Fishing for food motivates shore anglers

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22: Shoreline fishers drop their hooks 50 per cent more often than boat owners, according to the 2011 Survey of Recreational Fishing Activity in Bermuda.

It shows they represent a more diverse selection of the community than boat owners, despite still being predominantly Bermudian.

And the study reveals that fishing for food was an important reason for two-thirds of shore fishers.

Surveys of the island’s shorelines were conducted between August and October 2011 by three members of the marine resources section and a volunteer Park Ranger.

They conducted 86 surveys across the island from Town Cut to Dockyard arm and Devonshire Bay to Shelly Bay.

Joanna Pitt, marine resources officer, told the Sun: “Based on the data analyzed so far, shoreline fishers are catching about 30 fish per year on average.

“Scaling this up using the information from the economic valuation study in 2008, which estimated that about 11,000 people fish from the shore, this suggests that 330,000 individual fish could be caught over the course of a year.

“Relaxation and spending time with friends and family were cited as the two most important motivating factors for going fishing.

“Fishing for food was an important motivating factor for roughly two thirds of those fishing from the shore, while the sport aspect of fishing was less important to those fishing from the shore than to boat owners surveyed. “Tradition was considered a more important factor for shoreline fishers.

“For shoreline fishers, catching large fish was generally more important than catching many fish, but the number of fish caught was still important or very important to some interviewees.”

Nearly 60 per cent of the shore fishers interviewed were Bermudian, but 21 per cent were from India or Asian countries.

They were found to be less likely to target particular species than boat fishers, but many said they released most of the fish they caught.

Ms Pitt added: “Most interviewees reported fishing primarily from public shorelines using a handline and sometimes a rod and reel.

“Shoreline fishers were less likely to target particular species, but several interviewees reported specializing in fishing for hogfish although actual catch rates varied.

“Jacks, bream, coney, chub and grunts were also frequently landed.”

Special report: 2011 Survey of Recreational Fishing Activity in Bermuda

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