In August, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation hosted a gathering of media members from around the country to learn more about boating and fishing. Attendees from as far away as Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore., met us in Rhode Island — and none left with a story quite like that of a young lady from Washington, D.C.
Almost as soon as her jig hit the bottom, 12-year-old Elizabeth felt a pull from the ocean floor. A black sea bass in Block Island Sound had found her bait, and in a flurry, the boat’s first mate was telling her to reel it in. That fight set the tone for the late-summer fishing charter on the Atlantic that saw Elizabeth haul in five different species.
It’s the kind of day that can define a young person’s impression of fishing — especially for someone like Elizabeth, who’d only been on a boat a handful of times and had never fished. Odds are, Elizabeth and her mother, who now consider themselves anglers, will be back on the water sooner rather than later. According to new research from the RBFF, it’s also the kind of experience that guides, retailers, and fish and wildlife agencies need to create right now for the activities, the industry and our fisheries to thrive.
In August, we publicized the results of RBFF’s yearlong research study, “The Psychology of Churn.” Conducted by global market research firm Ipsos, the four-phase study offers compelling insight into churn — a term that every industry stakeholder should begin to know by heart. Churn is the number of anglers and boaters leaving the activity versus staying. While participation levels for U.S. anglers hover near record highs, the specter of churn drastically cuts large swaths into moderate increases.
Last year, a historic 57.7 million anglers ages 6 and older went fishing. That’s an astounding 19% of the U.S. population, the highest rate in 16 years. However, more than 23% of anglers opted out of fishing during the same year.
That is churn.
According to Ipsos, combating that churn means cultivating more positive experiences on the water for anglers like Elizabeth. Statistically speaking, the payoff for stakeholders can be measured in more than smiles.
The average annual spend of an angler is now $1,500. That means retaining just half of the anglers currently churning out could equate to a $9.2 billion increase in revenue for the industry. Manufacturers, retailers, guides, conservation agencies and fisheries all stand to benefit from that increase, with revenue filtering not only to balance sheets, but also to crucial agency-funded fishery projects, such as habitat restoration and angler access initiatives.
Sold yet? Great. Let’s talk about why churn exists and what can be done right now to combat it.
Why Anglers and Boaters Lapse
Naturally, many anglers and boaters simply age out. But others are leaving for reasons that the industry can manage.
“The Psychology of Churn” used systematic behavioral science strategies over the course of a year to provide insight into why anglers leave. It asked lapsed participants to dig deeper than I just didn’t have the time. Researchers tracked online chatter and conversation on social media, held direct discussions with people who have left the sport, and used video diaries of lapsed boaters and anglers to better understand their reasons for leaving.
A detailed compendium of results is available at takemefishing.org/churn, but I can tell you, the fundamental reasons are eye-opening. Lapsed anglers and boaters preferred to stay in their comfort zones, sticking to smaller, more routine sets of activities that often lead away from the outdoors. Lapsed participants also feel out of place in fishing and boating. They’re missing a shared social identity or sense of nostalgia, and they feel that the activities are “not for someone like me.”
Less-positive first impressions of angling and boating also played a role. Many people found it hard to relax on the water, while others found themselves seeking more adrenaline than they were getting with a rod and reel.
How to Get Them Back and Keep Them
Research shows that in many cases, churn can be curbed by outreach. As any good guide knows, comfort often comes down to education and encouragement. Identity does play a role in churn. Representation matters. Repackaging fishing and boating’s role in the greater outdoor recreation space can inspire lapsing anglers and boaters to stay.
Traditional marketing and outreach efforts are not working. To curb churn, priorities need to change. As an industry, it’s on us to invest in developing more loyal, long-term customers by recruiting newcomers and holding their hands through the process of becoming hooked. Then we need to maintain engagement to keep them casting lines and making waves.
“The Psychology of Churn” research was completed in July, but solutions to churn are already within reach. Piggybacking fishing and boating onto existing, more familiar outdoor activities like hiking and camping offers an avenue to inclusiveness. Appealing to people’s sense of nostalgia, especially during times of uncertainty, can be a compelling tool. Promoting the mental health benefits of time spent outdoors can also help retain customers. Offering a fresh start, at any season of the year, to those who have abandoned the water but may be looking for an invitation back can disrupt their norm and inspire participation.
Remember, lapsed anglers and boaters face challenges that might be a non-factor for others. They need clear guidance on places to fish and boat near them. They may want fishing to meet the thrill of their adventurous spirit (hello travel rods), and they may need someone to go with them to make fishing and boating less intimidating and more rewarding. Affordable access to the water remains a challenge.
If we can solve these problems, there are rewards to be had. Retaining participants is good business. According to Business 2 Community, existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more than new customers. According to Bain & Co. and Harvard Business School, it is five to 25 times more expensive to obtain a new customer than retain an existing one. Increasing customer retention rates by 5% can increase profits by 25% to 95%.
Visit takemefishing.org/churn to review the research, watch a webinar explaining the research, and find resources to help retain anglers and boaters. Collectively, we can plug fishing and boating’s leaky bucket and make customers for life, fueling the machine that improves our fisheries for future generations.
This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue.
