Public Use of the Coast: Involvement in Watersports

There are varying levels of public use of the coast in terms of involvement in watersports, typically dependent on the type of watersports activity. Outdoor swimming is one of the most popular activities - in a 2022 Scottish Government survey, 13% of people reported to have gone sea swimming in the previous 12 months. Alongside this, 4% reported stand-up paddle boarding, 3% sailing, 3% rowing/kayaking/canoeing, and 1% power boating, windsurfing/ kite surfing, or snorkelling. 

Age can be a factor determining involvement in watersports, with 16-24 year olds more likely to go swimming than those aged 65 (20% of 16-24s vs 4% of 65+). 5% of 16-24 year olds participated in kayaking, rowing, canoeing, diving and snorkelling whilst 0% of those aged 65 and above participated (Scottish Government, 2019). 

The East Grampian Coast provides areas for many watersports activities including kayaking, surfing, paddleboarding, and swimming. Due to the nature of the coast it is difficult to determine how many people are involved in watersports in the East Grampian Coast region. However, fig. 1 shows mapped results of the Scottish Marine Recreation and Tourism Survey 2015 and indicates where there are hotspots of coastal usage by watersports activity.

It is worth noting that there is inequality in how the Scottish public accesses the coast, and therefore it is likely the same story for involvement in coastal watersports. The following groups are less likely to access the coast than others: those with a disability or health condition, ethnic minority communities, those living in deprived (SIMD 1/2) urban areas, and young people aged 16-34 (Scottish Government, 2023). There are potential options for improving access to the coast for all, including: improving transport links to the coast, reducing transport costs, ensuring cleaner water/environment at the coast, and more easily accessible information about visiting the coast (Scottish Government, 2023).