"The purpose of this report is to estimate the value of avoiding reductions in bag limits for king mackerel, red snapper and gag in the southeastern United States. The data used are from the 1997 Marine Recreational Fishery Statistical Survey (MRFSS) and the Add-On MRFSS Economic Study (AMES). During 1997-98 over 10,000telephone follow-up interviews were conducted with MRFSS intercept respondents who agreed to be interviewed. These surveys elicit information on willingness to pay for permits that avoid reductions in bag limits, questions related to reasons for an unwillingness to pay, and contingent behavior from past and future regulations. The contingent valuation method allows the determinants of willingness to pay to be estimated by regression analysis. Through regression analysis the marginal value of one-fish reductions in bag limits are estimated for king mackerel and red snapper"--Executive summary, paragraph 1.

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

Southern States