urban angling saskatoon by dbraun
TRANSCRIPT
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Urban Angling in Saskatoon
Dustin Braun11080125
RUP 390Dr. Jill Gunn
November 26, 2012
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Table of Contents
Section 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................1
Section 2.0 Literature Review
Section 2.1 Context and Background ...........................................................................................1Section 2.2 Saskatoons Problem .................................................................................................3
Section 3.0 Method..........................................................................................................................5
Section 4.0 Results ..........................................................................................................................6
Section 5.0 Discussion
Section 5.1 Demographics of the Saskatoon Urban Angler.......................................................12
Section 5.2 Angling Characteristics...........................................................................................13
Section 6.0 Conclusion..................................................................................................................15
Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................17
Appendix A: Map of Fishing Locations in Saskatoon...............................................................19
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Table of Figures
Figure 1. Education of urban anglers, Saskatoon........................................................................6
Figure 2. Employment Status of urban anglers, Saskatoon........................................................7
Figure 3. Household income of urban anglers, Saskatoon..........................................................7
Table 1. Motivation for fishing ......................................................................................................8
Table 2. Motivation for fishing in the city .................................................................................... 8
Figure 4. Anglers modes of transportation...................................................................................9
Figure 5. Seasonal urban angling patterns...................................................................................9
Table 3. Angler location preference in Saskatoon ........................................................10
Figure 6. Frequency of angling....................................................................................................10
Table 4. Urban angler concerns ..................................................................................................11
Table 5. Comparing Saskatchewan (SK) and Saskatoon..........................................................12
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Section 1.0 Introduction
The city of Saskatoon is located on the South Saskatchewan River, which is a key
feature to the city. Saskatoon is fortunate because the river valley has been largely
preserved and kept public by the Meewasin Valley Authority. Meewasin is a
conservation organization created by the Government of Saskatchewan that is concerned
with preserving the natural features of the river valley and promoting a balance between
human use and conservation. Thanks to the efforts of Meewasin, Saskatoon residents
have access to a plethora of fishing locations on the river. However the city of Saskatoon
does not provide any information or support for the sport. Urban anglers are largely
ignored by the city, provincial government, and fishing authorities.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a foundation for understanding the needs
and expectations of urban anglers in the city of Saskatoon. First we will establish a base
of knowledge through the use of a literature review. Once we have an understanding of
the issue we will start by administering an urban anglers survey. This paper will outline
the results of the survey and proceed to analyze and discuss the possible implications.
The information learnt from this study will hopefully help facilitate better planning and
managing of urban fishing opportunities, as well as to provide insight into the
demographics of urban anglers.
Section 2.0 Literature Review
Section 2.1 Context and Background
The United Nations has made the prediction that by 2030 60% of the entire worlds
population will live in an urban center (Arlinghaus & Mehner, 2004). This means that
planners around the world will have to focus more on improving urban recreation
opportunities. Richard Louv is the author of the bestselling bookLast Child in the Woods
(2005), and most recently The Nature Principle (2011). In his books Louv acknowledges
that society has developed to the point that we put such a massive amount of faith in
technology and have begun to undervalue nature. Louv has written extensively about the
way urban residency disconnects individuals from the natural world. In 2005, InLast
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Child in the Woods Louv coined the term nature deficit disorder. The term was used as a
way to describe the growing gap between children and nature. In his more recent work in
2011, The Nature Principle, Louv expands the term to include the effects that a nature
deficit can have on adults as well.
Louv talks of a natural balance between technology and nature. He calls for a
reunion of humans with nature. Numerous studies have shown that nature has restorative
powers and the ability to produce intellectual and creative energy (Louv, 2011;
Degenhardt & Buchecker, 2012). Immersion in nature and outdoor recreation activities
can be a release from high concentration demands and can have therapeutic benefits.
Louv (2011) specifically mentions fly-fishing in his book as being a very therapeutic
exercise for breast cancer patients. A program called Casting for Recovery is established
in the United States that offers fly-fishing opportunities to women who have recently
gone through breast cancer. The program gets the women into nature and the therapeutic
effect of nature takes over. As populations continue to become more urban an increased
disconnect with nature will occur and it may be up to planners to facilitate more outdoor
recreation activities.
Recreational angling represents one of the most popular forms of outdoor recreation
in western societies (Arlinghaus & Mehner, 2004). As shown above recreational fishing
and especially urban angling have the potential to provide many benefits to society by
providing a way to escape everyday routines. Recreational angling is seen as a way to
connect with nature and release stress from hectic lifestyles (Louv 2005; Louv 2011).
