The Economic Impacts of Trout Stocking on Tailwaters in the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) November 6, 2007 Prepared by: James Caudill, Ph.D. Division of Economics U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arlington VA The Economic Impacts of Trout Stocking on Tailwaters in the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP)1 Introduction This report summarizes the economic impacts associated with recreational angling for trout stocked in tailwaters in the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP). There are 11 member states in this report, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Table 1 shows the 54 dams in these states included in this report. The main sections of the report include: (1) a brief discussion of the purposes and objectives of the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership; (2) a summary of the current stocking program at each of the dams; (3) a discussion of the economic effects attributable to the recreational angling of rainbow trout produced; (4) an estimate of recreational angling days, (5) an estimate of the retail expenditures associated with recreational angling on dam tailwaters; (6) the economic impacts associated with these expenditures; (7) an estimate of the economic value of the recreational angling on these tailwaters; and (8) a comparison of economic impacts and value with stocking costs. SARP Background and Objectives The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) was initiated in 2001 to address the myriad issues related to the management of aquatic resources in the southeastern United States. These issues include significant threats to the aquatic resources of the Southeast, as illustrated by the fact that 34% of North American fish species and 90% of the native mussel species designated as endangered, threatened, or of special concern are found in the Southeast. Given these stark realities, and the predicted increased pressure on Southeast aquatic resources in the future, SARP was established with the following mission: With partners, protect, conserve, and restore aquatic resources including habitats throughout the Southeast, for the continuing benefit, use, and enjoyment of the American people. This partnership envisions a southeastern United States with healthy and diverse aquatic ecosystems that support sustainable public use. The SARP was formed under the realization that the individual members lack sufficient resources to effectively meet the aquatic resource management and conservation challenges throughout the Southeast on a landscape basis and must therefore work cooperatively to design a process that will attain the desired common goals. The intent of the SARP is to develop State and Federal partnerships that will extend beyond the traditional boundaries of fishery resource management agencies and will establish a commitment to truly work together for the benefit of the resource. It will shift the focus beyond what are individual Federal and State responsibilities to what are joint responsibilities to the resource. Long term success of this partnership will require a move to a higher level of coordination built upon mutual trust that will focus on making things happen at the ground level. The SARP is comprised of representatives from: 1 Significant help and assistance from Frank Fiss, Trout and Stream Fisheries Coordinator for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is gratefully acknowledged. Any and all errors of fact or interpretation are the sole responsibility of the author. The views and conclusions in this report do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Department of the Interior or the Fish and Wildlife Service. 2 14 southeastern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia; inland and marine divisions in most coastal states). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC), and the Gulf and South Atlantic Fishery Management councils (GMFMC and SAFMC). All Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) states are invited to participate. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), grassroots groups, industry, business, and private sector interests are also invited to participate. SARP focuses on six key issue areas of greatest concern and interest to the Southeast: 1. Public Use 2. Fishery Mitigation 3. Imperiled Fish and Aquatic Species Recovery 4. Inter-jurisdictional Fisheries 5. Aquatic Habitat Conservation 6. