Vamos a Pescar (Let’s Go Fishing)

We live in an era of seemingly information overload, and it is delivered 24/7. There is no shortage of news delivered on websites, tweets, radio, video and posts. Heck, where I live we still get local newspapers delivered. Some of the news is sensationalism, some of it is posturing, and a bunch of it is even interesting.

America, the great melting pot of different cultures, is changing once again.  While each century seems to have been defined by a particular trend (the English settling in the 1600’s, the Irish in the 1800’s, and so on), the fastest change in our American demographic these days is among Hispanics.  In 1980, Hispanics represented 6.4% of the American population (or 14.6 million people).  In 2010, that number swelled to 50.5 million people representing 16.3% of the American population.  Push the numbers of that trend out to 2060 and we’ll see an America comprised of 128.7 million Hispanics representing nearly 1/3 of our population.  More of the Hispanic population is younger and in the 5-19 age bracket than our currently aging Baby Boom generation (which are now entering retirement), and guess what they like to do.

Here are some interesting statistics from a recent study conducted by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation, the creators of TakeMeFishing.org.
 

• Hispanic Americans are the nation’s largest ethnic minority, but they have been underrepresented in fishing.

• While they make up only 7.7 percent of fishing participants, they represent 17 percent of the nation’s total population.

• More than nine percent are interested in picking up a fishing pole for the first time, which is just about on pace with all Americans considering fishing participation.

• The highest concentration of current Hispanic fishing participants is in the West South Central, Pacific and South Atlantic regions.

Take Me Fishing recently introduced VamosAPescar.org, empowering Hispanic families with access to culturally relevant fishing and boating information in Spanish to help them plan a successful day on the water. Featuring fishing and boating how-to and where-to information, VamosAPescar.org is just one more resource to help Americans discover the joys of fishing and boating.

We fishermen share a bond that is much stronger than heritage.  We’re all similar, and I’m reminded of the 1951 speech by Herbert Hoover titled Men are Equal Before Fish.  Here’s an excerpt.

“Nor is it the fish we get that counts. We could buy them in the market for mere silver at one percent of the cost. It is the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of the sun on blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature, charity toward tackle makers, patience toward fish, a mockery of profits and egos, a quieting of hate, a rejoicing that you do not have to decide a darned thing until next week. And it is discipline in the equality of men-for all men are equal before fish. And the contemplation of the water, the forest, and mountains soothes our troubles, shames our wickedness, and inspires us to esteem our fellowmen-especially other fishermen.”  President Herbert Hoover.