However many fisheries management agencies across the United States are experiencing
declining license sales (Hutt & Neal, 2010; Wobler, 2008; Fedler, 2000). The declining
license sales may be attributed to the increasing urbanization that is occurring. More
people are locating themselves in major urban centers where fishing may not be easily
accessible. It could also be linked to the growing number of immigrants that are
migrating to the United States. Minorities are typically underrepresented in the angling
community. Regardless of the factors causing decreasing license sales the decline in
fishing participation is a cause for concern. The loss of any outdoor activity should be
considered undesirable and problematic. Angling offers a unique way to interact with the
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natural world in a deeper way because it requires more sensory immersion rather than
being a spectator, such as jogging in the park (Louv, 2011).
City planners in North American cities and worldwide are attempting to provide
recreation improvements to facilitate outdoor recreation. Improving urban angling
opportunities is becoming an important component of urban waterfront revitalization
worldwide (Wobler, 2008). By improving urban locations as opposed to rural locations
planners hope to affect more people and attract a greater diversity of anglers. Cities
around the world are establishing programs to increase angler recruitment and to promote
and provide urban angling opportunities (Bingham et. al., 2011). By providing nearby,
highly accessible fishing opportunities, people with time or income constraints can still
get out and fish (Hutt & Neal, 2010). However, in practice the majority of these fail in
achieving the goal of equal accessibility.
Urban fishing resources and programs are typically found in suburban areas and
only available to the upper and middle class (Hunt, 2000). If urban fishing programs want
to target the whole population, they should be adapted to involve the inner city residents
and minorities. The goal of these programs should be to provide new opportunities to the
previously under represented and un-served. However, currently they are providing a
place for well off suburban residents only.
Section 2.2 Saskatoons Problem
Historically, the alteration of urban rivers has resulted in diminishing recreation
opportunities because of private developments. Saskatoon is a river city that is very
fortunate because the river valley is kept mostly undeveloped thanks to the Meewasin
Valley Authority. The province of Saskatchewan is also fortunate because at the moment
fishing license sales seem to be fairly stable and there is no need for concern just yet
(Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2010). However, as the province continues to become
increasingly urbanized it is possible that fishing may start to decline just as it has done in
the United States.
Angling is a popular outdoor activity in Saskatchewan and residents of the
province are very fortunate because Saskatchewan offers many diverse fishing
opportunities. The South Saskatchewan River flows right through Saskatoon and it is
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home to most of the fish species in the province. The most popular fish species in
Saskatchewan are walleye and pike, both of which are found in abundance in the South
Saskatchewan River (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2010). However, there is no
information on urban angling provided by Meewasin, Saskatchewan Environment, the
City of Saskatoon, or the Federal government. It is a niche that is being ignored in
planning. Saskatoon has the potential to create a world-class urban angling program that
could assist in education of anglers and provide opportunities to many people who have
never had the chance to fish before. Urban fishing programs are seen as a way to
introduce urban residents to fishing so they may develop greater appreciation for both
urban and rural resources (Hunt, 2000). Hunt (2000) said that the consequences of
failing to understand urban anglers include the loss of constituent backing, loss of
revenue from license sales, and potential conflict from different user groups. Saskatoon
and Saskatchewan could face these conflicts in the future if the needs of anglers are not
met.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans puts out a report every five years with
survey information provided by the provincial and territorial angling agencies. The report
provides information on anglers who have been selected to participate in the survey based
on a random sampling procedure. The report provides a very broad look at angling but
lacks the specifics that are needed to properly understand urban angling.
The purpose of this study is to understand who is fishing in Saskatoon, as well as
where and why. By understanding these factors planners may be able to create better
programs and plans to accommodate anglers. First we are going to look at the angling
data that is provided by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada to compare
urban anglers with Canadian anglers. We will also look at similar studies done in the
United States and Europe in an attempt to get a better picture of urban angling in
Saskatoon in relation to elsewhere in the world. The survey will be evaluated according
to the literature review.
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Section 3.0 Methods
An online anonymous survey (www.kwiksurveys.com) was used to collect the data
for this study. The survey was made available to forum members on two Saskatchewan
fishing and outdoor forums. The websites are virtual meeting places for fisherman and
are used and read by the target participants in the survey. The websites that were used are
www.fishingsaskatchewan.ca and www.menoutdoors.ca. Both of the websites are
Saskatchewan-run websites. The goal of this study was to connect with as many urban
anglers as possible.
