Social, economic, fishery and conservational issues featuring fly fishing community in Serbia

Abstract

Modern fly fishing, mainly for brown trout and grayling, has been done on a local scale and in low extensity in Serbia for over 50 years. Data obtained from 117 fly fishermen filling out an online questionnaire, with 30 questions processed using multivariate analysis, revealed that most fishermen who had started fly fishing since 2000 were under 40. Only few who were under 20 started to fish initially with the fly fishing equipment. They turned up committed to and skilled in fly fishing. Most of them live in large municipalities with much better economic opportunities. Their level of education is above average in Serbia. Economic power, place of residence and level of education outline their fishing capabilities, frequency of fishing outings, distance they travel to fly fish, as well as their attitudes towards fishery policy, conservation of native brown trout and grayling stocks, management of streams and communication with other fly fishermen.