Presentation on Fish, Fishing and Aquariums of North America

Lawrence Gunther, President of Blue Fish Canada, recently presented at the 2016 Living Water Rally organized by the Fresh Water Alliance. The presentation outlines how public aquariums and the angling community have joined forces in aquatic research and the training of future aquatic stewards. The presentation was extremely well received with a number of future partnerships now in the works.

Click here to download PDF of the presentation

Fishing, Anglers and Aquariums of North America

A Presentation to the 2016 Living Water Rally

By Lawrence Gunther, President – Blue Fish Canada

Introduction – Blue Fish Canada

• Federally incorporated charity January 2012
• Mandate: The future of fish and fishing
• Activity: educating and empowering anglers to be stewards of aquatic ecosystems
• Broadcasting Blue Fish Canada Stewardship Tip PSA’s
• Distributing stewardship training materials
• Providing Free shoreline clean-up kits
• Organizing 24-hour fishathon
• Distributing “What Lies Below” documentary
• Producing 20-part series focussing on research aquariums of North America

Anglers

• Anglers fish recreationally or for sport
• Catch-and-release and selective harvesting
• According to DFO, in 2010 there were 3.4 million active anglers in Canada
• Another ½-million anglers visited Canada
• 25% of adult anglers in Canada are women
• Fish on average 13 days annually – 43.5-million days
• Harvested approx. 63-million fish
• Released approx. 125-million fish
• Spent $2.5 billion directly on fishing in 2010
• $400-million on fishing packages

Commercial fishing In Canada

• Approximately 50,000 active commercial fishers
• Aquaculture industry employs about 3,500 people at 1,000 sites
• Preparation and packaging of fish employs another 32,000
• In 2010 850,000 metric tons of wild fish were harvested from Canada’s oceans
• Value of marine fish harvested = $2.8-billion
• Total freshwater fish harvested in 2010 was 2,100 metric tons
• Total value of freshwater fish harvested = $63-million
• Total value of fish product exported $6-billion
• Total value of fish product imported $3.5 billion

World Statistics

• An estimated 45 billion fish are caught by recreational anglers annually around the world – 2/3 are released back into the environment.
• Approx. 100-million metric tons of fish are commercially harvested annually worldwide.
• Roughly 2.7-trillion individual fish are harvested commercially around the world each year.

Fish

• First appeared 500-million years ago
• 90 million years later they developed jaws
• Over 33,000 species of fish
• 60% of all known species on earth
• More fish species than all birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined
• Certain species (Sturgeon) stopped evolving 150-million years ago

Aquariums

• North America’s zoos and aquariums receive an estimated 175-million visitors annually
• Comply with criteria established by Association of zoos and aquariums
• Many operate as non-profits and are active in their communities
• Aquariums are using internet / social media to engage visitors pre and post visit
• Programs include: Research, rescue, conservation, volunteerism, citizen-science, excursions, multi-sensory experiences, education and partnerships

Engagement

• Aquariums generate considerable cash and donation
• Mandate includes training stewards of aquatic ecosystems
• Recreational fishing is North America’s most popular outdoor activity
• Anglers contribute more volunteer hours to conservation than all other groups combined
• Both aquariums and anglers are leaders in engaging citizens about aquatic issues
• Establishing linkages between aquariums and anglers makes sense

Commitment

• Aquariums care about educating the public
• Aquariums entertain, engage and empower
• Anglers care about fishing sustainably
• Fishing forges bonds between anglers and their local aquatic ecosystems
• Harvesting wild local organic food is growing in popularity

Action

• Aquariums using inclusive programming to connect with anglers
• Anglers supporting aquariums with research as citizen scientists
• Aquarium educational programming includes sustainable harvesting
• Anglers participate in fish habitat educational programming

THANK YOU! HAPPY FISHING!