Testing the importance of fish stocking as a determinant of the demand for fishing licenses and fishing effort in colorado

Abstract

A time‐series regression analysis of data from 1975 to 1995 showed no statistically significant relationship between number of catchable or subcatchable coldwater fish stocked and number of resident and nonresident season licenses sold. Stocking of warmwater subcatchables was a significant determinant of resident season license sales, although a 100% change in stocking results in only a 7% to 9% increase in license sales. Stocking of warmwater catchable fish did have a significant effect on nonresident season fishing licenses with a 100% change in stocking resulting in a 5% to 7% change in nonresident season license sales. Cross‐section regressions across lakes and streams in Colorado found that current season stocking of catchables was a significant determinant of angler use in all regressions, while the previous years stocking of subcatchables was significant in only one regression. A 1% increase in the number of catchable trout stocked resulted in a 0.43% change in lake angler use and 0.23% increase in stream angler use.