FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 06-27
September 28, 2006
Contact: Bill Romberg, Sport Fish Division, Anchorage. 907-267-2366.
Alaskan Anglers to be Surveyed on Sport Fishing Expenditures
Anglers who purchased a state fishing license this year may soon be getting a survey in the mail as part of a federal effort to see how much money saltwater anglers are spending in pursuit of their pastime.
The first survey, the “Saltwater Sport Fishing Expenditure Survey” is being conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as part of a multi-state effort among coastal states to find out how much money saltwater sport anglers contribute to their state and national economies, including how many jobs saltwater sport angling supports.
This survey will be sent to randomly-selected anglers, both resident and non-resident, who purchased a sport fishing license in 2006. The survey will ask anglers to estimate how much they spent per trip, and how much they spent during the year. In addition, the survey will ask about basic fishing activities, such as whether anglers fished from shore or from a boat, whether anglers used their own car, or rented a car, and more. All survey responses will be kept strictly confidential.
For more information about the national “Saltwater Sport Fishing Expenditure Survey”, contact Brad Gentner (Brad.Gentner@noaa.gov) at (301) 713-2328, ext. 215.
The second survey, the “Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Survey” is also being conducted by NMFS, and examines the factors that affect the number of marine recreational fishing trips taken in Alaska. This survey will help provide state and federal policymakers with accurate information about the economic value of Alaska’s salt water sport fisheries, and the economic impacts of potential changes in the regulations. As with the national survey, all responses will be anonymous.
For more information about the Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Survey, contact Dan Lew (Dan.Lew@noaa.gov) at Seattle (206) 526-4252.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner McKie Campbell said the Department is very supportive of the NMFS surveys. “If you receive a survey, please fill it out as completely as possible,” he advised anglers. “This information will help provide an accurate picture of the economic value of sport fishing to Alaska and to the nation as a whole.”
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Tim Barry
Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811
Office: (907) 465-6137
Cell: (907) 321-5212
Fax: (907) 465-2332
