What’s Fishing Worth 2015-16
Introduction
Fishing in the sea for recreation, food and family memories is a popular activity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Research shows that around 18% of the population classify themselves as recreational fishers. Given this level of interest, it’s notable that there is no information available telling us what this fishing is worth to the country. Until now.
In 2014 the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation, in collaboration with the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, commissioned research to estimate the contribution that recreational fishing makes to the New Zealand economy.
It was important for decision makers and the community to understand the expenditure, jobs, taxes, income and other economic contributions that are related to recreational fishing.
This information would also help recreational fishing and environmental interests to more effectively advocate for rebuilding depleted fish populations and restoring marine ecosystems.
Research results were collated in a 2016 report: Recreational Fishing in New Zealand: A Billion Dollar Industry.
New Zealand residents and international visitors spend around $946 million per annum on their marine fishing. This spending stimulates around $1.7 billion of annual economic activity in the community, supporting over 8,100 full-time equivalent jobs, while contributing over $630 million in GDP to the economy.
This spending contributes to the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.
Successful research projects
Overseas similar research projects have delivered a range of benefits, including:
- Enhanced fisheries management.
- More profitable use of marine resources, for the benefit of the country.
- Marine protected areas for conservation and non-commercial use.
- Greater public and government recognition of recreational fishing importance.
- Policies to enhance and rebuild fish populations for future generations’ interests.
As a consequence of these research projects, recreational fishing is now recognised as a legitimate, valuable industry in Alaska, Florida, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico and Australia.
New Zealand project
The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation commissioned Southwick Associates (Florida, USA) to lead the research project, with support from local providers BlueWater Marine Research and Moana Consultants Ltd.
LegaSea helped with project fundraising and public awareness, developing the What’s Fishing Worth? campaign.
The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, its 59 affiliated clubs with 32,000 members, have contributed a per member fee ($1 in 2015) to the Foundation since 1996.
Scoping for the research project occurred in 2014, and the research conducted in 2015 and 2016. The researchers used a mix of sources, from existing government records, a bespoke charter vessel survey, and data from recreational harvest survey reports published by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) at the time.
The independence of the proposed research, from existing formal research channels, was important because recreational fishers wanted to own the results so they can be used when and where they are needed.
Project outcomes
The total budget for the project was $400,000. That included $250,000 for the research project, plus funding for the initial feasibility study, administration, publication and promotion. The LegaSea Give A Little campaign during August and September 2015 raised almost $53,000. Other funding sources included grants and donations from generous supporters.
Formal outputs included:
- The Summary Report. Recreational Fishing in New Zealand: A Billion Dollar Industry. Published in 2016.
- The Technical Report. Graded a ‘2’ by MPI, in 2016.
- Academic Paper. Fisheries Research Journal article. Published in June 2018.
Relevant information
Below is a record of the process to deliver on the What’s Fishing Worth? fundraising campaign and subsequent research project.
2018
Economic study report to NZSFC AGM. 11 Sep 2018
Presentation outlining the headline results from the research into recreational fishing’s contribution to the New Zealand economy. Presentation to the NZSFC Annual General Meeting. 11 September 2018.
NZ's economic contributions from fishing. Fisheries Research Journal. 28 June 2018
Research paper. Estimating marine recreational fishing’s economic contributions in New Zealand. Successfully raising public awareness of the importance of healthy and abundant marine fisheries is dependent on having reliable economic insights. Southwick et al. Fisheries Research Journal. 28 June 2018.
Comparing recreational and commercial fisheries using export values. Southwick. 17 April 2018
What would be the export value of the recreational catch if it was all caught by commercial fishers and exported? A theoretical question put to the researchers involved in the study to estimate the contribution that recreational fishing makes to the New Zealand economy. Brief presentation. Southwick et al. 17 April 2018.
2017
Economic study presentation to World Recreational Fishing Conference. July 2017
Presentation to the World Recreational Fisheries Conference. Marine recreational fishing’s contribution to the New Zealand economy. Presentation by researcher BlueWater Marine Research. July 2017.
Response to NZSFC Zone questions on economic study. Research team. 21 April 2017
Response to questions from the NZSFC Zone 3, 4 and 8 meeting held in April 2017. Questions related to the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation’s recent project to estimate the economic contribution of recreational fishing in New Zealand. Research team. 21 April 2017.
Report. Estimating marine recreational fishing's contributions in NZ. Southwick. Jan 2017
FINAL. Technical report on estimating marine recreational fishing’s economic contributions in New Zealand. Report prepared for the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation. Southwick et al. January 2017.
2016
Report ranking economic research. MPI. 13 Dec 2016
MPI report and grading of the economic research project. The study is graded as a ‘2’ of Medium or Mixed Quality. There are some shortcomings, but is still useful for informing fisheries management decisions, for the development of environmental standards or fisheries policy at a high level. MPI Marine Amateur Fisheries Working Group. 13 December 2016.
Summary of fisheries economic research project. NZMRF. 6 Dec 2016
A snapshot summary of the research into the economic activity associated with marine recreational fishing in New Zealand. New Zealand Marine Research Foundation. 6 December 2016.
Economic research team meeting with MPI. NZMRF. 19 Aug 2016
A meeting of the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation research team, MPI officials and the Marine Amateur Fisheries Working Group. Meeting to assess whether the technical report on the economics of recreational fishing in New Zealand was sufficiently robust to be used to inform management decisions. That decision depends on the development of a 2-page cover note for the technical report that will be drafted by the NZMRF team and MPI between now and the next Working Group meeting in 6 to 8 weeks time. NZMRF. 19 August 2016.