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) This report focuses on one particular issue, the economic effects of trout stocking associated with fisheries mitigation. SARP Stocking by State Table 1 shows the dams by state which are considered in this report. Of the 54 dams, Alabama has one dam, Arkansas has eight, Georgia has two, Kentucky has fourteen, Missouri has one, North Carolina has five, Oklahoma has two, South Carolina has two, Tennessee has thirteen, Texas has one and Virginia has five. These dams are associated with 56,776 square miles of watershed and 592 river management miles. The Army Corps of Engineers manages 28 of the dams, the Tennessee Valley Authority operates 12, and city, state or regional power companies manage the remaining 14 dams. Table 2 shows annual tailwater stocking below each dam for recent years by state (some tailwaters may not be currently stocked). Both catchables (6-8 and 9-11 inch trout) and fingerlings are shown. Stocked catchable trout average about 4.1 million annually and fingerlings average 1 million annually, totaling 5.1 stocked trout on average each year. Table 3 shows annual stocking by state. Arkansas stocks about 1.9 million trout annually (38 percent of total), Tennessee 1.3 million (26 percent), and Missouri 760,000 (15 percent). The remaining eight states account for 21 percent of total stocking. Of the total stocking, 9 - 11 inch trout account for 77 percent of annual stocking, 6-8 inch trout account for 3 percent and fingerlings account for 20 percent. 3 Table 1. SARP Dams with Current and Proposed Tailwater Stocking State Dam State Dam AL Lewis Smith NC Chatuge AR Beaver NC Linville AR Blakely Mountain NC Nantahala AR Bull Shoals NC Summit AR Carpenter OK Broken Bow AR Greers Ferry OK Tenkiller Ferry AR Narrows SC Lake Murray AR Norfork SC/GA Hartwell AR Remmel TN Apalachia GA Blue Ridge TN Center Hill GA Buford TN Cherokee KY Buckhorn Lake TN Dale Hollow KY Carr Creek TN Fort Patrick Henry KY Cave Run Lake TN J Percy Priest KY Dewey Lake TN Normandy KY Dix TN Norris KY Fishtrap TN Ocoee #1 (Parksville) KY Grayson Lake TN South Holston KY Laurel River Lake TN Tims Ford KY Martins Fork TN Watauga KY Nolin River Lake TN Wilbur KY Paintsville Lake TX Canyon KY Rough River Lake VA Flannagan KY Wolf Creek VA Gathright KY Yatesville Lake VA Philpott MO Table Rock VA Talbott NC Cedar Cliff VA Townes 4 Table 2. SARP Tailwater Stocking State Dam 9 - 11 inch 6 - 8 inch Fingerlings Total AL Lewis Smith 24,500 0 0 24,500 AR Beaver 96,230 0 5,000 101,230 AR Blakely Mountain 34,620 0 0 34,620 AR Bull Shoals 1,032,475 0 247,000 1,279,475 AR Carpenter 38,610 0 0 38,610 AR Greers Ferry 257,303 0 0 257,303 AR Narrows 76,615 0 0 76,615 AR Norfork 117,295 0 22,000 139,295 AR Remmel 12,320 0 0 12,320 GA Blue Ridge 19,000 0 75,000 94,000 GA Buford 225,000 0 0 225,000 KY Buckhorn Lake 3,800 0 0 3,800 KY Carr Creek 8,400 0 0 8,400 KY Cave Run Lake 8,500 0 0 8,500 KY Dewey Lake 3,200 0 0 3,200 KY Dix 4,600 1,000 0 5,600 KY Fishtrap 6,600 0 0 6,600 KY Grayson Lake 8,000 0 0 8,000 KY Laurel River Lake 250 250 0 500 KY Martins Fork 4,800 0 0 4,800 KY Nolin River Lake 16,600 0 0 16,600 KY Paintsville Lake 16,600 300 0 16,900 KY Rough River Lake 5,000 0 0 5,000 KY Wolf Creek 160,000 38,000 0 198,000 KY Yatesville Lake 1,800 0 0 1,800 5 Table 2. SARP Tailwater Stocking (cont.) State Dam 9 - 11 inch 6 - 8 inch Fingerlings Total MO Table Rock 760,000 0 0 760,000 NC Cedar Cliff 60,000 0 0 60,000 NC Linville 9,000 0 50,000 59,000 NC Nantahala 25,500 0 0 25,500 NC Summit 17,650 0 0 17,650 OK Broken Bow 126,000 15,000 15,000 156,000 Tenkiller OK Ferry 112,420 0 15,000 127,420 SC Lake Murray 20,000 15,000 0 35,000 SC/GA Hartwell 36,000 0 0 36,000 TN Apalachia 86,000 21,500 15,000 122,500 TN Center Hill 114,500 20,000 45,000 179,500 TN Cherokee 14,000 0 60,000 74,000 TN Dale Hollow 57,500 1,000 0 58,500 Fort Patrick TN Henry 10,500 5,000 0 15,500 TN J Percy Priest 14,000 0 0 14,000 TN Normandy 48,000 0 0 48,000 TN Norris 36,000 20,000 160,000 216,000 Ocoee #1 TN (Parksville) 1,000 0 0 1,000 TN South Holston 47,000 0 50,000 97,000 TN Tims Ford 37,000 20,000 0 57,000 TN Watauga 3,200 0 0 3,200 TN Wilbur 49,000 17,500 50,000 116,500 TX Canyon 29,123 0 0 29,123 VA Flannagan 0 1,200 0 1,200 VA Philpott 32,800 0 0 32,280 Totals -- 3,927,791 175,750 809,000 4,912,541 6 Table 3.