Join the Sea Angling Diary in 2024

The Sea Angling Diary Project has been running since 2016 and is one of the longest running research projects on sea angling in the UK. It has grown from 500 participants in 2016 to over 2600 in 2023, and over 6,000 have taken part in total. Each year, the project involves sea anglers who commit to provide information via a mobile app and/or online diary tool about:

> Their sea angling activity (when they fish, or don’t fish, in a month)
> Their sea angling sessions (location, duration, method and platform)
> Their catches

The project has also involved one off studies into the social and economic benefits of sea angling around the UK.

All of this data collected helps national and local policy makes in England and Wales to make better informed decisions on fisheries management, as well as making the case for the development of sea angling. By having accurate data on what is caught, released and spent by sea anglers, the sea angling community is better able to demonstrate its real impact more effectively.

The Sea Angling Diary Project is carried out in partnership by government marine science organization Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) and research company Substance, who have a long track record in angling research. The project is undertaken on behalf of the English and Welsh governments who fund the work.

The research is supported by a wide range of angling, fishery and marine organisations:

• Angling Trust
• Angling Cymru
• Angling Trades Association
• Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities
• Institute of Fisheries Management
• National Mullet Club
• Bass Anglers’ Sportfishing Society
• BritishSeaFishing.co.uk
• Fishing Megastore

Marine Recreational Fisheries are now embedded in UK fisheries management through the Fisheries Act 2020. If recreational sea angling is to be strongly represented in marine fishery management, there is a need for up-to-date information to be presented alongside data on other marine activities.

“I think it’s a great project and is hopefully beneficial in providing evidence to the government about how passionately we enjoy our sport, while at the same time respecting nature. The anglers voice needs to be heard and this is one such avenue”

To find out more and sign up, head to www.seaangling.org