1. Industry Risk Analysis
(1) Policy Risk
As entrepreneurs, the policy risks currently faced by the fishing sports goods and equipment industry are mainly concentrated in the fields of environmental protection supervision and public resource management. During the policy implementation stage, many regions in China have introduced new regulations on fishing area restrictions and lists of prohibited bait ingredients for the ecological protection of natural waters, directly squeezing the market space for traditional fishing tackle. At the same time, European and American countries are tightening the environmental protection certification of fishing gear materials (such as the lead product substitution policy), resulting in a sharp increase in the compliance costs of exported products. The industry also faces potential risks of policy tightening. For example, technological innovations such as fishing reel recycling systems and biodegradable fishing lines may be incorporated into mandatory standards, forcing small and medium – sized enterprises to increase R & D investment. Fluctuations in cross – border logistics and tariff policies also pose continuous pressure on the supply chain that relies on imported high – end materials.
(2) Economic Risk
The current macro – economy is in the transition stage from stagflation to recession, and the fishing supplies industry faces three – fold risks: the contraction of consumers’ disposable income has led to a sharp decline in the demand for high – end fishing gear, and the lengthening of the inventory turnover cycle has squeezed cash flow; on the production side, the fluctuation of raw material prices combined with the rising logistics costs have caused a 10% – 15% decline in the gross profit margin of small and medium – sized enterprises; in a tight credit environment, the payment terms of dealers have been extended, and the overdue rate of accounts receivable has increased by 8 – 12 percentage points compared with previous years. In some regional markets, there has been a phenomenon of mass closures of channel merchants, creating a risk of a chain reaction of supply chain disruptions.
(3) Social Risk
There are significant generational consumption differences: Generation Z prefers a sense of technology, socialization, and short – term immersive experiences. The slow – paced nature of fishing sports naturally conflicts with their consumption habits, while the traditional middle – aged and elderly consumer groups, although having purchasing power, have limited incremental growth, resulting in insufficient market growth momentum. The tightening of environmental protection policies has increased the cost of degradable fishing gear materials, but the acceptance of environmental protection premiums by the new generation is lower than expected, and the price transmission mechanism is blocked. The “check – in style fishing” craze spawned by short – video platforms has diluted the demand for professional equipment, and the industry is facing a double impact of declining customer loyalty and low repurchase rates.
(4) Legal Risk
The legal risks faced by the fishing sports goods industry are concentrated in three aspects: product compliance, intellectual property rights, and environmental protection responsibilities. First, products need to meet domestic and international safety standards (such as the EU CE certification and the US FTC labeling regulations). If quality inspection is not strict, it may lead to product recalls or penalties. Second, fishing hook designs, bionic fishing lures, etc. are prone to patent infringement disputes, especially with the high – tech barriers of international brands. In addition, some baits contain chemical feeding attractants or heavy metal components, which may violate environmental protection laws and regulations (such as the restrictions on lead fishing gear in the US Clean Water Act), facing production restrictions or litigation risks. Entrepreneurs need to focus on controlling the compliance of the supply chain, establish a patent screening mechanism, and dynamically track global environmental protection policy changes.
2. Entrepreneurship Guide
(1) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Opportunities
Currently, entrepreneurship opportunities in the fishing industry are concentrated in intelligentization, environmental protection, and innovation in niche scenarios: develop intelligent fishing rods integrating sensors and Internet of Things technology, real – time water quality monitoring floats, and AI – assisted fishing apps to meet the technological needs of the younger generation; launch biodegradable fishing reels and environmentally friendly artificial baits to comply with the fishing gear environmental protection regulations introduced by more than 50 countries around the world; design modular and portable equipment bags for niche fields such as lure fishing and ice fishing, distribute them with fishing teaching courses on short – video platforms, and focus on the rental service of fishing tourism equipment in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia.
(2) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Resources
In the fishing sports goods and equipment industry, entrepreneurs should give priority to integrating light – asset resources. For example, sign flexible order agreements with fishing gear contract manufacturers to control inventory risks, and rely on fishing communities (such as fishing forums and short – video platforms) to establish precise user communities to obtain feedback and test new products; cooperate with outdoor sports event organizers to provide equipment rental or sponsorship to implant the brand and increase exposure at low cost; use cross – border e – commerce platforms and local fishing gear distributors to quickly distribute products, and at the same time, connect with third – party quality inspection services to solve the problem of quality control trust; reduce the site selection cost of offline experience stores through government subsidies for agricultural and cultural tourism projects, jointly develop content with fishing experts to attract traffic to the private domain, and apply for the shared resources of technological patents from the fishing industry association.
(3) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Teams
Entrepreneurs in the fishing sports goods industry should focus on the dynamic ability adaptation of the team. They should mainly recruit compound – type talents with product R & D (outdoor scene adaptation technology), supply chain management (application of environmental protection materials), and online marketing (operation of vertical short – videos). The founder should build a decision – making center with senior anglers or outdoor product designers as the core, and be equipped with supply chain cost – reduction experts and fishing gear evaluation KOL operators. Through the “small team + flexible cooperation” mechanism, the product line can be iterated quickly. It is recommended that 20% of the team positions be reserved for connecting with fishing gear exhibition resources, fishing ground ecological partners, and lure fishing event IP operators. Team members should be organized to participate in rock fishing/lure fishing practices regularly to maintain market sensitivity.
(4) Suggestions on Entrepreneurship Risks
Entrepreneurs in the fishing sports goods industry should give priority to controlling supply chain risks. They should choose contract manufacturers with flexible production capabilities and sign stepped procurement agreements to cope with the price fluctuations of fishing gear raw materials (such as carbon fiber). A dynamic inventory model should be established to adjust the inventory of SKUs such as lure baits and fishing rods according to the cycle of regional fishing competitions, avoiding inventory overstocking that may occupy cash flow. They should focus on monitoring changes in outdoor environmental protection policies and replace products such as fishing boxes and fish keepers with biodegradable materials in advance. It is recommended that 30% of the R & D budget be invested in the development of intelligent fishing gear (such as electronic floats and fish finders), and the “hardware pre – sale + accessory subscription” model be adopted to verify market demand. An emergency channel for fishing gear safety certification should be established, and cooperation with testing institutions such as CCSI should be carried out to achieve simultaneous CE/FCC certification for products such as fishing reels and fishing hooks, so as to avoid compliance risks when going global.
