Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/326874
www.BoatingIndustry.com www.BoatingIndustry.com 14 | Boating Industry | July 2014 BY JONATHAN SWEET t he Hispanic population is the fastest- growing segment of the population in the United States, but the group is not engaging in fi shing and boating. With that in mind, the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation offi cially launched a Hispanic outreach program earlier this year that will include advertis- ing, partnerships with companies and local agencies, social media, events and more. Hispanics now number 53 million in the United States, representing 17 percent of the population. Twenty-six percent of those 5 years old and younger are Hispanic, and they are a key demographic in several major markets including Los Angeles, Chi- cago, New York and Miami. Despite that, they represent only 8.4 percent of boating participants and 7.7 percent of boat owners, according to 2012 data from the National Marine Manufac- turers Association. The Hispanic population is not only growing, but is also becoming more af- fl uent and better educated, according to RBFF President Frank Peterson. In fact, last year the percentage of Hispanics that entered college was higher than the rate of non-Hispanics. With that in mind, RBFF decided in 2013 to partner with other stakehold- ers in the industry to pursue the His- panic population. RBFF is working with Lopez Negrete, a nationally recognized, Hispanic-owned communications fi rm to develop its plans. They have identifi ed several key bar- riers to Hispanic involvement in fi shing and boating. Lack of exposure and lack of experience Fishing perceived as passive, waiting game Full family participation is often diffi cult Outdoor activities in general are waning Money is a major issue, whether real/ perceived — Affordability needs to be ad- dressed with this audience just like others State licenses & regulations are prob- lematic Culturally relevant invitation is missing In March, the foundation launched VamosAPescar.org, a website aimed spe- cifi cally at the Hispanic market, available in Spanish and English. It includes informa- tion on how to fi sh, getting licensed, de- bunking myths and more. RBFF is also running 15 events in Florida and Texas this year. The two states are the fi rst being targeted because of their large His- panic populations. Over the next three years, the program will be expanded to other states. Working with Lopez Negrete, RBFF has identifi ed three target groups, totaling more than 14 million Hispanic adults. That number more than doubles when children are included. Social Anglers (3.3 million) – Highly active, recreation-minded singles and couples. They fi sh on occasion, but it's activities like hiking, camping, tubing and mountain biking that deliver the active thrills they seek. Happy Hikers (5.9 million) – Family- oriented nature lovers whose lives revolve around their kids. They plan activities around budget and time constraints, with fi shing rarely, if ever, making the list. Fishing Fanatics (5.1 million) – Avid anglers who adamantly believe fishing is more a religion than a sport, and their shrine's in the garage. They get out on the water to drop a line every chance they get. Boating Industry talked to Peterson about the program and its importance for the industry. Boating Industry: Why did RBFF decide to tackle this issue? PETERSON: Every fi ve years, the Fish & Wildlife Service does a fi shing participation study. In 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 – all of the reports showed [a decrease in participa- tion]. All of the sudden in 2011, it was up 11 percent and everyone was ecstatic. Then we started digging into the num- bers a little bit – where was this increase coming from? More women are fi shing, that's great. There's a younger population with Frank Peterson, president, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation P14x15-BI14JUL-Q&A.indd 14 5/28/14 11:46 AM