When I was young there were almost zero bow hunters in WA State. The season, and bag limits for bow hunters were ridiculously long and generous, because nobody bow hunted therefore bow hunting did not put any strain on the resource.
As bow hunting grew in popularity, fish and game had to restrict the seasons and reduce bag limits to manage the resource properly. When the popularity of bow hunting sky rocketed, they had to limit the seasons almost as much as they did with fire arms. I new then the good old days were gone for good. The surprising thing was when I talked to other bow hunters all they would talk about was getting more people in to the sport so we would have more influence with fish and game, and the general public. I did understand the need for a bigger voice, but also had to wonder if the need for a bigger voice grew at the same rate as the bigger voice. Then there was always the big worry that the Anti Hunters were going to make the sport illegal, if we didn't get enough people to fight for the cause. The funny thing is there were not Anti bow hunters when it wasn't popular. I have to wonder if making a sport more popular eventually ruins the sport.
I eventually moved to Alaska to live where the fish and game was plentiful, negating the need for extreme fish and game management. I soon learned that Alaska is huge, and the wilderness is rich in fish and game, but I also learned that the best fishing spots are crowded and the politics behind who gets to fish, and when they get to fish is as much of a mud pit as any state.
Now I live in Mexico where the management is terrible. Many lakes bass are considered trash fish that prey on the preferred commercial fish ( tilapia) and people are encouraged to keep every bass they catch. Commercial gill nets are everywhere, and catch everything. Even if there were regulations made by competent biologists, no one would care, because either there wouldn't be any enforcement, or the people enforcing the rules would be easily bribed to look the other way. Because there are very few sport fisherman, sport fishing for bass is awesome.
I'm not saying we don't need management, and that I don't like to see kids learn to fish and being a guide I have taught many people to fish. I don't have an answer for over crowded fisheries and would not want to see the sport die, from lack of political clout. That said, I do have to wonder if the OP has a legitimate reason to question the popular theory that the more fisherman there are means more access, better regulation, better management, and overall better fishing because of increased dollars, and political clout.
Maybe a louder voice only necessitates and even louder voice, when keeping quite is the best option.
