Estimating Demand for Urban Fisheries Management: an Illustration of Conjoint Analysis as a Tool for Fisheries Managers

Abstract

This paper illustrates the use of discrete-choice analysis, a nonmarket valuation technique, for assessing the effect of different management or fishing site quality variables on demand for urban fisheries. The study was carried out in three fishing ponds that are a part of the Close-to-Home Fishing Program in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. We found that, on average, anglers were willing to pay more for physical infrastructure improvements, such as flush toilets ($3.81/year) and docks ($1.28/year), than for having larger channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus stocked ($0.23/year for a 4-in increase). Willingness to pay for improvements to the ponds was less for minority anglers than for other anglers. Having relative values for potential management changes for a fishery helps to inform fisheries managers about what characteristics are valued most by anglers, allowing managers to better serve the anglers' interest and to justify the costs of implementing these changes.