Results of the British Columbia freshwater recreational fishing survey, 2023

BC freshwater recreational fishing 2023, fast facts

Key metrics for the BC freshwater recreational fishing industry:

(All values reflect the average from 2000 to 2023. Dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars)

• Average expenditures: $659 million
• Average number of fishing days: 3.82 million
• Average number of active fishers: 279,000
• Average licence sales: 334,000
• Average GDP contribution: $365 million
• Average household income: $245 million
• Average employment: 3,707

Key survey findings:

• There is considerable economic spin-off value generated by the freshwater recreational fishing sector in BC, with expenditures averaging $659 M from 2000 to 2023. Of these expenditures, $365 M was value added by the freshwater sport fishing sector to provincial GDP
• Recreational fishing generates economic value in the communities where purchases are made. On average, purchases made for freshwater fishing support 3,707 jobs per year and provide $245 M in household income to families across BC.
• While there is growing interest in freshwater fishing from visitors to the province, BC residents dominate sport fishing in British Columbia.
  • In 2023, British Columbia residents made up:
    • 80% of fishers
    • 90% of days
    • 77% of expenditures
  • Other Canadians in 2023 accounted for:
    • 13% of fishers
    • 7% of days
    • 11% of expenditures
  • International participants in 2023 comprised:
    • 7% of fishers
    • 3% of days
    • 11% of expenditures
• On average, fishers spent 13 days per year fishing. However effort was higher for BC residents compared to visitors to the province.
  • In 2023, BC Residents fished an average of 14 days in the year.
  • Other Canadian residents fished an average of 7 days in the year.
  • International participants fished an average of 5 days in the year.

BC freshwater fishing spatial and temporal patterns, 2023

Key takeaways

• Fishing expenditures and activity are concentrated both spatially and temporally.
• Fishing activity peaks in the summer months with 83% of fishing occurring from May to September.
• Geographically, freshwater activity is concentrated in a few key management areas and waterbodies.

In 2023, the number of fishing days and corresponding expenditures by month were as follows:

• In April, there were 144,000 fishing days with expenditures totaling $23 million. In May, the fishing days increased to 348,000 and the expenditures rose to $56 million. June saw a further increase with 480,000 fishing days and $75 million in expenditures.
• In July, there were 517,000 fishing days with expenditures of $89 million. August had the most fishing days at 533,000 and the expenditures were at their highest at $99 million. In September, there were 478,000 fishing days with $92 million expenditures.
• In October, the number of fishing days reduced to 277,000 and expenditures were at $59 million. The numbers continued to decrease in November and December, with 89,000 and 60,000 fishing days and expenditures of $13 million and $7 million respectively.
• In January, February, and March, the fishing days were relatively stable at 75,000, 80,000, and 96,000 respectively, with corresponding expenditures of $9 million, $12 million, and $16&mbsp;million.

In 2023, the top waterbodies for freshwater recreational fishing were as follows:

• In the Lower Mainland region, the Chilliwack and Vedder River saw the most angling days with about 17,000 and 83,000 days and expenditures around $2,700,000 and 10,600,000, respectively.
• The Fraser River in the same region had about 13,000 angling days with higher expenditures amounting to approximately $4,000,000.
• In the Cariboo region, Sheridan Lake was had the most activity with about 44,000 angling days with expenditures of approximately $6,200,000
• In the Okanagan region, Okanagan Lake had the most activity with around 69,000 angling days with expenditures at about $11,000,000.
• On Vancouver Island, Campbell River (the river, rather than the city) had the most activity with about 17,000 angling days with expenditures of approximately $3,300,000.

BC freshwater fishing regional patterns in 2023

Key takeaways

• Freshwater fishing activity is well distributed across regions.
• Thompson-Nicola had the highest fishing activity in 2023, accounting for 19% of fishing days and 19% of expenditures.
• Rainbow Trout was the most targeted species in all regions other than the Lower Mainland, Peace and Skeena.

