PEOPLE TAKING PART

In Great Britain in 1996:
3.3 million people went fishing
704,000 people shot game and wildfowl
14,500 stalked deer
215,500 hunted or followed hounds
13,000 participated in falconry of which 4,000 birds flew at live quarry.

With between 130 and 156 million activity days per year, the numbers participating in countryside sports was fifth relative to all other sports, broadly equal in number with soccer.

At least 25,260 manufacturers, processors, importers, wholesalers and retailers are associated with countryside sports, providing employment for 27,000 people with a turnover of over £1billion.

COUNTRYSIDE SPORTS GENERATED:

Direct employment equivalent to 60,160 full-time jobs and
Indirect employment equivalent to 30,809 full-time jobs

RESEARCH

Many organisations carry out research into aspects of countryside sports and countryside management. In 1995 the Game Conservancy Trust spent £1.1million on research.

ECONOMIC VALUE

The annual direct expenditure on country sports was £3.8 billion

This direct expenditure generated indirect expenditure of £2.4 billion per year

Countryside sports produced for sale:

Game worth £11.5 million;
Fish worth £0.44 million;
Venison worth £9.6 million.

Countryside sports contributed positively to the balance of trade and also paid £634 million to government in taxes, licences, etc.

In Scotland alone, £88.2 million of the annual hotel turnover is associated with fishing and shooting holidays.

CONSERVATION

Countryside sports contribute to the conservation and creation of woods, copses, hedges, lakes, ponds, riverine features and the management of heather moors and aquatic habitats.

Hunts help with the disposal of fallen farm stock and handled 0.4 million carcasses in 1995.

Data from ‘Countryside Sports, their Economic and Conservation significance 1997’. Prepared by Cobham Resource Consultants for The Standing Conference on Countryside Sports, The College of Estate Management, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AW.