We Have Talked To A Lot of Anglers!
FCEC has reached a lot of anglers over the years. What is “a lot” you ask? During 2009-2011 FCEC and our partners have reached out to over 15,400 anglers, conducting a total of 1,979 surveys during this stretch of time. As such, we’ve heard a lot of stories and learned a lot about the folks that frequently fish at our local piers. We appreciate these anglers and the knowledge and experiences they share with us.
Our outreach team has seen these anglers endure heavy winds to catch fish at Belmont pier in Long Beach, talk about cool shark sightings and locate schools of surfperch under the Santa Monica Pier. Frankie Orrala of Heal the Bay even shared his insights in a recent interview that we recommend you check out.
Besides catching fish at the local piers and sighting seals and sharks, anglers have also been interested in our FCEC Angler Tip Cards, and not just because they have a nifty ruler to measure their fish with! Due to the efforts of the Angler Outreach Team, results have shown a reduced amount of reported Do Not Consume fish consumption and an increase of anglers aware of the contamination. Heal the Bay and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Angler Outreach Team members have been doing fantastic work to protect public health and educate folks about local fish contamination, and we are proud of their efforts!
Check out some photos of the Angler Outreach Team in action over 2011. Happy New Year!