How do you fly...fish : a look at the connection of environmental behavior to travel and sport involvement of fly fishers in North Carolina

Abstract

The connection between recreation and tourism is not a new concept; the two are frequently in concert in planning, marketing, research, and education. Within the realm of sustainable tourism, it is important to understand the implications that a tourism group has on their environment. Looking at fly anglers in North Carolina, this study proposes a relationship between fly fishing and pro-environmental behaviors, which is consistent with previous literature dating back to the mid-1970s, suggesting a positive relationship between outdoor recreation participation and pro-environmental behavior. This relationship is less when considering consumptive sports over appreciative sports. As a consumptive sport, it is not clear whether fly fishing enthusiasts engage in pro-environmental behaviors and, if so, which fly fishermen/women are most likely to engage in the behaviors. To further analyze this relationship and to determine the existence of a relationship between environmental behaviors and fly fishing travel, the trip profiles of fly anglers are gauged against their expressed environmental behaviors.