The target participants for the survey were Saskatoon residents who have fished in
the city in the past year. There were no sampling procedures because the goal was to
target as many anglers as possible. The parameters for participation were clearly outlined
on the survey and it was clear who was eligible to participate. A link was provided on the
forum and members of the forum could click the link and were directed to the survey.
The biggest limitation to this study was the time of year that the survey took place.
Ideally this type of study would take place over a full angling season with observations of
anglers using the river and face-to-face interviews while they are fishing. This would give
a better picture of who is fishing on the river, and where. The online survey method was
used was made available to forum members only. However, the weather turned poor
earlier than usual, which resulted in limitations to the methods used.
Participants in the survey were asked to indicate the frequency that they fished
particular fishing spots. The fishing spots that were used in the survey were produced by
personal observations as well as using a magazine resource. Outdoor Canada Magazine
(Phillips, 2007) publishes a special fishing issue once a year and in 2007 they had an
article about fishing spots in big cities. The title of the article is Fish and the city. The
article shows 79 of the top urban hotspots in 12 Canadian cities and Saskatoon is one of
the urban centers that is highlighted. The section on Saskatoon shows five fishing spots
in the city. They are Meewasin Park, the Big Bend, the Forestry Farm pond, the weir,
and Queen Elizabeth power station. It elected to split the weir into two spots, east and
west, because it was observed that the Weir is a very popular fishing location (Appendix
A, Map 1)
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Once the survey results have been tabulated and recorded, to the results will be
compared with similar studies done in the United States and Germany to see how
Saskatoon urban anglers compare with elsewhere. I am also going to compare the data
from the survey with the data provided by the Department of Oceans and Fisheries on
recreational angling to see if there are any differences in the average Canadian angler and
urban anglers. The purpose is to better understand who makes up the urban anglers and if
there are any improvements that can be made to the city to try and facilitate improved
angling participation.
Section 4.0 Results
The online survey ran for one week from November 7 to 14. There were 30
respondents to the survey, which comprises the sample population. The sample should
give a very basic look into who makes
up the urban anglers in Saskatoon.
The survey proved that fishing is a
predominantly male dominated
activity. Of the 30 respondents 29 of
them were male. The samples average
age was 36 years old with a range
from 21 to 66 years old. Anglers were
also asked to Describe their
race/ethnicity. Of the 30 survey
participants, 20 described themselves
as Caucasian. Two people indicated
that they were Asian and another twopeople indicated they were Aboriginal. There were also six participants that did not
answer.
The participants were also asked to indicate the highest level of education that they
have received. Figure 1 portrays the distribution of education for urban anglers in
Saskatoon. Approximately one third has received a highschool degree or equivalent and
30%
10%
34%
13%
13%
Highschool
degree or
equivalent
Some college but
no degree
Bachelor degree
Graduate degree
Diploma or trades
school
Figure 1. Education of urban anglers, Saskatoon
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another third has a Bachelors degree. The other third is distributed between some
college but no degree, Graduate degree, and Diploma or trades school. There was
also an option for under a highschool degree, but none of the participants were in this
category.
Anglers were also asked to describe their employment status. Figure 2 illustrates
the employment status of the participants. The majority of participants were employed
full time. There was only one student and one retired person who completed the survey.
There were also four people
who worked 1 to 39 hours
per week, as well as one
participant that was
unemployed looking for
work.
As well as
employment status,
household income was also
of interest in this study. The
household income of
participants is illustrated in Figure 3. The participants had the option to specify their
household income. Of the 30 participants, 29 of answered the question. Of the 29, 17 of
the participants
indicated that their
household income was
$90,000 and above.
The other 12
participants were
distributed as follows.
Five participants
indicated that their household income was in the 60,000 74,999 dollar range. Another
four participants indicated that the household income was in the 30,000 44,999 dollar
0
5
10
15
20
25
employed
1 to 39
hours per
week
employed
40 or more
hours per
week
student not
employed
looking for
work
not
employed,
NOT
looking for
work
retired
Figure 2. Employment status of urban anglers,
Saskatoon.
0
5
10
15
20
under
15,000
15,000
29,999
30,000
44,999
45,000
59,999
60,000
74,999
75,000
89,999
90,000
and
above
Figure 3. Household income of urban anglers, Saskatoon.
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range. There was one participant in each of the 15,000 29,999, 45,000 59,999,
and 75,000 89,999 income ranges.
