New Study Underscores Importance of Angler Access, and Not Much Resistance to Enhancing Access

The 2010 Angler Access in the U.S. Report entailed interviews with more than 4,000 landowners and more than 4,100 recreational anglers.

The most important finding is that two-thirds of anglers--freshwater and saltwater--access most of their fishing from public lands. About half of those anglers fished primarily from private boats. 

The five major findings in the study are:

• Public lands are important to anglers as a means to access places to fish
• Angler access is tied to boating access
• Fish and wildlife professionals are concerned about angler access
• While liability is an important issue for landowners, a landowners' privacy is the most important reason why they don't open their land to more people
• Landowners are generally unaware of the many programs that agencies and organizations have to help them create access on their property

"The most important finding in this study is the predominant role that public lands and access to public lands plays in anglers being able to enjoy their sport," said Gordon Robertson, vice president, American Sportfishing Association, which conducted the study in cooperation with Responsive Management.

"That is crucial information for our state and federal fish and wildlife and land managers and must be taken into account for budgeting and planning purposes," Robertson said.

"Access is consistently identified as the top issue of concern among anglers and the study reveals that if anglers can't access areas to recreationally fish, they may desert the sport," said Robertson. 

Other survey highlights include:

• 92 percent of landowners approved of legal recreational fishing and believe it is important for the public to have the opportunity to do so 
• About one-half of landowners fish on their own property and two-thirds allow access to those people they know
• Approximately one-tenth of landowners allow completely open access to their lands  
• Approximately 1 percent of private landowners charge an access fee to anglers 
• 64 percent of recreational anglers access their primary fishing areas from public lands while 16 percent use private lands. 
• 54 percent of recreational anglers seek areas with boating access
• 54 percent of anglers surveyed cited that as their primary source of information about where to fish is word of mouth 
• The survey found that 89 percent of landowners say they have not experienced problems with recreational anglers in the last five years 

The study was conducted under a multi-state conservation grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and administered by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Please click here of the study.