SALEM, Ore. — ODFW today announced the availability of the 2006 Oregon Licensed Angler Survey conducted to determine licensed anglers’ participation in fishing in Oregon, their motivations for fishing and constraints and opinions about fishing and fishery regulations and management. 

The survey focuses on specific aspects of the freshwater sport fisheries for trout and warmwater species and provides information about Oregon’s anglers and how they think the state’s fisheries should be used.

Some of the findings include:

• Of the two thousand 2006 resident annual angling Oregon license holders who were contacted by telephone, about 77 percent said they had fished in the last year. Of the 23 percent who did not fish, the main reason (60%) given was “not enough time.”
  
  
• Nearly two-thirds of active Oregon anglers consider themselves to be primarily coldwater anglers (64%), 18% consider themselves to be primarily warmwater anglers; and 15% consider themselves to be equally a warmwater and coldwater angler.
  
  
• Catch and release does not appear to negatively affect enjoyment of trout fishing—41% of trout anglers say releasing fish makes fishing more enjoyable, 12% less enjoyable and 44% say catch and release has no impact.
  
  
• Sixty-one percent of trout anglers and 71% of warmwater anglers say that their level of fishing participation has increased or remained the same over the past five years while 38% of trout anglers and 27% of warmwater anglers say it has decreased.

“We will use the survey results to help make decisions about fishery management in Oregon,” said Mary Buckman, ODFW Recreational Fisheries Program biometrician.  “The scientifically-designed survey sampled a representative group of anglers from throughout the state and was designed to give a good representation of the activities and opinions of the anglers.”

Survey results will help shape ODFW regulation proposals for development of the 2009 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations. Oregon anglers are encouraged to review the results if they are considering submitting angling regulation proposals as part of the public process for development of the 2009 Regulations. The public will be able to submit proposals starting December 1, 2007.  Additional information on the public process will be available on the ODFW website by December 1, 2007.

The survey was conducted by Responsive Management, an internationally recognized public opinion and attitude survey research firm specializing in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues. The 2006 survey allows ODFW to look at changes in fishing behaviors and attitudes compared to those reported in a similar angler survey completed in 1977.

Read survey results