2011 National Marine Recreational Fishing Expenditure Survey

Presentation to MAFAC Recreational Fisheries Working GroupApril 13, 2011

Sabrina LovellOffice of Science and TechnologyEconomics and Social Analysis Division

Why Collect Economic Data?• Legislative mandates require economic

assessments of proposed recreational fishing management actions– Associated change in angler expenditures and

supporting businesses activity (economic impacts)

• Provides decision-makers with information to make more informed decisions

• Disaster preparedness and assessments

Who Can Use The Results?

• Fisheries Management Councils (e.g., for potential use in council decisions)

• NMFS Regional Offices and Science Centers (e.g., in review of proposed regulations; research)

• Non-profit organizations (e.g. analyses of projects or programs)

• Academic research (e.g., for use in improving recreational fisheries economic models)

• Recreational fishing community

• Any organiztion with an interest in marine recreational fisheries

2011 National Expenditure SurveyObjectives • Provide consistent and reliable estimates every 5

years - first nationwide survey conducted in 2006

• In 2011, provide updated nationwide estimates of marine recreational angler expenditures

• Determine the economic impacts associated with marine recreational angling based on updated expenditures and more recent information on the structure of the economy

Collaborators

• NMFS, Office of Science and Technology, Fisheries Statistics Division

• Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (AL, FL, LA, MS)

• Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (CA, OR, WA)

• California, Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas

• NMFS Science Center economists

Population Sampled• Anglers who are intercepted as part of the NMFS

recreational fisheries data collection program – Atlantic states (Maine to East Florida)– Gulf states (West Florida to Louisiana)– Hawaii (shore and private boat modes)

• Fishing license holders in: – California– Oregon– Washington– Alaska– Texas

• Hawaii– National Saltwater Angler Registry

Survey Methodology • For intercept states (Atlantic and Gulf, Hawaii)

– Anglers will be asked trip related and trip expenditure questions as short extension of regular intercept survey

– Anglers asked for contact information for follow up mail or internet survey on annual expenditures

– Surveys will be sent out monthly

• For license frame states, names and contact information will be provided by states– Both most recent trip and annual expenditure questions will

be asked on a mail or internet survey– Surveys will be sent out bi-monthly

Conducting the Survey• Email invitations for online survey sent out to all anglers with an email

address– Email reminder sent 3 days later to anglers who have not yet

completed survey– Second reminder sent 1 week after first email– Secure, unique link to online survey included for each angler

• Mail surveys sent to 1) anglers who provided only a postal mailing address and 2) anglers not responding to online invitation within 1 week who also provided a mailing address

– First mailing includes a cover letter and survey questionnaire– Reminder postcard after 1 week– Third mailing at 3 weeks with another cover letter and another copy

of the questionnaire, if the angler has not yet returned the survey – Cover letter will include a link to the online survey website with a

secure, unique access code

Information on Current/Last Trip• Mode of fishing

– Shore– Private/rental boat– For-Hire

• Top two target species• Date of trip• Location of trip (nearest city or town)• Day trip or multi-day trip

• Number of nights away from home, number of days fished on trip

• Main purpose if on a multi-day trip (fishing, vacation, business)

Trip Expenditure Data• Trip expenditures will be collected by state/mode/resident

status• 17 Daily trip expenditure categories:

• transportation (private, public, airfare, auto rental) • food (from grocery stores or restaurants) • boat fuel and oil• boat rental • charter fees, tips, and catch processing • access and parking • bait • ice • lodging• tournament fees • gifts and souvenirs

• Percent of expenditures made in state of trip

Trip Expenditure Table: Field Interview

Anglers asked for expenditures for entire time away from home, not just the time spent fishing.

Surveys will have the appropriate state name throughout the text and appropriate pictures for the region.

Sample Cover Page from Mail Survey

Annual Durable Expenditure Data• Expenses during past 12 months • Durable expenditures collected by state/resident status• 32 annual fishing equipment and durable expense

categories including:• Tackle, rods and reels, other gear• Camping equipment, clothing, binoculars• Taxidermy• Magazine subscriptions• Club Dues• License fees• Boat purchases, boat accessories, and related

expenses• Vehicle purchases and related expenses• Second home purchases and related expenses

Questions on expenditures related to fishing tackle.

Questions on expenditures related to boats.

Similar questions for vehicles and second homes.

Demographic and Other Data• Demographic questions

• Saltwater fishing avidity (2 months and 12 months)• Highest level of education• Gender • Age• Number of years they have been fishing• Ethnicity• Race• Household income• Number of hours per week they typically work

• How many days in the past 12 months that they fished for highly migratory species

• Space for additional comments

Results

• Expenditure results will include:– Mean trip expenditure by mode/state/resident status– Total trip expenditures by mode/state/resident status– Mean durable expenditures by state/resident status– Total durable expenditures by state/resident status– For each expenditure category, and total across trip or

durable expenses

• Economic impact results will include: – Jobs – Sales/output – Value-added (contribution to GDP)– Income – For each trip and durable expenditure category and total

Implementation

• Data Collection: January 2011 to March 2012 (covering angler trips taken Jan-Dec 2011)

• Preliminary Analysis: starting in May 2011

• Final Analysis: late 2011 to late 2012 (approximately)

• Report: Early 2013 ?

Products

• "The Economic Contribution of Marine Angler Expenditures in the United States, 2011"

• Fisheries Economics of the U.S. (annual)

• Interactive Fisheries Economics Impacts Tool http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/index.html

• 2006 report available at:http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st5/publication/marine_angler.html

Example Product: Angler Expenditures in Mid-Atlantic

Fishing Mode Trip Expenditures Durable Equipment Expenditures

 Non-

ResidentsResidents Fishing Tackle 896

For-Hire 44 58 Other Equipment 254

Private Boat 165 375 Boat Expenses 693

Shore 136 166 Vehicle Expenses 1,133

Total Trip Expenditures

346 599 Second Home Expenses 246

 Total Durable Equipment Expenditures

3,222

Trip and Durable Equipment Expenditures 4,166

2008 (millions of dollars)

Another Example Product

• Interactive Fisheries Economics Impacts Tool• Available on the NMFS website• Same data as in Fisheries Economics of the US• All coastal states and total U.S. recreational

expenditures and impacts

How Can We Work Together?

• What information are you most interested in? • What other data or products would you like to

see? Are there opportunities for us to work together on products?

• Is there something else you would like included in the survey?

• How would you like to be updated on the progress of the survey and results?

• What is the best means of encouraging your members to participate in the survey if selected?

• Other thoughts or comments?

Thank You!

• Questions?

• For more information on the angler survey, please contact:– Sabrina.lovell@noaa.gov– 301-713-2328, ext 101