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State fisheries biologist reports strong angling economy, fire impacts and declines in Fraser River sculpin
Summary
Colorado Parks & Wildlife biologists told Grand County commissioners that recreational angling generates roughly $76.8 million in annual economic impact in the county, while noting post-fire chronic sediment impacts to trout fry production and concerning declines in Fraser River sculpin populations.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) staff briefed Grand County commissioners Feb. 18 on recent fisheries monitoring and economic analysis for the Fraser and main-stem Colorado rivers. The presentation combined new economic modeling with fish-population survey data and habitat project updates.
CPW reported county-level estimates from a recent Southwick Associates economic study showing recreational angling generates about $76.8 million in annual economic impact for Grand County, supports roughly 496 permanent jobs, and produces around $8.2 million in state and local tax revenue. The county ranked about tenth in the state for angling-related economic impact, according to CPW.
On the Fraser River, CPW presented electrofishing biomass and quality-trout density results from multiple long-term sample reaches. At the Safeway site in Fraser — a long-monitored benchmark reach — biomass was estimated at roughly 200 pounds per surface acre in 2024, about three times the state’s gold-medal biological criterion (60…
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