Facts & Figures
Boating Facts and Figures
Recreational boating is one of the most popular forms of family recreation:
- More than 72 million Americans participated in recreational boating in 2000.
- Nearly 17 million boats were owned across the U.S. in 2000.
- It is estimated that more than half a million boats were sold in 2000.
- Over $25 billion was spent at retail outlets during 2000 for new and used boats, motors and engines, trailers, accessories and other associated costs.
- Forty one percent of fiberglass and aluminum fishing boat owners are adults with children 18 years old and younger.
- Most boat owners started boating at 12-14 years of age.
- About one-half of boat owners were introduced to boating by their parents.
- Another one-third of boat owners began boating with friends or a friend's family.
Source: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
Fishing Facts and Figures
Fishing is one of America's favorite outdoor recreational pastimes:
- More than 35 million Americans over the age of 16 enjoy fishing. This represents 17 percent of the U.S. population.
- There are almost 15 million youth anglers in America.
- Recreational anglers, ages 16 and older, spend over $37 billion a year to fish. This has tremendous economic impacts:
- $108.4 billion in industry output
- $28.2 billion in salaries and wages
- $2.4 billion in state income and sales taxes
- $3.0 billion in Federal income taxes
- 1.2 million jobs (full- and part-time)
- Recreational anglers, ages 16 and older, spend 625 million days fishing on 507 million trips a year. Of the days spent fishing, 82 percent are in freshwater and 17 percent are in saltwater.
- The average angler spends $1,072 to fish in a year's time.
- Approximately 61 percent of all anglers 16 years and older live in urban areas and 39 percent live in rural communities.
- Over a year, the average angler spends $151 for fishing tackle and other equipment; $436 for trip-related goods and services; and $106 for transportation.
- Freshwater fishing expenditures by anglers are estimated at $26.9 billion and saltwater fishing expenditures estimated at $8.7 billion.
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1996 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and the American Sportfishing Association.