Key freshwater fishing metrics by BC region

(Values reflect the 2023-24 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars)

Skeena

• Fishing days: 257 K
• Active fishers: 25 K
• Total expenditures: $75 M
• Expenditures per day: $291
• Species Expenditures: Steelhead (43%), Other Salmon (19%), Coho Salmon (13%), Rainbow Trout (13%), Other Trout (10%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (1%)

Omineca

• Fishing days: 163K
• Active fishers: 8K
• Total expenditures: $15 M
• Expenditures per day: $171
• Species Expenditures: Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (44%), Rainbow Trout (30%), Lake Trout (13%), Other Trout (7%), Dolly Varden/Bull Trout (5%), Other Salmon (1%)

Cariboo

• Fishing days: 375 K
• Active fishers: 35 K
• Total expenditures: $59 M
• Expenditures per day: $158
• Species expenditures: Rainbow Trout (56%), Kokanee (17%), Other Trout (12%), Lake Trout (11%), Other Salmon (2%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (2%)

Thompson-Nicola

• Fishing days: 610 K
• Active fishers: 60 K
• Total expenditures: $106 M
• Expenditures per day: $173
• Species expenditures: Rainbow Trout (72%), Lake Trout (8%), Other Trout (8%), Kokanee (7%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (3%), Other Salmon (2%)

Kootenay

• Fishing days: 469 K
• Active fishers: 39 K
• Total expenditures: $70 M
• Expenditures per day: $149
• Species expenditures: Rainbow Trout (41%), Other Trout (21%), Dolly Varden/Bull Trout (18%), Cutthroat Trout (15%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (4%), Other Salmon (0.3%)

Vancouver Island

• Fishing days: 369 K
• Active fishers: 37 K
• Total expenditures: $51 M
• Expenditures per day: $140
• Species expenditures: Rainbow Trout (34%), Cutthroat Trout (22%), Other Trout (15%), Other Salmon (14%), Pink Salmon (10%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (5%)

Lower Mainland

• Fishing days: 470 K
• Active fishers: 53 K
• Total expenditures: $80 M
• Expenditures per day: $171
• Species expenditures: Other Trout (28%), White Sturgeon (21%), Rainbow Trout (20%), Other Salmon (15%), Coho Salmon (13%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (3%)

Okanagan

• Fishing days: 376 K
• Active fishers: 38 K
• Total expenditures: $61 M
• Expenditures per day: $163
• Species expenditures: Rainbow Trout (61%), Kokanee (14%), Lake Trout (8%), Other Trout (8%), Other (non-salmon, non-trout) (6%), Other Salmon (3%)

Fishing expenditures and days by region — summary of pattern observed

• In terms of fishing days, the Thompson-Nicola region accounted for the highest percentage at 19%, followed by Kootenay and the Lower Mainland at 15%. Cariboo, Okanagan, and Vancouver Island each accounted for 12%, while Skeena represented 8%. The regions with the fewest fishing days were Omineca at 5% and Peace at 3%.
• • In terms of expenditures, the Thompson-Nicola region again had the highest percentage at 19%, followed by Lower Mainland at 15%. Skeena accounted for 14% of the expenditures, while Kootenay made up 13%. Okanagan and Cariboo each accounted for 11%. Vancouver Island accounted for 9%, Omineca for 6%, and Peace for 3%.

BC freshwater fishing 2023, target species

Key takeaways

• BC’s abundance of trout species make this the most popular species group for freshwater recreational fishing. In 2023 trout accounted for 81% of fishing efforts, and 81% of fishing expenditures ($2.6 M) in 2023.
• Rainbow Trout were the most targeted species in 2023, making up 48% of all fishing efforts in BC Freshwaters. Fishers spent $240M targeting rainbow trout in 2023.
• Pacific Salmon were targeted on 11% of fishing days in BC freshwaters in 2023. Fishers spent $65M targeting salmon species in 2023. Coho expenditures were the highest among the salmon species, accounting for 42% of all salmon spending or $25M in total expenditures.
• White Sturgeon are a high value freshwater recreational species in BC. While targeted on only 1% of fishing days, the species accounted for more than 4% of freshwater fishing expenditures, totaling $20M in 2023.

