Characteristics of Billfish Anglers in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean

A mail survey of 1,984 U.S. billfish tournament anglers was com­ pleted to examine their fishing activity, attitudes, trip expenditures, consumer's sur­ plus, catch levels, and manaf?ement prefer­ ences. A sample of 1,984 anglers was drawn from billfish tournamel1ls in the west­ ern Atlantic Ocean (from Maine to Texas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) during 1989. A response rate of 61% was obtained (excluding nondeliver­ abies). Anglers averaged 13 billfish trips per year, catching a billfish 40% of the time while 89% of billfish caught were re­ leased with <I billfish per year per angler retained. Catch and retention rates varied by region. Expenditures averaf?ed $1,600 per trip, hut varied hy region. The annual consumer's surplus was $262 per angler, but increased to $448 per angler if billfish populations were to increase. An estimated 7,915 tournament anglers in the U.S. west­ ern Atlantic spent $/79,425,000 in pursuit of billfish in 1989. Anglers opposed man­ agement options that would diminish their ability to catch a hillfish, but supported options limiting the number of billfish