Page 10 - 2021 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

New Anglers Need Mentors to Build a Lifelong Passion

ANGLER’S

GUIDE 2021 ReCReAtiOnAL BOAtinG AnD FishinG FOUnDAtiOn

IT TAKES ONE Fishing, it can be argued, is America’s

favorite pastime. For generations, the
angling tradition has been passed from
mother and father to son and daughter.
TO MAKE ONE There has been no question about
fishing’s vibrant future — until now.

Changes in American society during the
past several decades are now creating a sense
NEW ANGLERS NEED of urgency among people and organizations
who want to see this nation’s outdoor heritage
live on for many generations to come. Some of
MENTORS TO BUILD those societal changes: more people living in
urban areas without nearby places for fishing,
more time spent at work, more activities
competing for recreational time, and people
A LIFELONG PASSION increasingly isolating in front of screens.
Declines in fishing participation pose a
real threat to fish and wildlife conservation
agencies that are charged with conserving
natural resources for current and future
generations. When participation goes down,
so does the funding that these agencies receive.

OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA
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