Fishing days and expenditures by species group and species:

Values reflect the 2023-24 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars.

Trout species group:

• Total species group: 2.6 M fishing days, $444 M expenditures
• Rainbow trout: 1.5 M fishing days, $240 M expenditures
• Lake trout: 243 K fishing days, $43 M expenditures
• Steelhead: 114 K fishing days, $46 M expenditures
• Kokanee: 224 K fishing days, $40 M expenditures
• Cutthroat trout: 220 K fishing days, $32 M expenditures
• Dolly Varden/Bull trout: 132 K fishing days, $24 M expenditures
• Brook trout: 94 K fishing days, $14 M expenditures
• Other trout: 32 K fishing days, $5 M expenditures

Pacific salmon species group:

• Total species group: 357 K fishing days, $65 M expenditures
• Coho salmon: 150 K fishing days, $25 M expenditures
• Chinook salmon: 81 K fishing days, $16 M expenditures
• Sockeye salmon: 33 K fishing days, $8 M expenditures
• Pink salmon: 74 K fishing days, $13 M expenditures
• Chum salmon: 19 K fishing days, $3 M expenditures

Other species:

• Total: 241 K fishing days, $41 M expenditures
• White Sturgeon: 36 K fishing days, $20 M expenditures
• Other Species: 205 K fishing days, $21 M expenditures

BC freshwater fishing 2023, salmon

Key takeaways

• Pacific salmon are an important species for the freshwater recreational fishing sector.
• In 2023, 49 K anglers fished for Pacific salmon species in freshwater, spending a total of $65 M and 357 K days fishing for the species.
• Coho and chinook were the highest value salmon species in freshwater, accounting for for $25 M and $16 M in total expenditures, respectively.
• Salmon fishing in freshwater is highly concentrated, with 91% of fishing occurring in the Lower Mainland, Skeena, and Vancouver Island.
• The top waterbodies for freshwater salmon fishing in 2023 were Vedder River, Skeena River, Campbell River on Vancouver Island, Kitimat River in the Skeena, and Chilliwack River in the Lower Mainland.

Salmon: Fishing days by BC region and species

Lower Mainland:

• Chinook: 36,307
• Coho: 87,554
• Sockeye: 2,103
• Pink: 23,648
• Chum: 9,412
• All Salmon: 159,023
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 45%

Skeena:

• Chinook: 9,958
• Coho: 37,706
• Sockeye: 24,642
• Pink: 15,695
• Chum: 3,303
• All Salmon: 91,303
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 26%

Vancouver Island:

• Chinook: 15,955
• Coho: 19,639
• Sockeye: 2,260
• Pink: 31,698
• Chum: 5,103
• All Salmon: 74,655
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 21%

Thompson-Nicola:

• Chinook: 11,782
• Coho: 1,915
• Sockeye: 863
• Pink: 1,441
• Chum: 223
• All Salmon: 16,222
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 5%

Okanagan:

• Chinook: 4,281
• Coho: 524
• Sockeye: 1,365
• Pink: 177
• Chum: 47
• All Salmon: 6,394
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 2%

Cariboo:

• Chinook: 2,372
• Coho: 1,953
• Sockeye: 188
• Pink: 902
• Chum: 204
• All Salmon: 5,619
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: 2%

Omineca:

• Chinook: 179
• Coho: 198
• Sockeye: 592
• Pink: 246
• Chum: 33
• All Salmon: 1,247
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: <1%

Peace:

• Chinook: 87
• Coho: 481
• Sockeye: 200
• Pink: 213
• Chum: 190
• All Salmon: 1,171
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: <1%

Kootenay:

• Chinook: 349
• Coho: 398
• Sockeye: 443
• Pink: 386
• Chum: 30
• All Salmon: 1,606
• Percentage of total salmon fishing in region: <1%