Review of NZMRF's economic research report. Toroa Strategy. July 2016
A report discounting the methods used by the NZ Marine Research Foundation to determine that recreational fishing is a billion dollar industry. The report advocates that the billion dollar value is irrelevant and cannot by used by government to justify reallocation of the available fish to different sectors. Toroa Strategy. Tom McClurg. July 2016.
Review of NZMRF's research into recreational fishing. NRB et al. July 2016
Report. Peer review of the NZ Marine Research Foundation’s economy of fishing report. The researchers raise questions about the methodology used to gather data. Report prepared for MPI. NRB, SRA, Infometrics. June/July 2016.
Review of NZMRF's economic research. Townsend. 23 June 2016
MPI commissioned review of the technical report produced by the NZ Marine Research Foundation on the contribution of recreational fishing to the NZ economy. This review offers feedback on the utility of the data collected during the project. Some concerns raised about the methodology, when compared to the scientific criteria of science review processes. Some of those concerns were addressed in a later draft technical report by NZMRF. 23 June 2016.
Presentation. Marine recreational fishings contribution to the NZ economy. NZSFC. 20 June 2016
Presentation to the Hauraki Gulf Forum. An overview of the results from the research into the contribution that recreational fishing makes to the NZ economy. There is a substantial industry dependent on recreational fishing. Policies need to be reset to maximise the economic opportunities. NZSFC. 20 June 2016
Presentation to NZ Fisheries Symposium. NZMRF. 8 April 2016
New Zealand’s billion dollar recreational fishing industry report presented to the NZ Fisheries Symposium 2016. Lead researcher, Southwick Associates, presented results from the “What’s Fishing Worth?” study. Report commissioned by the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation. 8 April 2016.
Report. Recreational fishing. A billion dollar industry. NZMRF. March 2016
NZ’s billion dollar recreational fishing industry. It all begins with fishers’ spending about $946 million each year. These dollars then circulate through the national economy supporting 8,100 jobs and stimulating $1.7 billion in total economic activity. NZ Marine Research Foundation. March 2016.
2015
Research project presentation to NZSFC AGM. NZMRF. 30 Sep 2015
Research lead Rob Southwick presents the research project to measure the jobs, dollars and other returns to New Zealand due to recreational fishing. Presentation to the NZSFC AGM. New Zealand Marine Research Foundation. 30 September 2015.
Public Awareness
Article. Now we know what fishing is worth. LegaSea. 25 April 2016
After two years of planning and research we now know what recreational fishing is worth to the New Zealand economy. Kiwis spend a billion dollars a year on recreational fishing but the benefits don’t stop at the fish on the end of the line. LegaSea. 25 April 2016.
WFW Fundraising at the On the Water Boat Show. 29 Sep 2015
The research project fundraising team attend Auckland’s On the Water Boat Show to raise public awareness about the need for an economic study, and raise funds to support the research into recreational fishing. LegaSea. 29 September 2015
WFW Video. What's Fishing Worth? fundraising video. LegaSea. Sep 2015.
The economy of recreational fishing has never been measured. It’s important for decision makers and industry interests to understand how much people spend, how much tax is generated, and how much tourists spend when they fish during their NZ holidays. LegaSea. September 2015
WFW Video. Matt Watson support fundraising for research. LegaSea. Sep 2015
Matt Watson’s heartfelt plea to all New Zealanders who care about the ocean, to support the “What’s Fishing Worth?” fundraising campaign. LegaSea. September 2015.
WFW Article. What is the value of recreational fishing? LegaSea. 24 Sep 2015.
No one knows how much recreational fishers contribute to the NZ economy. The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation has commissioned a full-scale research project to find out. LegaSea. 24 September 2015.
WFW Article. Doing our homework. LegaSea. 1 Sep 2015.
Before we embark on a high value project to determine the significance of recreational fishing in New Zealand, it’s important to do our homework. Similar overseas research has produced some positive outcomes for recreational fishing and national economies. LegaSea. 1 September 2015.
WFW Article. All hands to the pump. LegaSea. 29 Aug 2015.
The “What’s Fishing Worth?” fundraising campaign is looking to produce more abundant fisheries, a thriving marine environment, and a robust recreational fishing industry. LegaSea. 29 August 2015.
Interview. NZMRF chair Jeff Romeril. Radio NZ. 11 Aug 2015
Interview with Jeff Romeril, chair of the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation, discussing the recreational fishing research project and fundraising efforts. Radio NZ. 11 August 2015.
WFW Fundraising for research project on Give a Little. LegaSea. 13 Sep 2015
Givealittle crowdfunding campaign launched to raise $100,000 to support the project to research recreational fishing’s contribution to the NZ economy. Campaign launched on 11 August 2015 and closed on 13 September. Raised $52,819. LegaSea. 13 September 2015.
NZMRF research team meeting with MPI Research Advisory Group (RAG) to discuss planned research methodology, how it could be improved and what challenges might arise. MPI advice on which Journal to use for publishing the technical report would be forwarded to the research team. A public-friendly version of the research results will also be produced for wider distribution. 31 March 2015.
NZMRF research team meeting with MPI officials. Initial meeting to discuss the objectives of the planned research, how best to conduct the research so it delivers results that are useful for management purposes. Using independent researchers was ideal as NZ is a small market. Southwick Associates are based in Florida, USA and will be supported by two local providers. 12 February 2015.
WFW Article. Recreational fishing is not a waste. LegaSea. 29 Jan 2015.
One of LegaSea’s five principles is to value recreational fishing. Our fishing supports a vast array of businesses so it’s interesting that Seafood New Zealand submitted to the government in 2013 that the interests of New Zealand are better served by generating export receipts rather than “high value consumption of imported components”. LegaSea. 29 January 2015.