Trout fishing opportunities provided by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission have substantial economic effects on North Carolina’s economy, according to a recent study conducted by Responsive Management and Southwick Associates.
Nearly 149,000 trout anglers fished approximately 1.6 million days in 2014, and the effects these trout anglers had on North Carolina’s economy totaled an estimated $383 million, according to the study, “Mountain Trout Fishing: Economic Impacts on and Contributions to North Carolina’s Economy.” The study also found that money spent on trout fishing in 2014 supported approximately 3,593 jobs.
In addition to answering questions pertaining to expenditures and numbers of days fished, survey respondents answered questions related to their opinions of access to Public Mountain Trout Waters and their satisfaction with trout fishing in North Carolina. Overall, 76 percent of anglers surveyed were satisfied with their trout fishing experience.
Other survey findings included:
- Hatchery Supported Trout Waters were the most frequently fished waters (710,665 days), followed by Delayed Harvest Trout Waters (390,085 days) and Wild Trout Waters (276,804 days).
- The estimated economic effects of specific classifications were $141,273,525 for Hatchery Supported Trout Waters; $108,355,161 for Delayed Harvest Trout Waters; and $60,765,562 for Wild Trout Waters.
The Commission funded the study with money from the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration program.
To download a copy of the full report, visit the Commission’s trout fishing page and click on “Mountain Trout Fishing: Economic Impacts on and Contributions to North Carolina’s Economy.”