Patterns of participation and motivation among saltwater tournament anglers

Tournament anglers and organizations that represent them can be expected to play a greater role in seeking to influence future fisheries policy as tournaments increase in number. In stating management preferences and opinions, tournament anglers may argue they are representative of all anglers. Fisheries managers need to know more about this user segment and how they differ from the general population of anglers. More than 20 studies were reviewed to obtain information on participation patterns and motivations of saltwater tournament anglers. Results were presented for each relevant participation variable where data were available. Since aggregated data were used, no statistical tests of significant differences were possible; comparisons of study results were made by inspection. When saltwater tournament anglers were compared with two control groups of saltwater anglers, the former were more active in terms of all fishing participation indicators considered. Although there was agreement between saltwater tournament anglers and saltwater anglers on the high importance of the non-catch aspects of their fishing experiences (relaxation, escape, nature, and companionship), tournament anglers attached greater importance to the sport and challenge involved in seeking certain species. By integrating the results of 20 studies conducted between 1974 and 1987, this paper provides a basis for hypothesis testing in future research on competitive angling.