Next participants were asked to specify how long they have lived in Saskatoon. The
average number of years that
the participants have lived in
Saskatoon is 21 years. The
answers ranged from 3 to 48
years. They were then asked to
specify approximately how
long they have been fishing in
the city. The average number
of years that the participants
have been fishing in the city is
11. The answers ranged from 1
to 40 years. Anglers were then
asked to rate on a scale of one
to five their motivations for
fishing. With one being not
important and five being very
important. Table 1 shows the
distribution of answers that the
anglers provided. An average
was taken for each category of
motivation. This average
indicates the importance level
for each motivation for the
sample. In general to be in
nature, enjoy the challenge,
and relaxation were revealed
Table 1. Motivation for fishing.
1 2 3 4 5 Average
Relaxation 0 1 7 9 13 4.13
Escape Work 3 5 9 8 5 3.23
Be in nature 0 0 3 11 16 4.43
Be with family 1 7 9 5 8 3.40
Be with friends 2 4 8 10 6 3.47
Enjoy the challenge 0 0 5 10 15 4.33
Provide food 8 12 7 3 0 2.17
Catch big fish 2 3 8 11 6 3.53
Table 2. Motivation for fishing in the city.
1 2 3 4 5 Average
Relaxation 3 2 10 6 9 3.53
Easier than going to
the lake
1 1 4 11 13 4.13
Cheaper than going
to the lake
2 3 4 8 13 3.90
Be with Family 7 7 11 2 3 2.57
Be with Friends 6 2 15 6 1 2.80
Enjoy the challenge 1 2 11 10 6 3.60
Provide food 20 7 2 1 0 1.47
Catch big fish 4 5 7 9 5 3.20
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to be the top motivations.
Next, participants were asked the same question except referring to motivation for
fishing in the city. Table 2 illustrates their answers. Similarly to Table 1, an average was
taken to portray the highest average importance for the sample. The top motivations for
fishing in the city were found to be easier than going to the lake and cheaper than
going to the lake.
Participants were then asked to select all of the modes that were used to get to
fishing locations. Figure 4 outlines their answers. The most common mode of
transportation is to drive to the fishing spots. Some participants walked to fishing
locations and some biked but driving was the
mode of transportation used more than 60 percent
of the time. As well as how they got to fishing
spots, participants were asked to indicate the
times of the year that they find themselves fishing
the river. The answers were distributed fairly
evenly between spring, summer, and fall. There
were also some people that fished in the city in
winter. The times of years that people fished is
illustrated in Figure 5.
The participants were then provided with a
map and list of fishing locations and asked to
indicate the frequency of fishing particular
popular fishing spots (See appendix A for the
map). Table 3 shows the frequency that
participants fished popular fishing spots. The
most popular spots seamed to be either side of the
Weir and The Big Bend.
Once it was established where people are
fishing it was then asked how often that they
fished in one fishing season, which runs from
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Drive Walk Pubic
Transit
Bike
Figure 4. Anglers modes of
transportation.
36%
29%
31%
4%Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Figure 5. Seasonal urban angling patterns.
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May to March. They were then asked how often they fished in the city in a single season.
The results are illustrated in Figure 6.
Anglers were also
asked if they owned a boat or
had regular access to a boat.
Over two thirds (21 of 30) of
the participants answered yes
to owning a boat or having
access to a boat. They were
also asked if they noticed a
change in the number of people
fishing in the city in recent
years. Over 50 percent of the
participants (16 of 30) said that
there was an increase in the
number of people fishing in the
city. Twelve participants
noticed a stable fishing
population and only two people
noted a decrease in the number
of people fishing.
Next participants were
asked to rank concerns that
they felt were facing urban
anglers. Participants were
asked to rank the acuteness of
the concerns. The categories
that they were asked to put the
Table 3. Angler Location Preference in Saskatoon
Frequency of fishing
Location 0 1-2
times
3-5
times
6-10
times
10+
times
A. Queen
Elizabeth
power station
16 10 3 1 0
B. West side of
Weir6 10 5 2 7
C. East side of
Weir5 7 7 4 7
D. The Big
Bend14 6 3 6 1
E. Meewasin
Park 14 7 7 1 1
F. Forestry
Farm trout
pond
13 10 2 3 2
G. Other 17 4 5 2 2
0
5
10
1520
25
30
12
times
35
times
510
times
1015
times
Over
15
times
Figure 6. Frequency of Angling.
Frequency in City
Frequency overall
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concerns into were, no concern, minor concern, moderated concern, and major concern.
