Contribution of sport and recreational fishing, as a differentiated tourist product, to the attraction of Serra da Estrela. Potential and angler’s perception

Abstract

Recreational and sport fishing has traditionally been seen and managed as a secondary and even residual activity in tourism, without effective concerted strategies for valuing this tourism development asset or integrating it into product promotion. The research developed in the mountain territory of Serra da Estrela in Portugal aims to explore the importance of recreational and sport fishing as a differentiated product for rural territories and its contributions to the enlargement of the tourist offer of this destination. The attraction of the surface waters of this mountain territory for sport fishing, in particular salmonidae, represents a tourist and recreational resource for the region with concrete effects on local commerce, hotels, and restaurants, given the practitioners involved and the natural and cultural contexts. The environmental value associated with its mountain geography and the existing ecosystems project the Serra da Estrela as a fishing destination that is increasingly valued, whether as the main motivation or as a complement to other recreational and tourist activities. We analyse the existing surface water resources, the present fish species, and the regulations for the practice of fishing, as well as the consideration of the environmental value of this territory for the development of an activity with strong ties to nature. The objectives are to establish lines of investigation to be followed and strategies to be implemented for building better knowledge of this activity and its practitioners. In this context, a survey of anglers will provide information to assess the logic of action, whether economic, environmental or administrative, to not only strengthen the value of the destination but also to boost this activity, contributing simultaneously to the enhancement of water resources as tourist assets with different uses and demands throughout the year.