In 2023, the top waterbodies for freshwater salmon fishing, as well as their fishing days and expenditures were as follows:

Vedder River (Lower Mainland):

• Salmon fishing days: 56 K
• % of province-wide salmon fishing: Not provided
• Salmon expenditures: $7 M

Skeena River (Skeena):

• Salmon fishing days: 30 K
• % of province-wide salmon fishing: Not provided
• Salmon expenditures: $10 M

Campbell River (Vancouver Island):

• Salmon fishing days: 23 K
• % of province-wide salmon fishing: Not provided
• Salmon expenditures: $4 M

Kitimat River (Skeena):

• Salmon fishing days: 22 K
• % of province-wide salmon fishing: Not provided
• Salmon expenditures: $4 M

Chilliwack River (Lower Mainland):

• Salmon fishing days: 22 K
• % of province-wide salmon fishing: Not provided
• Salmon expenditures: $3 M

BC freshwater fishing 2023, Fraser River white sturgeon

Key takeaways

• White sturgeon are a high value freshwater recreational fishing species in BC:
  • Fishers spent $20 million targeting white sturgeon in 2023.
  • While accounting for only 1% of fishing days in 2023, white sturgeon fishing made up 5% of guided fishing days, 4% of total spending and 11% of spending on fishing packages.
  • Anglers spent $554 per fishing day on average targeting white sturgeon in 2023, compared to $173 per day on average overall.
• White sturgeon provide a unique recreational fishery in BC:
  • In 2023, 60% of white sturgeon anglers fished only for this species throughout the year.
  • White sturgeon fishing provides economic opportunity for fishing guides, lodges, and charter operators. 46% of fishing trips targeting sturgeon were guided in 2023, compared to 10% on average overall.

White sturgeon: Fishing days and expenditures by BC region

Values reflect the 2023-24 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars.

• White sturgeon fishing in BC is limited to the Fraser River, which runs through the Lower Mainland, Thompson-Nicola, Cariboo, and Omineca regions. However, Omineca region is closed to all fishing for white sturgeon.
• In 2023, the most white sturgeon fishing occurred in the Lower Mainland portion of the Fraser River, with around 85% of days and 90% of expenditures spent targeting the species in this region.
• Sturgeon fishing in the Thompson-Nicola region accounted for around 15% of days and 10% of fishing expenditures in 2023.

BC freshwater fishing 2023, steelhead

Key takeaways

• Steelhead are one of the top species fished recreationally in BC freshwaters.
  • In 2023, anglers spent 114 K days and $46 million fishing for the species.
• Skeena region is the most popular region for steelhead fishing.
  • In 2023, 37% of fishing days and 70% of expenditures spent targeting steelhead took place in this region.
  • 76% of total spending on fishing packages in the Skeena region was attributable to steelhead fishing in 2023, accounting for $13.2&nbdp;million in expenditures.

Steelhead: Fishing days and expenditures by BC region

Values reflect the 2023 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars.

Skeena:

• Fishing days: 42,729
• Total expenditures: $32,332,234

Lower Mainland:

• Fishing days: 42,619
• Total expenditures: $6,205,196

Vancouver Island:

• Fishing days: 20,039
• Total expenditures: $3,287,280

Cariboo:

• Fishing days: 5,190
• Total expenditures: $3,806,060

Thompson-Nicola:

• Fishing days: 1,303
• Total expenditures: $140,518

Kootenay:

• Fishing days: 682
• Total expenditures: $55,420

Omineca:

• Fishing days: 369
• Total expenditures: $112,996

Peace:

• Fishing days: 686
• Total expenditures: $244,003

Okanagan:

• Fishing days: 760
• Total expenditures: $145,087

In 2023, the top waterbodies for steelhead fishing, as well as their fishing days and expenditures were as follows:

• In the Lower Mainland, Vedder River had the most Steelhead fishing days at 16,607, with expenditures reaching $2 million.
• In Skeena Region, Bulkley River came in second with 9,839 Steelhead fishing days and higher expenditures totaling $9 million.
• Also in the Skeena, Skeena River was the third most common waterbody for steelhead fishing with 8,822 with expenditures up to $6 million.
• Following this, Chilliwack River, also in the Lower Mainland has 8,045 Steelhead fishing days and expenditures amounting to $1.5 million.
• Finally, on Vancouver Island, Cowichan River also has 6,390 Steelhead fishing days but with lower expenditures of $1 million.

