The sports participation poll, carried out in July 2004, asked the question “Have you ever taken part in the following?” and the responses were as follows:
- Fishing or angling 26%
- Rambling 23%
- Organised association football 20%
- Jogging/running 40%
Campaign for Angling Director Charles Jardine commented: “Angling has proved its popularity once again and we are delighted by the results of this poll. Yet, incredibly, the sport which is worth £ 3bn a year to the economy and has 3.5m participants in the UK still only attracts the same level of Sport England funding as movement & dance and rounders.
“Anglers themselves have paid over £ 18m in rod licences this season, which will be ploughed directly into the Environment Agency’s work in river and stillwater conservation, but the Government should be funding angling’s development because of its proven economic and social benefits”.
Mr Jardine continued: “Enthusiasm for angling is running at an all time high, especially amongst the young, and we cannot take this enthusiasm for granted: if we don’t capitalise on it, invest in it properly and make it accessible to all we will see a golden opportunity wasted”.
NOTE
1003 adults throughout England, Scotland and Wales were polled.
The poll was conducted by independent company Opinion Research Business (ORB) in July 2004.
Copies of the poll are available on request.
