Recreation values for sport fishing in the western part of Sweden

Based on the study

Paulrud, Anton. (2004). Recreational values of different types of sport-fishing in western Sweden, in Economic valuation of sport-fishing in Sweden: Empirical findings and methodological developments. Doctoral thesis, SLU.

Background

• How is the relationship between social net benefits and the actual resource allocation in this case?• Decisionmaking based on the cost or the net benefit of a recreational

activity• Net benefit of a recreational activity is the willingness-to-pay (WTP)

minus the opportunity cost for it

• Using the travel cost method the consumer surplus can be estimated

• Benefit measures like these can be used for decisionmaking when budgets are limited

Valuation study for sport fishing

• Study from 1998 that used the travel cost method to value sport fishing in the county of Bohuslän in the western part of Sweden

• Sport fishing can be divided into five cathegories:• Ordinary sport fishing, in lakes, for perch and pike• Sport fishing in lakes with planted fish like rainbow trout• Sport fishing in streams and watercourses• Coastal fishing• Sport fishing from boats with guides

The travel cost study

• Postal survey sent to 1800 sport fishers, aged above 15• Addressees were obtained from fishing card sales• 70% response rate

• Respondents were asked: • Socio-economic questions• Questions about the latest fishing trip within the county of Bohuslän

• Travel cost• Lodging during the trip• Fishing fees

• Questions about how often they fish

The travel cost method

• Individual data or average values from geographical zones can be used• 9 geographical zones were used• Number of sport fishers in each zone is calculated• Visiting frequency from each zone to each fishing location• Cost per fishing day is estimated

• Regression analysis with visiting frequency as dependent variable and cost per day as independent variable

ln Vij = β0 + β1Cij

Consumer surplus (CS) is calculated as the area below the demand curve minus the opportunity cost

• Total CS is obtained by summing over all individuals

• Benefit per day is obtained by dividing total CS with the total number of fishing days

• Marginal value of the catch is calculated as:

ln (CSi) = α0 + α1ln (catchi) i = fishing location i

∂CSi / ∂catchi

Cost for one day of fishing (SEK)

Type and location

Travel cost Fishing fee Other costs Total cost

Ordinary fishingHällungen 24 20 46 90Kärnsjön 50 19 48 117Uddevallakortet 17 5 27 88S. Kornsjön 149 22 81 252Viksjön 79 25 161 265Put and takeBullaren 165 42 185 392SFK Härvan 59 44 30 133Herrestadsfjället 89 60 86 234Svartedalen 70 80 84 234Brook, stream fishingN. Örekilsälven 284 117 155 556Coast fishing 135 0 141 276Boats with guides

179 225 123 537

Total catch

Type and location

Number of fish per day

Kilo per day Number of fish per year

Tonne per year

Ordinary fishingHällungen 2,4 1,2 1 400 0,7

Kärnsjön 4,5 3,3 1 700 1,3

Uddevallakortet 3,0 0,6 8 800 1,8

S. Kornsjön 3,8 4,1 500 0,5

Viksjön 7,9 3,7 6 300 3,0

Put and take

Bullaren 2,5 2,1 6 500 5,5

SFK Härvan 1,3 1,3 1 400 1,4

Herrestadsfjället 1,8 1,4 4 100 3,1

Svartedalen 1,1 1,2 4 600 4,6

Brook, stream fishingN. Örekilsälven 0,4 0,7 700 1,1

Coast fishing 6,7 5,8 1 802 600 1 576,5

Boats with guides

9,6 5,0 153 500 80,6

Consumer surplus

Type of sport fishing CS per day of fishing (SEK)

Ordinary lake fishing 53

Put and take 83

Brook, stream fishing 127

Coast fishing 56

Boats with guides 115

Total values per year, per fish, per kilo and number of days

Type and location

Total value (SEK)

Value per fish (SEK)

Value per kilo (SEK)

Total number of days

Ordinary fishing

Hällungen 32 000 22 45 606

Kärnsjön 20 000 12 16 378

Uddevallakortet 155 000 18 87 2 945

S. Kornsjön 7 000 14 13 131

Viksjön 43 000 7 14 806

Put and take

Bullaren 221 000 34 40 2 654

SFK Härvan 92 000 65 65 1 110

Herrestadsfjället 187 000 46 60 2 244

Svartedalen 333 000 73 72 4 000

Brook, stream fishingN. Örekilsälven 203 000 304 182 1 598

Coast fishing 14 990 000 8 10 270 000

Boats with guides

1 834 000 12 23 16 000

Marginal values

Type and location Marginal value of catching an extra fish (SEK)

Marginal value of an extra kilo of fish (SEK)

Ordinary fishing

Hällungen 12 23

Kärnsjön 12 21

Uddevallakortet 9 20

S. Kornsjön 14 24

Viksjön 10 18

Put and take

Bullaren 41 44

SFK Härvan 51 55

Herrestadsfjället 44 48

Svartedalen 43 45

Brook, stream fishing

N. Örekilsälven 260 150

Coast fishing 7 9

Boats with guides 10 16

Summary

• The study shows large values for sport fishing in the county of Bohuslän• Basis for policy decisions about allocation of resources for sport fishing

• Values and costs depend on which type of sport fishing we are talking about

• Marginal values are important, they will decrease with the size of the catch

• The total value of sport fishing for Bohuslän can be even larger