fishermen were the escapism-relaxation
and out-of-doors aspects of the activity.
One implication of the findings in this study is that
treating the supply of fish as the only variable to be managed in
order to preserve or improve the quality of the British Columbia
salt-water sport fishery is inadequate.
."
The pressing demands of civilization are acting to both
reduce the supply of the characteristics of a natural environment
close to popUlation centres while at the same time increasing the
demand for these characteristics.
Sport fishing represents
an ideal outlet for the frustrations of modern living in that it
produces multiple benefits with few social costs.
A minimum supply of fish sufficient to allow sport fishing
,
is of course necessary.
Trade-offs between increases in the supply
33
of fish beyond this minimum and opportunities to augment the supply
of other satisfaction generating components need to be carefully
evaluated.
At the level of primary motivation for a fishing trip
it must be emphasized that 88 percent of the surveyed fishermen were
seeking satisfactions unrelated to the catching or eating of fish.
Consequently, fisheries managers who concentrate their energies
exclusively on the supply of fish can be said to be managing fish
production but they will certainly not be managing sport fish recreation.
34
APPENDIX
1973 SPORT FISHING QUESTIONNAIRE
Good
1- I a) How is the fishing?
(b) How many fish did you catch?
Average
Bad
•
2. ( a) How often do you expect to fish this year?
(b) How long is this particular fishing trip?
0-1 hr.
1-3 hrs.
3-6 hrs.
1-2 days
3-4 days
5 or more days
3. What is your permanent place of residence?
4. (a) Which area did you fish today? (Refer to map)
(b) Which area do you fish most often?
(e) If you changed locations on this particular fishing trip, why
did you make the change? Please indicate those that apply to you.
(A change would be considered pulling in the lines)
12345678
9
5. (a) Why did you go fishing? (Please indicate those that you feel are
important on this particular fishing trip)
1
2
3
4
6
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
_
(b) Would you please rank those that you chose from most important to
least important?
6. How many people in this boat are fishing?
7. What is your approximate age?
(Please indicate by number the category your age is in)
1234567
8. Which of the following income groups is closest to your family's
income? (Please indicate by number the category your family's
income is in.)
9.
1
3
4
5
6
(a)
Weather:
(b)
Sky:
Sunny
Cloudy
(c)
Sea:
Calm
Rough
(d)
Percipitation: None
Hot
Warm
Light
•
13
Cool
Cold
Choppy
Heavy
Fisheries Service
Pacific Region
- ....
35
The selections available to the respondents for questions 4(c),
5(a), 7, and 8 are the following:
4(c);
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Fishing was poor
Area was too crowded
Water was too rough
Not enough people fishing nearby
Decided to try and catch another species of fish
People with you wanted to change locations
Change of scenery
Heard fishing was better elsewhere
Other (Please specify)
5(a):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
7.
.
"
8.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Good fishing available
Fair fishing available
To take family and/or friends out
To be outdoors
Change from working pressures
Change from home pressures
Solitude
Travelling to and from the fishing site
To take it easy and get rid of tension
To do something different
To enjoy the scenery
The experience of a catch
To have fresh fish to eat
Other (Please specify)
10
20
30
40
-
19
29
39
49
1. $0-4,999
2. $5,000-9,999
3. $10,000-14,999
5. 50 - 59
6. 60 - 69
7. 70 - Over
4. $15,000-19,999
5. $20,000-24,999
6. $25,000-Over