Christmas Fishing Holidays

One of the most popular antidotes for overworked and stressed Australians this Christmas

With the Christmas in sight, how much time will you take off work and escape the daily grind?

Sadly, if you’re like many Australians, you’re well and truly due for a break.

Australians work more than we want to and we don’t take enough holidays. And the impacts range from burnout, stress and lead to physical and mental issues.

Fortunately though, millions of Australians are choosing fishing as one of the leading ways to combat stress, and reap the physical and mental health benefits of fishing.

Read the research and our expert tips on why fishing’s helping Australians feel happier and healthier.

Why we need to take a break this Christmas Australia

Around one fifth of Aussie men (22.4 percent) and women (18 percent) say they’re ‘overemployed’, and want to work fewer hours.¹

More than a third (33.9 percent) of Australian workers have four or more weeks of annual leave up our sleeves², and we have around 130 million days of unused annual leave – that’s a average of 16 days per worker.³

With all this work and little play, it’s no wonder a third of Australians always feel ‘pressed for time’, and have high rates of stress.⁴

And this is not good news for our health and well-being. Stress and burnout is linked to increased risk of coronary disease, gastrointestinal issues, hypertension, depression and anxiety.⁵⁶

It impacts on families and relationships, on organisations’ forking out costs in unpaid annual leave and increased sick leave, and adds huge costs to the health system and economy. So it’s time to take that holiday and unplug.

Why fishing’s helping us get happier and healthier

The good news is Australians are ‘catching’ on about the need to prevent burnout. And one of the most common ways is through fishing.

Fishing is the largest participatory sport and leisure activity in Australia.⁷ About 5 million Australians engage in recreational and charter fishing activities each year.⁸

We love to reap the benefits of relaxing in the fresh sea air, surrounded by nature with friends and family, focus on our catch, while giving our body a work out with casting and reeling in fish.

Studies show fishing improves youth development, breast cancer recovery, positive mental health outcomes, recreation for the disabled and participation as a sport.⁹

And it’s for all these reasons former professional Australian and Queensland cricketer, Nathan Reardon swapped the bat for the rod and set up Outside Edge Adventures.

Our nine reasons why fishing improves your health and wellbeing:

1. Keeping you fit and coordinated: While to many, may not seem like much of a form of ‘exercise’, but in fact it’s a great way to improve your cardiovascular health, coordination, balance and flexibility and muscle strength. On average, fishing burns 200 calories an hour . If you’re walking around, testing out different spots on the beach or 10 boat, regularly recasting your line, reeling in fish (even just a small one), you’ll build strength in the shoulders, back, arms, core, and legs, give your lungs and heart a workout, and improve your coordination, balance and flexibility.
2. Relaxes and reduces stress: Spending long hours at sea in nature with a focused task is likened to meditation, an activity linked to lowered blood pressure and decreased anxiety.
3. Nutritional benefits: One of the best rewards for your tastebuds and your body is getting to eat what you catch. Fish is one of the healthiest sources of food – it’s a low fat, high protein food source, and is a grand source of omega 3 fatty acid and is linked to positively influencing conditions like cardiovascular diseases and some cancers. So what better way to reward yourself after a long day’s catch than eating what you’ve caught.
4. Building relationships and connections: spending time chatting with family, mates or fellow crew at sea, and cheering them on while reeling in a fish is a great way to
   strengthen your relationships, confidence, empathy and positive wellbeing.
5. Boosts your immune system: Vitamin D helps your body regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that improve immune system function and help defend against disease. The best source of vitamin D is a day outdoors under the sun. Obviously it’s important to stay sun safe too.
6. Promotes concentration, problem-solving, patience and goal setting: Fishing is a sport calls on you to master a variety of different skills and goals. Whether it’s about catching
   just one fish that day, the biggest fish, or as many as possible, fishing requires a raft of skills including deciding how to cast, when to let go, when to reel in and more. It also involves mastering the art of patience and persistence when things don’t go immediately to plan. All attributes for improving positive mental health and wellbeing.
7. Encourages travel: Fishers are among the most accomplished travelers on the planet. Whether you head out to Moreton Bay, to the Whitsundays, New Zealand or Tonga, you’ll experience environments and cultures that expand the mind and makes life more fulfilling.
8. Encourages an appreciation for our environment: Fishing inspires a closer connection with nature and all the ecosystem involved with it. It teaches the importance of taking care of the environment including the fish you catch.
9. Fishing lets you unplug: For those who choose boat fishing, one of the benefits is the lack of 4G availability. So it’s a great way to detach from the electronic devices and stresses of every day and just take in the scenery and fresh air.

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2017. Australia’s Welfare 2017. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2zA3QqM
2. Roy Morgan. 2016. Holidays waiting to happen…​ Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2dQvmnP
3. Roy Morgan. 2016. Holidays waiting to happen…​ Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2dQvmnP
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2017. Work and Family Balance. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2BcYxjC
5. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2017. Work and Family Balance. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2BcYxjC
6. Harvard Business Review. 2016. Steps to take when you’re starting to feel burnt out. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/28JhNYc
7. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2012. Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview Australia. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2DOgbwK
8. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2012. Sports and Physical Recreation: A Statistical Overview Australia. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2DOgbwK
9. Health benefits of recreational fishing. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2zwcF6k
10. Top 10 health benefits of fishing. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2dfLSya