The WIRF Leaders are making lots of waves This month’s report has been supplied by Amanda Keilar (fishing_nanna). The Women in Recreational Fishing
The expanded Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating (WIRFAB) will aim to assist more ladies in getting into boating.
Talking to attendees about what WIRF is all about.
The WIRF leaders meeting Robson Green.
National Recreational Fishing Survey were shared, and fishing rated as the 10th most popular recreational activity in Australia, on a par with cycling! 4.2 million, or 21% of the Australian population, go fishing! It was also awesome to see female participation rates almost catching up to the men! There was a gala dinner and awards night held at the conference, and the WIRF network won an award for being the ‘Best Project in Promoting Diverse and Inclusive Participation in Recreational Fishing’. We were very proud to be recognised amongst our peers on the world stage.
others to take up the sport, and were inundated with visitors to their stand. The ladies got to network with industry leaders and representatives as well as fishing celebrities, including one of the world’s best-known fisherman, Robson Green. Straight after the Expo, WIRF then attended the
Accepting the award for Best Project Promoting Inclusive Participation in Fishing.
Marian Miller gives a talk on fly tying, assisted by Kelsi Gull. Network (WIRF) in Victoria have been very busy on many levels this year. WIRF had its 5-year Anniversary on 8 March, which happened to be International Women’s Day. It was celebrated with fishing events run by WIRF local groups across the state. The WIRF network has over 4000 members and is expanding to include recreational boaters, with the support and expertise of Better Boating Victoria.
World Recreational Fishing Conference 2023 right next door to the exhibition centre, at the Melbourne Conference centre. There were 360 delegates plus virtual attendees, keynote speakers from across the globe, and workshops that looked at fisheries across the world. The results of the
Leaders from the WIRF network recently attended the Ultimate Fishing Expo at the Melbourne Exhibition centre where they had an info stand, and held fishing talks there throughout the weekend. WIRF also helped with women’s and kids’ casting clinics, provided talks up on the main stage, and participated in Q&A panels. The WIRF leaders truly shone bright in sharing their fishing passion and inspiring APRIL 2023 97
