New citizen science data reveals trends in UK sea angling participation and catches from 2016 to 2021.

New research on UK sea angling led by the Centre for Environment, fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and Substance has been released today. This report provides unparalleled data on the numbers of sea anglers, participation rates, and catches across the UK from 2016 to 2021, alongside an assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on UK sea angling

This ongoing study is a successful example of a large scale citizen science project in action, with over 5,000 volunteer sea anglers providing data on over 48,000 fishing sessions and 362,000 catch records from 216,000 hours of angling activity from 2016 to 2021 (www.seaangling.org). Participants have also contributed to further research to be published elsewhere on the economic benefits and health and well-being benefits derived from sea angling.

Analysis of the whole time series (2016 to 2021) using modelling approaches has both improved estimates of participation and catches and revealed more about trends and changes over time. In addition, all results are now available to everyone to explore and visualise through our open access online UKSAIL system (https://tinyurl.com/UKSAIL).

The information will be used by scientists, policy makers, and the angling community to inform advice for the sustainable management of the UK’s fisheries and UK Fisheries Management Plans alongside ensure the economic and recreational importance of sea angling is considered. 

The findings showed that:

  • Between 568,000 to 753,000 of UK adults had been sea angling in each year, fishing for a total of around 5.1 to 6.8 million days each year. 
  • Around 100 species were caught resulting estimates of catches of around 7 million fish retained and 28 million fish released each year. 
  • Around 80% of fish were released demonstrating that conservation is important to sea anglers.
  • Catch composition was similar between years with mackerel, whiting, lesser spotted dogfish, and sea bass the most caught fish.

Kieran Hyder, Sea Angling Lead at Cefas, said: “Our results demonstrate the importance of sea angling in the UK. The data generated over the past six years will provide the evidence required to support the needs of sea angling within fisheries management and is available to all. I cannot thank the sea anglers that have contributed enough for their efforts and dedication, and hope that it will inspire more to join.”

YOU CAN SIGN UP

The study is part of the Sea Angling Diary Project which open to anyone who fishes in the sea in the UK to join. Sea anglers will receive a free mobile app, catch recording kit, an online dashboard and reports of their activity. Anglers can sign up at www.seaangling.org.

Additional information

Sea angling is a popular activity in the UK that has social and economic benefits, and catches can be significant. Data on participation, catch and economic value of sea angling are needed by government and stakeholders to support well-informed decisions and sustainable management of fisheries. 

To obtain these estimates, the outputs from two separate survey methods were combined:

  • A nationwide face-to-face survey to estimate fishing participation and effort, using questions added to the Watersports Participation Survey each year.
  • A panel survey involving the completion of diaries by sea anglers. These anglers will be asked to keep a record of trips made, catches and releases of fish, sizes (lengths and weights) and expenditure. 

These estimates are combined accounting for differences in characteristics of sea anglers to generate the numbers and tonnages of fish kept and released by sea anglers in the UK using a Bayesian modelling approach.  

The study was led by Centre for Environment, fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in collaboration with the research and technology company Substance It was funded by Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), Welsh Government, Scottish Government, and Agri-food and Biosciences Institute of Northern Ireland (afbi). 

The project was supported by many parts of the sea angling community including the Angling Trust, Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society, Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers, Angling Cymru, Sport NI, Irish Federation of Sea Anglers, the National Mullet Club, Angling Trades Association, Association of IFCAs, and BritishSeaFishing.co.uk. Support has been provided by Fishing Megastore and Sea Angler Magazine. 

Thanks to the thousands of individual sea anglers that have contributed to the diary programme since 2016 providing data and engaging with a wide range of surveys during this period. 

For further information, please contact Kieran Hyder ([email protected])