Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference 2018

AUTHORS. Dana K. Castle, Central Michigan University; Tracy L. Galarowicz, Central Michigan University; Edward F. Roseman, U. S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center; Tracy Kolb, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Richard Drouin, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

ABSTRACT. The St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) is an unique region for anglers due to its accessibility, high fishery productivity, and seasonal fluxes in angler opportunities resulting in high angler use.  The SCDRS has also been the subject of large restoration projects to improve habitat and ecosystem health.  Although scientists have measured a positive response to these restoration projects, understanding how anglers have responded to these changes remains largely unknown.  Due to the  accessibility of the system, we expect that anglers fishing in the region spend a substantial amount of money per fishing trip, stimulating the economy within the region.  Since the mid-1980s, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MIDNR) has conducted creel surveys on the Great Lakes and its connecting channels, collecting information on fishing trips, biological data on harvested fish, and demographics of the angler.  In collaboration with MIDNR, the Ontario Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources (OMFNR) has also conducted creel surveys in a similar manner.  We used MIDNR and OMFNR’s creel surveys to estimate a cost/trip for each angler interview conducted by calculating the distance travelled to the launch as well as using per diem rates for the specific area of the launch location.  MIDNR/OMFNR count estimates were then used to estimate the amount of money being generated by angling in the region for the specific year the data was collected. Although still in the preliminary stages of analysis, in the St. Clair River, we found that the anglers spent approximately $120 per trip on average in 2012.  This value is twice the amount estimated per trip in recent reports on various areas of the Great Lakes (Marklevitz et al. 2015), showing that fishing in the SCDRS may have a large impact on the local and state economies.