The economic value of freshwater fisheries in Florida: An application of the travel cost method for black crappie fishing trips

Abstract

Effective management of recreational fisheries requires allocating management resources, often among multiple fisheries targeting different species. In this context, making good allocation decisions is challenging absent objective information describing the relative importance of those fisheries. Economic value would be one such metric but is rarely assessed. Here we demonstrate an approach for doing so, using the Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) fishery as a case study. A survey was conducted to collect information on Black Crappie angler behaviors and attitudes including travel distance, fishing mode, catch effort, and other socioeconomic factors that affect their fishing trips in 2017. The travel cost method was used to estimate the latent demand for fishing trips. Our results indicate that for Florida residents, the per-trip consumer surplus (CS) per angler is $53–$102, the annual CS per angler is $1,473–$2,837, and the total annual CS for was $470 million–$904 million, depending on model specification. For nonresidents, the per-trip CS per angler is $53–$83, the annual CS per angler is $1,140–$1,677, and the total annual CS for was $26 million–$40 million, depending on model specification. While these estimates compare similarly to estimates of higher-profile fisheries, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in other locations, there are fewer comparative studies than would be ideal. Nonetheless, this study provides a baseline to which future estimates can be compared, and upon which can be built an understanding of relatively economic and potentially management importance.