BC freshwater recreational fishing, 2000 to 2023 trends

Key takeaways

• The total expenditures for fishing and the number of active fishers have fluctuated substantially since 2000:
  • Active fishers fell from 2000 to 2005, rose from 2005 to 2015, and then decreased from 2015 to 2023.
  • Expenditures increased from 2000 to 2010, dropped from to 2023.
• Total fishing days showed a declining trend from 2000 to 2023, however the trend varies by fisher residency:
  • BC Residents have consistently had highest fishing days across residencies throughout the years, fishing activity by BC residents has shown a declining trend in recent years. From 2022 to 2023, BC resident fishing activity declined by 5%.
  • Similarly, fishing by International residents has shown a declining trend since 2000. Fishing days by visitors to Canada declined by around 15% from 2022 to 2023.
  • Freshwater fishing by other Canadians has varied in recent years. Fishing days increased by 26% from 2010 to 2015, and further increased by 4% from 2015 to 2022. Fishing days and decreased by around 15% from 2022 to 2023.

Key freshwater metrics by year, 2000 to 2023

Total expenditures (2023$)

• 2000: $687 M
• 2005: $725 M
• 2010: $780 M
• 2015: $574 M
• 2022: $636 M
• 2023: $551 M

Active fishers:

• 2000: 304 K
• 2005: 271 K
• 2010: 286 K
• 2015: 300 K
• 2022: 259 K
• 2023: 253 K

Fishing days:

• 2000: Total 4.4 M (Resident 3.9 M, Non-Resident Canadian 212 K, International 261 K)
• 2005: Total 4.0 M (Resident 3.6 M, Non-Resident Canadian 208 K, International 194 K)
• 2010: Total 3.8 M (Resident 3.5 M, Non-Resident Canadian 205 K, International 152 K)
• 2015: Total 4.2 M (Resident 3.8 M, Non-Resident Canadian 259 K, International 122 K)
• 2022: Total 3.4 M (Resident 3.0 M, Non-Resident Canadian 270 K, International 93 K)
• 2023: Total 3.2 M (Resident 2.9 M, Non-Resident Canadian 228 K, International 87 K)

BC freshwater fishing expenditures, 2023

Key takeaways

• Fishing expenditures vary by trip type and target species.
• In terms of expenditures, in 2023:
  • Shore-Based Trips had the lowest daily expenditures in 2023 ($127), but accounted for $67 million in total annual spending.
  • Private Boat Trips without a guide had the second lowest daily expenditures in 2023 ($175), but accounted for the highest annual total fishing expenditures, at $285 million.
  • Private Boat Trips with a guide had the second highest daily expenditures on major purchases and the second highest daily expenditures overall ($320). However, the annual total fishing expenditure were the lowest among trip types at $51 million.
  • Hired Boat Trips with a guide or charter have the highest overall daily expenditures ($370), and annual total fishing expenditure of $58 million. The majority of daily spending on charter trips came from on direct and package expenditures, at around $252 per day.
• Across all trip types, the majority of spending is attributable to trout fishing.
• White sturgeon are more frequently targeted on guided fishing trips with 18% of spending on charter trips being attributable to white sturgeon fishing.
• Salmon are most commonly targeted on shore-based fishing trips, with 22% of spending on shore-based trips being attributable to salmon fishing.