A minor concern was described as a problem that may need to addressed in the future if
the problem continues. A moderate concern was described as a problem that should be
addressed in the future. Lastly, the major concern was a problem that needs to be
addressed promptly. Table 4 shows the responses of the participants. The most acute
concerns noted by the respondents were excessive garbage on shoreline, access to
fishing spots, and health and cleanliness of the river.
Anglers were also asked to list any other concerns that were not mentioned in the
survey. Many participants reiterated the importance of safety and cleanliness. The vast
majority of safety concerns
were targeted at the Weir.
Participants noted finding
needles or having rocks
thrown at them when
fishing there. Multiple
participants noted having
confrontations at the
Weir with unsavory
characters. One participant
noted having to expose his
filleting knife to ward off
some aggressive people. As
well there was some
mention of a need for a
boat launch.
Another angler
noted the need for Proper
fishing practices and ethics. Find a better way to educate new and old fisherman. The
idea of angler education could be followed up on. Another participant mentioned that
there is no place for wheelchair access near the Weir. However, Meewasin has recently
installed a wheelchair accessible fishing pad very close to the Weir. Similarly another
Table 4. Urban angler concerns
Level of Concern
None Minor Moderate Major
Safety 4 10 7 9
Access to fishing spots 3 8 12 7
Excessive garbage on
shoreline1 2 13 14
User conflict between
other people using the
river
7 12 9 2
Rising cost of angling 9 15 4 2
Increased crowding at
fishing spots2 11 12 5
Feeling unwelcome
when fishing10 10 7 3
Health and cleanliness
of the river3 5 13 9
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angler said, I think the biggest issue for me is knowing where you are allowed to fish
and where you are not allowed to fish in the city limits. These issues are associated with
a lack of angler education.
Lastly one angler had a very insightful suggestion that is worth noting.
We need to develop a couple of ponds that are stocked with
perch that have a very low limits (5 perch daily). As a father of
two it would be nice to have a place right in the city that I could
take my kids and their friends to so they can have fun catching
perch. Martensville has one and with the size of our city and the
rate of growth we have had and is projected, I think that we
should have at least two of these ponds.
This angler has observed that there is only one fishing pond within the city and it is
located in a middle to upper class suburban area. The results noted in this section are
going to be analyzed further in the following discussion section.
Section 5.0 Discussion
Section 5.1 Demographics of the Saskatoon Urban Anglers
As the previous section outlined, the results indicated that the majority of anglers
that fish in the city are male, Caucasian, and middle aged. The average age of male
anglers in the province of Saskatchewan is
49 and the average age of female anglers
is 46 (Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
2010). Table 5 shows that urban anglers
are more male dominated than the
province as a whole.
This study also found that the
average age of urban anglers is 36 years old. This is slightly lower than anglers in the
province on a whole, which indicates that urban anglers are slightly younger than anglers
Table 5. Comparing Sk and Saskatoon
Male Female
Saskatchewan 126,452 52,786
Saskatoon urban
angler29 1
Source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2010
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on a whole. Studies done in Germany and the United States also found that urban anglers
on general were younger than other anglers (Arlinghaus & Mehner, 2004; Hutt & Neal,
2010; Wobler, 2008; Hunt, 2000). It was also found that urban anglers on average have
lived in the city for 21 years and fished in the city for 11 years on average. This means
the angling population is made up of mostly longtime residents of the city.
As the previous section showed, 30% of urban anglers have a highschool degree.
Another 34% of the urban anglers have a bachelors degree. This shows no real pattern as
to the education levels of urban anglers. However there was a clear pattern when it comes
to employment and income.
The vast majority of urban anglers were employed full time and had a household
income 90,000 dollars and over. This indicates that the majority of urban anglers are
probably in the middle class. This stays true to the literature review that was done
previously.
Section 5.2 Angling characteristics
The main reasons for urban angling found in the literature review were relaxation
and escaping work. This was reflected in the study done of Saskatoon urban anglers. The
average Saskatoon city anglers motivation for fishing in the city was topped by
convenience based motivations. Saskatoon urban anglers top two motivations for fishing
in the city were because it is easier than going to the lake and cheaper than going to
the lake. They were followed by relaxation. This shows that anglers in Saskatoon fish in
the city because it is convenient and more affordable than going to the lake. This supports
the second assumption that can be made about the average urban angler in Saskatoon.
Anglers in Saskatoon predominantly drove to their fishing locations. This shows
that there are not many opportunities to fish in close vicinity to where many anglers live.
