The following schedule is from the 72nd Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies which was held October 21-24, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama.
AUTHORS: Lee Grove, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Ed Camp, University of Florida; Nia Morales, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
ABSTRACT: Black bass are the most targeted fish by freshwater anglers nationwide accounting for 39% of all freshwater fishing effort. According to the 2016 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation, freshwater angling generated $1.2 billion dollars in Florida. This high price tag has led managers to evaluate what portion of the revenue comes from bass fishing tournaments. In 1999, FWC biologists used data collected by USFWS survey to generate a $/hr value for bass fishing in Florida. That value has since been used to assign recreational dollar values to fisheries across the state and now to assess the economic impacts of bass tournaments in Florida. Hours of tournament effort were calculated by water body, county, region, and statewide using FWC tournament Permit Me data and then multiplied by the FWC $/hr value and correction variables to account for inflation and days of practice. From the Permit Me data, average winning weight and big bass was calculated by lake, region, and statewide. Average winning weight for bass tournaments is 14.10 lbs and average big bass is 5.81 lbs. Overall, bass fishing tournaments in Florida generate approximately 14% of all freshwater fishing revenue (e.g., $158 million in 2016). Tournament angling is likely underestimated by our methods that assume the same rate of spending per hour by all anglers. Our study highlights the need to better define revenues by angler group to provide the best estimates freshwater angling to local, regional, and state interest groups.
