Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2018

AUTHORS. Aaron Sundmark, South Dakota State University; Larry Gigliotti, South Dakota Cooperative Fish And Wildlife Research Unit

ABSTRACT. Knowledge regarding the economic value and the area of influence associated with a waterbody is essential for making insightful fisheries management decisions. However, many agencies overlook the values affiliated with relatively small fisheries throughout their jurisdictions. The overall economic impacts of spending associated with angling visits to seven small fisheries in South Dakota were estimated using the MIG, Inc. input-output system (IMPLAN). Sites were selected to achieve variation in their proximities to urban centers, and expenditure data associated with these fisheries were collected with on-site, roving angler surveys in 2016. Total economic output and tax revenues were estimated for sales, income, and employment. In addition to the economic impacts, the zone of influence for each lake was estimated using angler zip codes and then was compared with the proximity to urban centers. Economic impacts were also compared across angling methods (i.e. shore, boat, ice), and temporally across seasons (i.e. open water and ice). This information can be used by local management agencies to direct their efforts towards specific angler types during specific times of the year. The inclusion of economic information from small fisheries plays an important role in influencing key strategic planning efforts by management agencies and in estimating the overall economic value of angling on broader scales.