The river is the primary location for fishing. It was also found that anglers tend to fish the
river fairly evenly from spring to fall but come winter the number of anglers declines
drastically. That is to be expected. However, many people may not be educated as to
potential fishing opportunities in the city in winter. The Queen Elizabeth Power Station is
a good place to fish in winter because of the hot water discharge. However, as Table 3
shows, it is the least fished location on the river.
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It was found in the literature review that urban anglers tended to be more
committed and emotionally involved anglers and are forced to use urban angling as a way
of satisfying their need to fish (Arlinghaus & Mehner, 2004). This is supported by Figure
6, which shows that the urban anglers that participated in the survey tend to fish over 15
days in a fishing season. This is higher than the Canadian average, which is 13 days a
year (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2010). This supports the statement that urban anglers
tend to be the more serious anglers.
It was also noted in the literature that urban anglers tend to be less concerned with
catching and keeping fish and more interested in catch and release (Arlinghaus &
Mehner, 2004; Wobler, 2008). The average angler in Saskatoon shares these traits.
Providing food received the lowest score for motivation and enjoy the challenge
received the third highest score (see Table 2). This indicates that urban anglers in
Saskatoon are more concerned with the sport of angling rather than providing food.
The urban anglers in Saskatoon tend to congregate around the Weir. The Weir
received the highest number of urban anglers last year, according to our sample. This
congregation could be a starting place for improving access, infrastructure and safety.
The Weir was the target of many peoples concerns also. Many anglers noted safety as a
concern around the Weir. This location may be a good place to start creating a better
urban angler atmosphere because it already receives a high number of anglers.
Perhaps the most important and interesting responses to planners are the concerns
that urban anglers have. The most acute concerns that were found in the study were
excessive garbage on the shoreline and access to fishing spots. Perhaps an initiative
should be put in place to install garbage cans on the rivers edge near popular fishing
locations. Better trails down to fishing spots could also be constructed to make access
easier. Better trails to fishing spots could also promote more fishing in the winter months.
The literature review mentioned that fishing ponds are generally located in middle
class suburban neighborhoods (Arlinghaus & Mehner, 2004; Hutt & Neal, 2010).
Saskatoon shares this problem as well. The only available fishing pond is located in the
Forestry Farm. There are small ponds located in many of the neighborhoods in the city.
There is the potential to stock some of these ponds with fish and install an aeration
system. However, these are all in suburban neighborhoods as well. Ponds could be
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constructed in some lower class neighborhoods or on the outer edge of the city. The
ponds could give new opportunities to anglers who normally would not travel the longer
distance to the river or to the Forestry Farm.
Lastly, as discussed in the results section, many anglers noted the need for better
education of anglers. Some Canadian cities have established fishing programs, such as
Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary. The city of Edmontons program is called The
Edmonton Urban Fishing Program. The programs objectives are to promote safe,
responsible fishing within the city limits. As well to increase interest, opportunity,
participation and enjoyment of fishing within the City limits. They plan to increase
cooperation and communication between stakeholders and to utilize the resources of the
various stakeholders involved to promote the program. Lastly, they wish to break down
barriers that may prevent the public from fishing such as access to knowledge and
equipment (Fairless, 2004). Saskatoon could establish a similar fishing program that
would increase angler knowledge and help to address some of the issues mentioned in the
results section. A fishing program would help enlighten new anglers on where they can
fish legally within the city. The fishing program would also help urban anglers by
providing a collective voice that could help to give anglers more recognition.
Section 6.0 Conclusions
The purpose of this paper is to provide a foundation for understanding the needs
and expectations of urban anglers in the city of Saskatoon. Even though the study had a
small sample size, it showed similar traits to both the United States and Germany. The
average Saskatoon urban angler is male, in his mid 30s, in the middle class, and
motivated by his desire to fish. This study can give planners a look into the people who
are currently using the fishing opportunities in the city, as well as the people who are not
using the opportunities. Minorities are under represented in the urban angling
community. The study also found some concerns that urban anglers share. The concerns
are that the shoreline in plagued by excessive garbage and anglers require better access to
fishing locations. It was also discovered through the survey that an urban fishing
education program might be beneficial for the city, similar to Edmonton and Toronto.
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Overall this paper has provided an initial look into the make up of the urban
angling population in the city. This paper has illuminated some problems and concerns
facing urban anglers. Hopefully planners and fishing agencies can use the information
found in this study to help them make better, more informed decisions about managing
the urban fishing population of Saskatoon. This paper could provide a good starting point
for a more in-depth survey or study in the future.
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