2025 Ontario Recreational Fishing Survey
A message from MNR
The Ministry of Natural Resources will begin conducting a survey of Ontario licensed anglers. Selected anglers will be contacted between January and March of 2026 to request their participation in the survey.
Provincial recreational fishing surveys have been conducted every 5 years since 1975, the last pertaining to 2020. Each survey provides updated estimates of provincial expenditures associated with recreational fishing as well as activity, catch and harvest estimates. The surveys also provide an opportunity to collect information to address both ongoing and arising science and policy needs, such as understanding behaviours and trends related to wild fish consumption and the spread of invasive aquatic species, and (new to the 2025 survey) understanding resident perspectives and preferences related to fish stocking in Ontario.
The survey is being sent to a random sample of 33,000 Ontario anglers. This includes:
i) 27,000 Ontario residents who were licensed and between the ages of 18 and 64 in 2025,
ii) 1500 Ontario seniors who were between the ages of 65 and 70 in 2025 and who held licences between 2019 and 2024 (i.e., recently licensed deemed licence holders),
iii) 1500 other Canadians who held Ontario licences in 2025, and iv) 3000 American (USA) residents who held Ontario licences in 2025.
Invited anglers will be able to complete the survey online at ontario.ca/FishingSurvey using the unique access codes provided in their invitation letters or by filling out and returning a paper questionnaire using a provided postage-paid return envelope.
This year, we will also be conducting a supplemental survey of an additional 45,000 anglers who will be provided with the survey link and a unique access code by email. The purposes of this email-based survey are to:
i) supplement the sample sizes of regions from which fewer responses are expected (i.e., the northeast region and Toronto area) or which are more challenging and costly to contact by mail (i.e., USA), and
ii) to facilitate a comparison of the survey methods and resulting data.
We look forward to sharing results when they are available. Questions about this survey can be directed to Dr. Len Hunt at len.hunt@ontario.ca or (807) 629-9636.