Angling Ecotourism: Issues, Guidelines and Experience from Kamchatka

Recreational fishing is an important component of the tourism industry and an important component of regional economies around the world. When angling tourists reach threatened freshwater ecosystems, however, there is a risk of degrading the very fishery and landscapes that attracted them, thwarting long-term economic development prospects and reducing biodiversity. Following the emergence of catch-and-release recreational fishing, we believe that angling can be legitimately considered a form of ecotourism that contributes positively to conservation, science, and local or regional economic development. With successful angling ecotourism projects, anglers and local populations can become viable constituencies for conservation. We describe the angler-sponsored research programme of the Kamchatka Steelhead Project as one case study where many aspects of a successful ecotourism project were present. We then propose guidelines for future angling ecotourism projects and address opportunities and obstacles to the continued development of angling ecotourism.