In a recent study done on the Economical Impact of Angling in South Africa, conducted by Dr Colin van Zyl (Environmental and Tourism) and Prof Marius Leibold (Business Management at US), it was confirmed that angling is one of, if not the biggest participated sport in South Africa.
Commissioned by the South African Deep Sea Angling Association (SADSAA), the study revealed some interesting figures and results. Similar surveys done in the United States indicated that more than 25% of the population engages in some form of fishing, while Europe also had similar figures.
Founder and original owner of ESA (Extreme Sports Angling), Andre Henn identified a need for anglers to consolidate and promote the sport of angling and belong to a group that shares the passion and drive of living the sport. This concept was well perceived in the market and laid the platform for the newly-established Advanced Sport Fishing Network (ASFN).
ASFN is there to promote the angling industry as a whole, and to lure more involvement supported by the correct principles of conserving our resources to insure a future for the generations to follow. AFSN’s aim is to work with all industry members or associations with the same goal in mind — to promote and grow the sport through a diversity of media and marketing platforms.
The ASFN slogan “Unleash the Passion” speaks for itself, explaining the urge and need to live what you enjoy and to reveal it with those around you whether you enjoy angling as a leisure lifestyle, a competitive sport or an extreme sports lifestyle.
ASFN cover the full spectrum of angling facets from saltwater offshore angling, saltwater shore angling, power angling (an ASFN term), freshwater shore and offshore angling, including the fastest growing freshwater facet: specimen carp angling.
To promote and showcase these facets of angling are the ASFN Ambassadors, which include a couple of familiar faces such as Dean Pretorius, Lloyd Pereira, Abel Alexander and Rob Fisher. Some new faces to the screen include Wesley Peens, Myburgh Hattingh, Rodolph Scheepers and Juan Bornmann, to mention but a few, all with an extraordinary talent and passion for angling.
The ASFN Ambassadors are based all over South Africa to ensure that a diversity of areas is covered and you get the best and latest in angling entertainment from all over Southern Africa. The best footage from these zones you can see on the ASFN Television Production starting on Super Sport.
ASFN offers a diversity of interactive platforms for anglers in South Africa hosted on the ASFN Website. This includes User Generated Content where the best clips send in by the public to the ASFN Website gets voted for and showcased on the programme.
AFSN will also host an interactive social media platform specifically for anglers, where you can upload you latest catches, news, video clips articles and contribute to the growth and development of the Sport. ASFN will also have a membership customised around the needs of anglers and their practised facets.
ASFN will be hosting a number of competitive tournaments over the diversity of facets where anyone is welcome to participate and compete. This will also have a strong drive on the development of angling and getting new members involved with the sport.
Anglers may also participate in conservation projects that inspire them through ASFN as well as bring conservation project they would like assistance with to our attention.
ASFN have partnered with several conservation and research organizations specifically related to angling and the conservation of our resources.
Then our partners from Fly Castaway, Gerhard Laubscher our fly fishing fanatic, in the conversion process of becoming a multi-faceted angler in between taking care of the commercial side of the business. Keith Rose Innes, multi-faceted, provincial angler and one that needs no introduction to the market.
Then our latest and exciting addition to the Team, Bongi Mntombeni, everyone may know from last years South African Idols. ASFN and its ambassadors are going to assist Bongi in taking up the sport of angling which is bound to produce a number of unforgettable moments.
A major part of making ASFN’s aim and objective possible is the support from the South African anglers whether you fish once a year or everyday, to get the sport and industry to its full potential everyone’s involvement is appreciated.
ASFN would like to thank all the angling industry partners getting involved in ASFN and its drive. Let’s support the companies and sponsors backing our sport and those that are interested in taking it to the next level.
