Regional economic impact assessments of recreational fisheries: an application of the IMPLAN modeling system to marine party and charter boat fishing in Maine

摘要

A methodology for conducting regional EIAs (environmental impact assessments) of recreational fisheries is described to explore the appropriate uses of EIA outputs as they relate to the growing needs of natural resource managers. Using marine recreational party and charter boat fishing in Maine in 1996 as an example, an EIA was conducted with the IMPLAN (Impact analysis for Planning) input-output system. Economic impacts were analysed separately for Maine residents and nonresidents, and a linear production function that represented average for-hire operating expenditures was developed and integrated into the input-output model. Direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts were estimated for sales, income, and employment. In total, the USdollar 1.12 mill. spent in Maine by nonresident party and charter anglers in 1996 resulted in dollar 1.04 mill. in sales that remained within the state, dollar 393 000 in additional income, and supported approximately 37 jobs. Resident expenditures in 1996 totalled dollar 276 000 and generated dollar 225 000 in instate sales, dollar 82 000 in income, and approximately 10 jobs. The impacts of nonresident expenditures were generally five times greater than that of their resident counterparts. However, the actual economic impact of resident expenditures depends on assumptions regarding the absence of the marine for-hire fishery in Maine. Although the model's multipliers may be used to predict the total impacts of changes in expenditures by party and charter boat anglers, it is important to understand their limitations.