The Sportfishing Challenge 2000 – Part 3

18 young Europeans from 6 different countries took part in the program, most of them had never seen a fishing rod before in their life.
Filmed in Namibia, on the Zambezi and the Chobe rivers and in South Africa, on the Wild Coast near Port St Johns, the three 15 minute programs of the Sportfishing Challenge 2000 were broadcasted several times on Eurosport TV in most European countries, reaching out to millions of new potential anglers.

Read Full Post »

The Sportfishing Challenge 2000 – Part 2

18 young Europeans from 6 different countries took part in the program, most of them had never seen a fishing rod before in their life.
Filmed in Namibia, on the Zambezi and the Chobe rivers and in South Africa, on the Wild Coast near Port St Johns, the three 15 minute programs of the Sportfishing Challenge 2000 were broadcasted several times on Eurosport TV in most European countries, reaching out to millions of new potential anglers.

Read Full Post »

The Sportfishing Challenge 2000 – Part 1

18 young Europeans from 6 different countries took part in the program, most of them had never seen a fishing rod before in their life.
Filmed in Namibia, on the Zambezi and the Chobe rivers and in South Africa, on the Wild Coast near Port St Johns, the three 15 minute programs of the Sportfishing Challenge 2000 were broadcasted several times on Eurosport TV in most European countries, reaching out to millions of new potential anglers.

Read Full Post »

The inherent danger of internet forums

We all experienced, a few months ago, the rapid spread of the swine flu alarm that peaked at the end of April 2009, creating a temporary crash in the stock market and widespread panic buying for medication, protection masks and foodstuff.
The scare not only caused a 5% two-day slump in some stock markets, it also [...]

Read Full Post »

Nomad launches a new Sandeel Seabass lure

By using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology, the latest available high-tech plastics and the added value of the artistic hand of skilled workmanship, the PERFEEL™ is the first SAND EEL lure to benefit from 21st century engineering and production capabilities.

Read Full Post »

Clearing out the dead wood

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) was not only caused by the excessive greed of a few elite banksters; it is the end result of numerous factors that include in particular the globalization of trade and the inherent consequences on European employment caused by the outsourcing of labour intensive production.
If free trade has been the greatest [...]

Read Full Post »

Sport Fishing is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee; is it still a Sport?

As I stayed up at night and watched the undeniable success of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; I couldn’t stop wondering why one of the supposedly most popular sports on the planet; one that counts 40 million participants in the USA alone, 25 million in Europe and so many more million in the rest of [...]

Read Full Post »

On the road to Nowhere!

Kevin VanDam, the current leader of the World Rankings for Bass Fishing in the USA is 40 years old, has been a Pro Bass Angler for 18 years and has cumulated more than 3 Million US Dollars in prize winnings during his career. This does not include the money he receives from sponsors.
His sponsors include [...]

Read Full Post »

Whatever happened to voluntary work?

THE latest edition of the EFTTEX show that was held in Rome last June was a reflection of the current trends in effect in our European market.
A lot of effort, time and money were spent by most of those companies exhibiting in the show. Stands were generally very nice, with many companies and brands making [...]

Read Full Post »

Are European retailers hampering market potential?

A lot has happened to the structure of the European supply channels of Fishing Tackle in recent years.
Twenty years ago, the supply channel would comprise a manufacturer/vendor, an export agent, an importer/national distributor, a regional wholesaler and finally the independent retailer who would sell the product to the final consumer.
Many importers/national distributors could depend on [...]

Read Full Post »

Portuguese government releases data on sales of sea angling licenses

Following formal requests from various organizations including registered letters from EFTTA; the Portuguese Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry has at last released the official figures of the sales of sea fishing licenses in 2007.

Read Full Post »

Report criticises Brussels fishing policy

By Andrew Bounds in Brussels. Published: September 27 2007
Europe’s fishing policy is “poor”, with its waters among the most overfished and the industry among the least profitable in the world, according to an internal European Commission study. View the whole article published in the Financial Times..

Read Full Post »

“I only make movies to finance my fishing”. (Lee Marvin)

For those who sweated it out at the EFFTEX show in Prague and wondered why I was wearing shorts and a summer fishing shirt on the first day of the show; well, it’s because I analysed the information available in the EFTTA Newsline last march and could remember EFTTEX in Geneva.

I can understand the decision [...]

Read Full Post »

China; Rising to the challenge!

Olympic National Stadium, Beijing, Herzog and de Meuron, Arup Group, estimated completion 2008
I shall never forget my visit to the first CHINAFISH show in 1991.
The exhibition was held close to the entrance of the Forbidden City, right in the centre of Beijing.
I was driven to the show by an old man on a tricycle who [...]

Read Full Post »

Manifest for the Future of Recreational Fishing in Europe!

The time has come for the European Fishing Tackle Trade to invest into its future if it is to have a future!

Our European markets are depressed, we are losing participation.

Pollution, Over-Fishing and Fish Farming are directly responsible.

Recreational Fishing is not recognised by our European authorities for either its social or economic contribution as a [...]

Read Full Post »

The last Fisherman in Ireland

The man hadn’t caught a fish for three years now. The retired businessman had fished all his life. His father had transmitted the passion to him in his youth. He could still remember the delightful days spent fishing off the wonderful west coast of Ireland, in County Clare where he had been brought up.
As a [...]

Read Full Post »

Going Pan-European: Choices, decisions.

There are few alternatives these days for a European National Fishing Tackle Company than to aim towards the development of new sales in neighbouring countries.
Numerous are the European brands that are presently selling outside of their original market as companies are doing everything they can to generate positive growth inside an oversupplied and rapidly shrinking [...]

Read Full Post »

Wading into Europe: How deep is the water?

Launching a product or a range of new products throughout the European Market can resemble a steep hill climb for any manufacturer wishing to sell his production to the old continent.In this first article we shall cover the example of a fictitious medium size company, with little experience in the fishing tackle market.
Cobiaco, Ltd.; a [...]

Read Full Post »

Is it “business as usual” in Europe?

Now that the 2006 financial year has come to a close, it’s possible to make some first estimations of the current situation within the European market. The World Cup has certainly affected business this last season but cannot be ruled responsible for the general state of the trade.
All over Western Europe, dealers are entering into [...]

Read Full Post »

Small businesses cannot grow competitively within the EU

 The European Union is the N˚1 commercial power in the world. It represents 18% of the total volume of world imports and exports.
The USA account for 16% and Japan for 10%.
The globalization of commerce is putting great pressure on small European businesses due to mounting pressure from multinational companies that can afford to deal within [...]

Read Full Post »