VICTORIA - The B.C. government will invest more than $265,000 to support a comprehensive strategy for expanding sport fishing in British Columbia, Tourism, Sport and the Arts Minister Stan Hagen and Environment Minister Barry Penner announced today.

Hagen and Penner made the announcement in conjunction with the release of a report entitled Catching and Captivating Anglers: A Ten Year Market Development Plan for Sport Fishing In B.C. The $265,000 is being funded between the Ministry of Environment, which provided $165,000, and the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, which provided $100,000.

"British Columbia enjoys an excellent international reputation for sport fishing and an unparalleled abundance and variety of high-quality sport fishing opportunities." said Hagen. "We believe that by working with our partners in the tourism and sport fishing sectors and supporting this ambitious marketing plan, we can help many more British Columbians across the province rediscover the joys of fishing in their own backyard."

The plan sets out an ambitious objective of increasing angler participation and freshwater licence sales by 30 per cent next decade by:

* Increasing the participation of occasional and lapsed anglers
* Raising the number of youths taking up angling
* Simplifying freshwater fishing regulations
* Making it easier to purchase a fishing license electronically via the Internet
* Establishing high-quality "family" fishing opportunities near urban centres and
* Working with British Columbia's tourism sector to promote angling along with other outdoor recreation activities.

"Sport fishing is great outdoor activity and a great way to spend time at some of B.C.'s spectacular lakes, rivers and streams," said Penner. "When people become involved in angling, they gain a greater appreciation of the importance of acting as stewards of our natural resources."

"On behalf of the recreational fishing sector and anglers across the province I want to thank Minister Penner and Minister Hagen for their support of our recreational fisheries." said Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC president Don Peterson.

Other contributors to the plan are Tourism BC, the Sport Fishing Institute, the BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association, the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC.

The report is available on the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC's website at: www.gofishbc.com.