Angler Spending on Fishing-Related Durable Goods: Results from the 2014 Durable Good Expenditure Survey

Purchases made by marine recreational anglers are an important source of economic activity in coastal areas around the United States. In recognition of the economic contributions anglers make to coastal state economies, NOAA Fisheries conducts surveys every three to five years in order to gather data on expenditures made by anglers on annual purchases of durable fishing equipment (e.g., rods and reels, boats, vehicles, and second homes). In 2014, NOAA Fisheries surveyed anglers about their annual purchases on durable goods. The sample frame consisted of licensed anglers in every coastal state except Hawaii. The survey asked anglers about their purchases of durable goods used at least in part for saltwater fishing in the prior 12 months in the state of licensure. Across all coastal states, a total of 10,809 completed surveys were returned with an overall response rate of 11 percent. Mean expenditures for different durable good categories were estimated for both resident and non-resident fishermen in each state. Using NOAA and state level estimates of the number of resident and non-resident anglers in each state, total expenditures are calculated and used to estimate the economic impacts from purchases of fishing-related durable goods at the state and national level