The sheer economic power of recreational fishing is often overlooked in the halls of state legislatures and by regulatory commissions that are faced with strong lobbying pressure from commercial fishing interests. Family fishing is one of the biggest businesses in America, and it's one that perpetuates itself each time a love for fishing is passed down from generation to generation.
- There are 44.3 million anglers in America
- More Americans fish than play golf and tennis combined
- If recreational fishing were a business it would rank 32nd on the Fortune 500 list of America's largest companies
- America's anglers spend $41.5 billion on retail items every year
- America's anglers generate $116 billion in economic benefits every year
- America's anglers support 1.1 million jobs
- Sportsfishing produces 9 times the economic output of commercial fishing
Florida, North Carolina and New York are the top three states when it comes to economic output from non-resident fishing (tourists, fresh and saltwater) -
Florida - $7,455,766,835
Top states for economic impact of saltwater fishing -
Florida - $5,432,151,596
California - $1,701,526,349
Texas - $1,328,150,852
New Jersey - $841,796,756
North Carolina - $753,935,885
There ya go.
