The Impact of Technology on North America's Fish Finders Industry

The increasing appetite for seafood leads to the rebuilding of the fishing industry. There is a growing demand for newer, more complex, and technologically advanced fisheries. With individuals seeking professional as well as recreational fishing, a more important aspect has become technology and how it makes fish finders the most significant fish-finding element. These devices allow anglers to locate fish in a very short time, and they can navigate underwater structures, thus putting them at an advantage compared to the old method. The continuous evolution of fishing technology is rewriting the principles of relating to the sport and industry altogether.

Rising seafood consumption in North America

North America, the U.S. specifically, is the largest consumer of seafood. The NOAA publishes its annual "Fisheries of the U.S." report, in which the U.S. annually tops the list as one of the world's highest consumers of seafood. Per capita consumption was at 20.5 pounds in 2021, a gain of 1.5 pounds over 2020. Fresh and frozen were the largest sources, accounting for half, followed by fillets and steaks at 19%, and shrimp at 18%. In addition, an 80% increase in the consumption of fish is projected by a study led by Rosamond Naylor at Stanford University. This is expected to be the case for the U.S. and Mexico. In 2015, the U.S. consumed 7,034 million tons and Mexico consumed 1,814 million tons of fish. By 2050, that number is estimated to increase to 10,423 million tons and 6,061 million tons, respectively.

With an increased rate of consumption of fish, the North America fish finders market is expected to garner a revenue of $314.9 million by 2032.

Enhancing accuracy and efficiency in fishing

Though there exist other alternatives, like visual observations, depth charts, water temperature gauges, and underwater cameras, a fish finder is special. Utilizing sonar technology, the fish finder presents real-time information on fish location, depth, and other structures underwater. Since this does not rely on guesses and does not have an uncertainty level, there is much less time wastage in search while increasing catch successes. Many modern fish finders come equipped with GPS and high-resolution imaging, making them far more effective and versatile tools than others in terms of providing precise navigation and mapping of fishing spots.

Industry events that recently influenced the landscape

In April 2024, Lowrance launched Eagle®, the latest model in its entry-level fishfinder/chart plotter series. The new model comes with high-definition enhanced sonar with FishReveal™ technology and detailed C-MAP® charting, including Genesis Live, and is the most accessible fishfinder in the brand's history. Similarly, Garmin introduced the GSD™ 28, a rugged sonar module designed for sportfishing, in October 2023. With Garmin RapidReturn sonar, the GSD 28 delivers up to six times the transmission rate of its predecessor for more detailed sonar data on multi-function displays. xCHIRP sonar technology enhanced on the GSD 28 gives anglers better resolution, improved target separation, and accurate bottom discrimination for more distinction between underwater features, bait, and sport fish.

Innovation in the fishing equipment industry is largely influenced by the demand for seafood and increasing fishing activities. The latest advancements in fish finders equipped with sophisticated sonar and GPS are considered a better tool to detect fish more effectively, making overall fishing easier and more successful. Technology only gets better. These tools will, therefore, always be used for both the hobby and the profession, making fishing accessible and efficient. Advanced fish-finding technology is continually progressing as there has been a commitment by the industry toward improving the fishing experience and sustainable practices.

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The global fish finders market was valued at $503.8 million in 2021, and is projected to reach $958.4 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2022 to 2031.