The Great Lakes Charter Fishing Industry: 2002 to 2011

Abstract

We compare results of Great Lakes charter captain surveys from 2002 and 2011. Charter trips declined 27%, from over 103,000 in 2002 to less than 76,000 in 2011. Revenues between the two years fell 24%, from US$48.0 million to $36.4 million, after values were adjusted for inflation. An estimated 1,696 captains operated as small businesses in 2011: a decrease of over 12% from 2002. Fuel costs and age of the average charter vessel were significantly higher in 2011. Motivations for chartering were basically unchanged since 2002, and fishing continued to be a secondary income source for most captains. The economy and aquatic nuisance species were included among top concerns for the future of the industry in both years. Although the basic nature of the charter industry had not changed, captains were making management decisions to reduce costs and maintain the viability of their business.

Se comparan los resultados de un sondeo realizado de 2002 a 2011 a los capitanes de embarcaciones alquiladas en los grandes lagos. Los viajes de pesca disminuyeron 27% de 103,000 en 2002 a menos de 76,000 en 2011. Los dividendos de la pesquería entre esos dos años, ajustando los valores por la inflación, se redujeron 24%, de $48 millones de dólares a $36.4 millones. Se estimó que en el año 2011, 1,696 capitanes operaban en la forma de negocio pequeño: una reducción de 12% con respecto a 2002. Los costos del combustible y la edad de la embarcación promedio fueron significativamente mayores en el año 2011. Los motivos por los cuales se utilizan barcos de alquiler no han cambiado desde 2002, y la pesca continúa siendo un insumo secundario para la mayor parte de los capitanes. En ambos años, la economía y las especies acuáticas nocivas aparecieron dentro de las principales preocupaciones para el futuro de la industria. Si bien la naturaleza de la industria pesquera con botes de alquiler no ha cambiado, los capitanes están tomando decisiones de manejo para reducir los costos y mantener la viabilidad de sus negocios.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Carmina Chiappone, Dena Abou-el-Seoud, and Lorraine Cordova for their assistance with this study. We thank our Great Lakes Sea Grant Network coworkers Jeff Gunderson, Karla Kaczmarek, Dave MacNeill, Phil Moy, Kathleen Schmitt-Klein, and Sarah Zack for their contributions to the project. Thanks to Eugene Braig, Justin Chaffin, Kristin Stanford, Thomas Blaine, and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful reviews of manuscript drafts.

A successful Lake Erie Walleye angler. Photo credit: Ohio Sea Grant.

Charter boats docked and ready to go at Grand River, Ohio. Photo credit: Ohio Sea Grant.

Finally, we thank all of the captains who responded to the 2011 Great Lakes Charter Captains survey.

FUNDING

This work was supported, in part, by grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA grant NA12OAR4170059 and NOAA grant NA10OAR4170074) to the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. The NOAA grant NA12OAR4170059 was made possible by an interagency pass through of funds from the USACE as part of the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS) authorized by Section 3061(d) of Water Resources Development Act of 2007. Support was also provided by the Ohio Board of Regents, the Ohio State University, and Ohio State University Extension.