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Nearly three million people in England and Wales go fishing, more than 90% of them in freshwater. This is the main finding of this report commissioned by the National Rivers Authority. The NRA has a responsibility for safeguarding and improving the water environment. It has statutory duties to maintain, improve and develop fisheries and to promote water based recreation of which angling is one of the most popular activities. Anglers are also the main source of funding for the NRA's Fisheries service through rod licences. To improve its ability to plan for the future, the NRA needs up-to-date information on the number and types of anglers in England and Wales. The survey includes information on the distribution and demographic characteristics of anglers: how much they spend and how far they travel to fish; the species they prefer to catch; levels of club membership; and a range of other characteristics.