A new Special Report on Fishing was just released by Outdoor Industry Association’s philanthropic arm, Outdoor Foundation, who partnered with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to produce the Special Report on Fishing. The report provides a comprehensive review of fishing participation trends, including detailed information on specific fishing categories and audiences. That said, I was curious to know what these different fishing audiences thought about climate change, so I took a look, and provided some actionable steps companies in the recreational fishing industry can take to lead on climate action.
The Data: Do Anglers Care About Climate Action?
If you follow our social media channels, read our blogs, or listened to my recent interview with Dr. Aaron Adams from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust on The Sustainable Angler podcast, you know that we have been paying close attention to the effects of climate change on our rivers and oceans. The week of the 4th of July was the hottest week ever recorded, record heat is causing Hoot Owl restriction in Montana and marine heatwaves are causing record breaking ocean temperatures resulting in coral bleaching in the Florida Keys, for example. All of this is to say that climate change is happening in real-time, and is negatively impacting our fisheries, so it makes sense that any company selling products and gear to recreational anglers would want to immediately begin to measure and reduce their carbon footprint, right? After all it will be tough to sell fishing rods and gear if there aren’t any fish!
Surprisingly, there is still resistance to publicly talking about climate change or taking climate action in the fishing industry for fear of upsetting their more conservative customers, or perhaps fear of greenwashing. However, this is a mistake from not only an environmental perspective, but also an economic perspective because the majority of Americans support climate action, but what about anglers? Let’s use the data from the Special Fishing Report and see if we can find any research about these different segments to demonstrate why the recreational fishing industry should be leading on climate change:
- In 2022, 54.5 million Americans ages 6 and over took to the nation’s waterways to enjoy recreational fishing, a 4 percent increase from 2021. Fishing participation is growing, which is good news for the fishing industry, but here’s why every company in the fishing industry should care about their own impact on climate change:
- According to PEW Research, “a majority of Americans support the U.S. becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
- Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (69%) favor the U.S. taking steps to become carbon neutral by 2050, a goal outlined by President Joe Biden at the outset of his administration.
- The same share of Americans (69%) say the U.S. should prioritize developing renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, over expanding the production of oil, coal and natural gas.”
- According to Trout Unlimited, “Nearly nine in 10 Trout Unlimited members acknowledge that climate change is happening, and three in four are worried about global warming, according to the third in a series of surveys conducted by TU’s Climate Change Workgroup.”
- According to Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, 72 percent of hunters and anglers say that climate change is happening, and within that segment, 74 percent agree that human activity is affecting our climate.
- Fishing participation among Hispanic people ages 6 and over has increased about 45 percent over the last decade. Here’s some statistic demonstrating why companies in the fishing industry should be doing more to address climate change and demonstrate their support for climate action:
- According to PEW Research, “Most Latinos in the United States say global climate change is an important concern, with a majority saying that it affects their local community at least some.
- About eight-in-ten U.S. Hispanics (81%) say addressing global climate change is either a top concern or one of several important concerns to them personally”
- Over the last decade, female participant numbers grew nearly 4 million, from 16 million in 2012 to 19.8 million in 2022. Females represented 36 percent of total anglers and 42 percent of first-time participants.
- According to PEW Research, “In seven of 11 developed nations we surveyed this spring – from the U.S. and Canada to Germany and South Korea – women are more likely to consider climate change a serious problem, be concerned it will harm them personally and say that major lifestyle changes are needed to solve the problem.”
- New anglers are younger, more diverse, and highly socially connected.
- According to PEW Research, “Gen Z, Millennials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social Media Engagement With Issue.” See below:
Bottom Line: Majority of Anglers Care Deeply About Climate Action & Your Company Should Too
Generally speaking, anglers support conservation, protecting & restoring habitat and are a vocal group politically, but for some reason or another, there is a massive gap when it comes to talking about climate change, taking climate action and letting elected officials know that climate action is imperative, which is why the recreational fishing industry should be leading on climate action and stop worrying about pissing off baby-boomers for taking a stand and protecting our fisheries for future generations. Climate change is happening in real-time as is evidenced by the increasing wildfires, droughts, sea level rise, record temperatures on land and in our rivers and streams, and guess what? The climate science accurately predicted everything we are experiencing right now decades ago!
According to research PEW Research, Trout Unlimited and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, the majority of Americans, and especially hunters and anglers, are concerned about climate change and support climate action. So, what am I missing? At a bare minimum, every company in the recreational fishing and boating industry should be listening to their customers, and lead on climate action. The bottom line is that the future of our fisheries, and therefore the recreational fishing and boating industries are dependent upon immediate climate action.
3 Steps Your Company Can Take to Be Part of the Solution
As individuals, we can and should support climate legislation and let our elected officials know, no matter what political party they represent, climate change affects us all, and we are demanding climate action. This step is critical because one thing every elected official fears is not getting re-elected. As anglers, we should also be more engaged in our fisheries management by writing letters to the editor and engaging with State and Federal agencies to address not only numbers of fish, but water quality and habitat, all of which are effected by climate change.
Step 1: Educate & Engage Your Social Media Followers
As a company in the recreational fishing industry, you should be using your social media channels to educate your followers about important issues related to conservation, fisheries management and climate change, and then use your website as a platform for your customers to get more information and take action. I can assure you that the one or two hecklers on your social channels do not represent how the vast majority of your customers feel, especially around the issue of climate change.
Step 2: Lead by Example
Impacting policy is a long game, albeit necessary, but while we wait on our elected officials to “do the right thing” you should be taking action and leading by example. The reason this step is crucial is because it gives your company credibility. You are not just telling other people how to live their lives, but you are putting your money where your mouth is. Talking about climate change and not backing it up with action, is simply not a good strategy. By actively measuring your company’s carbon footprint, taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and electric vehicles, creating a sustainable procurement policy and reporting annually to your stakeholders, your company will be leading by example. Z-Man Fishing and RepYourWater are two of my clients that have easily been able to make the business case for climate action in the form of reduced operational costs and increased customer loyalty, all while reducing their carbon footprint, because anglers will support brands that align with their values.
Step 3: Utilize Your Trade Organization to Lobby
There are many reasons to join your trade association, such as access to industry experts, building meaningful relationships through trade shows/conferences, and insightful industry reports, but perhaps the most undervalued reason to join your trade organization is to increase the impact of your interests in legislature. For example, the American Fly Fishing Trade Association is in strong support of climate action both from a conservation and climate action perspective and advocate on its members behalf. Joining your trade organization in DC to meet with elected officials has powerful implications for what legislation does or does not get passed.
In conclusion, there is no denying that climate change is happening in real-time, fossil fuels are the main cause and your customers care deeply about the future of our fisheries. As a business who is solely dependent on the resource, I am sure you care, but have a variety of reason you may or may not be taking action. However, the time for climate action is now, and we must stand together, or literally risk losing it all. Future generations will look at this moment in history and either thank us for stepping up, or condemn us for our cowardice. The choice is ours.