State survey shows anglers seek solitude; fishing generates more than $1 billion in direct spending

Craig, Division staff, presented results from a 2022 angler survey coordinated by the Utah Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism and delivered to the division by Utah State University in 2024. He said the survey had three parts: a general angler survey, a willingness-to-travel/willingness-to-pay module and a lapsed-angler study. “We’re in a situation where we’re trying to spread out pressure across the landscape, minimize crowding, maximize the benefit to anglers by diversifying the product that we offer,” Craig said.

Trina, Division staff, presented results from the division’s Blue Ribbon economic study and emphasized the study’s trend. “This is something that we do every so often, and it’s just grown over the last decade,” Trina said. She and Craig summarized the headline numbers: direct expenditures by anglers are just over $1 billion annually; when indirect and induced effects are added, the total economic impact exceeds $2 billion.

Why this matters: Fishing-related spending supports rural businesses and local economies that host anglers during trips. Division presenters said that keeping anglers satisfied helps sustain participation: they cited a roughly 12% per-capita participation rate for fishing that has been steady over about a decade and noted that anglers who learned to fish young are most likely to remain active and recruit new anglers.

Details from the presentations: Craig explained that the lapsed-angler module found people drop out for reasons such as time constraints and crowding, while long-term anglers often were introduced to fishing early in life and continue despite life changes. Trina said survey respondents strongly valued solitude and avoiding crowds; presenters said managers will try to disperse angling pressure across a wider geographic area rather than directing people to short-lived “hot spots.”

Managers also discussed tactics to broaden interest in warm-water species (wipers, walleye, panfish) so angling pressure is not concentrated on cold-water trout fisheries. Craig said raising awareness by co-locating alternative species with trout—so anglers are exposed to other sport fish during ordinary trips—is one tool, and that species-themed events (for example, a warm-water “slam”) could be considered in future.

The division launched a new mule deer web portal during the meeting to give the public access to harvest rates, buck-to-doe ratios, population estimates and permit numbers by unit and year. Presenters directed the public to the division’s deer information page at wildlife.utah.gov/deer and encouraged stakeholders to use the data when discussing unit-level management.

What happens next: Presenters said the division will use the survey and economic-study results to refine stocking, outreach and habitat strategies and to finish an implementation plan that guides stocking and new population efforts. They encouraged the public and RAC members to submit comments to DWR staff by email.

Ending: The presentations were informational; no formal action was taken on the surveys or the Blue Ribbon study at this meeting.