An Introduction to the NMFS Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey with an Emphasis on Economic Valuation (Thalassorama) (Report‪)‬

Introduction Empirical models of behavior used to measure the economic value of environmental goods require extensive datasets linking information about individuals' choices with information about environmental goods. A significant focus of the environmental valuation literature has been on marine recreational fishing and there are numerous examples in the literature [for a review of marine recreational fishing studies see Freeman (1995)]. This focus is not without justification since marine recreational fishing in the United States is a popular activity with an estimated 8.3 million participants and 61.8 million trips taken in 1998, not including Alaska, Hawaii, or Texas (Fisheries Statistics and Economics Division 2000).