Today, fishing provides an opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Floridians to enjoy nature, spend quality time with family and friends, and gain the therapeutic balm of a day relaxing around the water. Whatever your personal view of fish and fishing--conservation, consumptive, recreational, competitive, social, relaxation, aesthetic or economic--fishing is important to Florida.

In 2001, the US Census Bureau did a "National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Related Recreation" to determine the amount of participation and economic impact of these outdoor activities nationwide.  The study was conducted under a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is the benchmark for this type economic analysis and one portion of it allows state comparisons.  Southwick Associates further refines this data to provide details of freshwater angling impacts, which are reported on the American Sportfishing Association web site.  Freshwater fishing in Florida was estimated to generate $1.057 billion in retail sales, which produced an economic impact of $1.962 billion.  This economic boon to the state of Florida sustains nearly 20,000 jobs and provided recreation for 1.316 million anglers (resident and non-resident), who spent 20.840 million days fishing.  Based on the survey done in 1996 (numbers will be updated with 2001 information when available)  an average angler spent $18.20 per hour fishing (high was for non-resident bass anglers at $43.89 and low was for resident canepole fishermen at $5.94 per hour).  You can use an inflation calculator to update these figures to the current year.  More details are available in a one page summary file (PDF).

Overall (freshwater and saltwater combined) Florida ranks number one in In-State Anglers (3.1 million vs. #2 California with 2.4 million), Days of Fishing in State (48.4 million vs. #2 Texas with 32.8 million), Days of Fishing by State Residents (43.4 million vs. #2 Texas with 34.1 million), Days of Fishing by Non-Residents (6.0 million vs. #2 Wisconsin with 3.7 million) and total expenditures for equipment ($2.5 billion vs. #2 Minnesota with $1.7 billion).  No wonder Florida is the "Fishing Capital of the World.

FLORIDA FRESHWATER FISHERIES ECONOMIC STATISTIC (2004 based on 2001 Survey)

• Generated $1.057 billion in retail sales,
• Produced an economic impact of $1.962 billion,
• Yielded 14.499 million trips (13,797 million resident [95%], and 0.702 million non-resident),
• Provided 20.840 million days of angling enjoyment (19.221 million resident [92%], and 1.618 million non-resident)
• Involved 1.316 million anglers (1.079 million resident [82%], and 0.237 million non-resident), and
• Sustained 19,519 jobs that paid $484,394,984 in salaries and generated $78,068,685 in Federal income tax.
• Freshwater anglers focused more on ponds and lentic waters (65%) than on rivers and lotic waters (35%).
• Freshwater anglers spent 12.215 million days fishing for bass; 6.490 million days for panfish (e.g., bluegill, redear, redbreast); 6.256 million days for catfish and bullheads; 5.858 million days for crappie; 5.585 million days fishing for “anything”; 4.112 million days fishing for “other”, and 3.421 million days fishing days fishing for Morones (e.g., striped bass, sunshine bass, white bass). [Note: multiple responses allowed, so total does not compute accurately]
• Based on the survey done in 1996 (numbers will be updated with 2001 information when the details are available) an average angler spent $18.20 per hour fishing (high was for non-resident bass anglers at $43.89 and low was for resident canepole fishermen at $5.94 per hour).