Post by Hoppy on Nov 17, 2005 20:37:46 GMT -1
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE TEXT:
CCW = Countryside Council for Wales:
EA = Environment Agency for England & Wales:
EAW = Environment Agency Wales:
FRAWC = Flood Risk Assessment Wales Committee (formerly Flood Defence Committee):
NRA = National Rivers Authority:
WAG = Welsh Assembly Government.
G MARKETING WELSH FISHERIES
THE FISHING WALES PROGRAMME.
The recent joint marketing campaign by the EAW/WTB has redressed the past lack of any comprehensive and structured attempt to promote angling tourism in Wales and raise the profile of Welsh fisheries within and outside Wales. The initial results are very encouraging.
G.2.3. ANGLING INFRA-STRUCTURE.
Although the funding provided within the EAW ‘Fishing Wales’ programme for the payment of grants to private fishery owners and angling associations to improve the standard of services and bankside facilities available to anglers has achieved much, there is still a great deal to be done at many venues. The provisions of even the most basic facilities, such as secure off-road parking, beat maps, way-marking across fields, stiles, footbridges, signage, leaves a lot to be desired at many venues.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
The merits of promoting marketing and sales initiatives that originate within the local angling community and have its support cannot be stressed to strongly.
G.4.3. MONITORING PERFORMANCE.
It will is of essential to develop a robust mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the results of any external investment into ‘Welsh fisheries’ in terms of whether or not it achieves its original social, economic and management objectives and to judge if funding should be transferred to other projects that might provide a greater return on investment and represent better ‘value for money’ at a local, regional or national level. Key considerations are the need for details on: -
CCW = Countryside Council for Wales:
EA = Environment Agency for England & Wales:
EAW = Environment Agency Wales:
FRAWC = Flood Risk Assessment Wales Committee (formerly Flood Defence Committee):
NRA = National Rivers Authority:
WAG = Welsh Assembly Government.
G MARKETING WELSH FISHERIES
THE FISHING WALES PROGRAMME.
The recent joint marketing campaign by the EAW/WTB has redressed the past lack of any comprehensive and structured attempt to promote angling tourism in Wales and raise the profile of Welsh fisheries within and outside Wales. The initial results are very encouraging.
- The current policy of not promoting the salmon fisheries of Wales should be maintained until such time as the impoverished stocks of most rivers have recovered to levels of abundance capable of sustaining an increase in angling pressure and exploitation.
- The marketing momentum gained by the current campaign should be continued, but the risks of overselling and marketing angling products that are of poor or indifferent quality must be avoided.
- Greater attention must be given to those angling products that Wales is better placed to offer than its competitors and efforts should now move away from marketing high-volume/low-value angling products towards the identification and promotion of those niche products in the low-volume/high-value markets that are special to Wales or where Wales can have the edge over its competitors.
- The EAW/WAG should note that in order to attract visiting anglers who will better appreciate the overall Welsh angling experience and who will not plunder its fishery resources, the ethos of the ‘Wales: land of outstanding wildlife, ecology and scenic beauty’ should be reinstated at the heart if the Fishing Wales campaign.
- A greater part of the budget and effort should be allocated to supporting sales.
- The importance of providing visiting anglers with an experience that is perceived as ‘enjoyable’,’ value-for money’ and ‘something to be repeated in the future’ is central to the success of any marketing campaign. Such an experience provides a highly credible and unpaid sales force inside the angling community itself. ‘Good’ angling venues are often over-subscribed and rarely need to advertise.
- There is a need for more detailed and specialist guides covering local fisheries, groups of fisheries and target species. Such guides would make the customer’s choice easier and make it more likely that they would have an enjoyable experience. These guides should be produced in conjunction with local fishery providers with assistance from the WTB.
G.2.3. ANGLING INFRA-STRUCTURE.
Although the funding provided within the EAW ‘Fishing Wales’ programme for the payment of grants to private fishery owners and angling associations to improve the standard of services and bankside facilities available to anglers has achieved much, there is still a great deal to be done at many venues. The provisions of even the most basic facilities, such as secure off-road parking, beat maps, way-marking across fields, stiles, footbridges, signage, leaves a lot to be desired at many venues.
- There is a clear need to continue to encourage and support the provision of a higher standard of ‘after sales services’ and a funding scheme should be maintained for the provision of improved angler infra-structure and bankside facilities at a number of carefully selected ‘flag-ship’ fisheries each year.
- There is also need for a parallel funding scheme to provide ‘angler-friendly accommodation’ in general and linked to ‘flag-ship’ fisheries in particular.
- The EAW should continue to explore with others the development of a basic training programme designed to provide a supply of ‘ghillies’ and ‘fishing friends’ recruited from within the local angling community. There role would be to introduce anglers to new venues and to make them feel comfortable on the fishing and welcome within the community. This scheme should not include the provision of angling instructors.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
The merits of promoting marketing and sales initiatives that originate within the local angling community and have its support cannot be stressed to strongly.
- The WTB/EAW should create a special grant scheme to encourage and fund the exploration and development of ‘good ideas’ that originate from within the local angling and angling tourism sectors which, if implemented, would serve to increase the economic benefits of angling tourism at a local or national level. Such a scheme would foster a closer working relationship with the local community and promote a more positive view of and active engagement with the overall objectives of the current Fishing Wales Strategy. This scheme should also be developed in a similar format, with funding from other appropriate sources, to cover both social aims and other fisheries management aims. [See H.2.]
- Local angling organisations and the providers of angling accommodation should be encouraged to do more to make information about their fisheries and facilities more available by providing information about their products to the WTB and local tourism outlets.
- The WTB should work with the local angling community, local authorities and private sponsors to encourage and support the provision of ‘Angler Information’ notice-boards adjacent to road bridges and at other strategic location to assist the general public in finding out about the availability of fishing within the immediate area.
- The success of the ‘Angling Passport Scheme’ on the Usk & Wye catchments in creating new angling opportunities for visitors and providing a new or increased source of income to the owners of small sections of fishing is to be noted.
G.4.3. MONITORING PERFORMANCE.
It will is of essential to develop a robust mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the results of any external investment into ‘Welsh fisheries’ in terms of whether or not it achieves its original social, economic and management objectives and to judge if funding should be transferred to other projects that might provide a greater return on investment and represent better ‘value for money’ at a local, regional or national level. Key considerations are the need for details on: -
- The number of anglers coming to Wales each year to fish and the contribution they make to the Welsh economy. Ideally this should be broken down by angling sector and geographical region.
- The annual rate of return (and rate of attrition) of anglers who fished in previous years.
- The annual rate of return on sector investment.