Shore-Based Trips:

• Major purchases per day: $52
• Direct and package expenditures per day: $75
• Total annual fishing expenditures: $156 million

Private Boat Trips (without guide):

• Major purchases per day: $90
• Direct and package expenditures per day: $85
• Total annual fishing expenditures: $285 million

Private Boat Trips (with guide):

• Major purchases per day: $106
• Direct and package expenditures per day: $213
• Total annual fishing expenditures: $51 million

Hired Boat Trips with Guide/Charter:

• Major purchases per day: $115
• Direct and package expenditures per day: $253
• Total annual fishing expenditures: $58 million

Species expenditures by trip type

Values reflect the 2023-24 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars.

Shore-Based Trips:

• Freshwater Salmon: $35 million
• Other species: $8 million
• Sturgeon: $2 million
• Trout: $112 million

Private Boat Trips (without guide):

• Freshwater Salmon: $16 million
• Other species: $11 million
• Sturgeon: $3 million
• Trout: $254 million

Private Boat Trips (with guide):

• Freshwater Salmon: $6 million
• Other species: $1 million
• Sturgeon: $4 million
• Trout: $40 million

Hired Boat Trips with Guide/Charter:

• Freshwater Salmon: $8 million
• Other species: $1 million
• Sturgeon: $10 million
• Trout: $38 million

BC freshwater fishing package deals, 2023

Key takeaways

In 2023, the average cost for a fishing package varied based on the services included:

• Charter Boat Packages, which include guided fishing on a hired boat, are priced on average at $1,250.
• Lodge/Resort Packages, which include accommodations and may also include additional services like guided fishing, cost more at an average of $2,900.
• Fly-in Packages, which include air transportation and may also encompass other services such as accommodations and guided fishing, were the most expensive package type, with an average cost of $8,800.
• Other Fishing Packages, which include services related to fishing but exclude a boat hire, accommodations, and flights, are the least expensive and average around $1,400.

In 2023, package types and expenditures varied by region:

• The most freshwater fishing packages were sold in the Lower Mainland Region (29%), followed by Thompson-Nicola (23%) and Skeena region (18%).
• Packages in the Skeena accounted for the highest expenditures in 2023.
• 48% of fly-in packages, and 23% of lodge/resort packages were sold in the Skeena region in 2023).
• The most charter boat packages (59%) were sold in the Lower Mainland.

Package expenditures by region and package type

Values reflect the 2023-24 fishing year and dollar amounts are in 2023 dollars.

• In the Cariboo region, the total package expenditure was $3,570,000, which made up 9% of the total packages in the region. This included $2,000 for Charter Boat, $2,244,000 for Fly-in, $1,305,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $18,000 for other packages.
• The Kootenay region had a total package expenditure of $2,523,000, or 8% of the region's total. This included $308,000 for Charter Boat, $287,000 for Fly-in, $486,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $1,441,000 for other packages.
• The Lower Mainland region spent $6,805,000 in total, or 29% of the region's total. This included $1,868,000 for Charter Boat, $898,000 for Fly-in, $3,303,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $736,000 for other packages.
• In the Okanagan region, the total package expenditure was $647,000, or 4% of the region's total. This included $198,000 for Charter Boat, $424,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $25,000 for other packages.
• The Omineca and Peace region had a total expenditure of $500,000, making up 2% of the total packages in the region. This included $15,000 for Charter Boat, $78,000 for Fly-in, $375,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $32,000 for other packages.
• The Skeena region spent $17,397,000 in total, or 19% of the region's total. This included $158,000 for Charter Boat, $7,618,000 for Fly-in, $9,036,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $586,000 for other packages.
• The Thompson-Nicola region had a total expenditure of $3,370,000, or 23% of the region's total. This included $141,000 for Charter Boat, $195,000 for Fly-in, $2,947,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $88,000 for other packages.
• In the Vancouver Island region, the total package expenditure was $1,099,000, or 6% of the region's total. This included $478,000 for Charter Boat, $535,000 for Lodge/Resort, and $85,000 for other packages.