Development of a sport fishing focus in the TAMU Sea Grant Program

In these times of rapid inflation, it is increasingly recognized that without adequate data on social and economic impact, public investment in resource development and management is difficult if not impossible to justify. Private entrepreneurs have always had to deal realistically with the costs and benefits associated with their activity or risked going out of business. In the public sector, monies have been spent with the expectation and hope that benefits would exceed costs. Today, however with many goverment agencies and programs vying for the same public dollar, decision-makers are less impressed with global statements and generalizations. The fact that there are a lot of fishermen in Texas spending a lot of money is less convincing than having the specific participation, spending and impact data in hand. Other industrial sectors have this information and thus are better able to complete in decision-making relative to the allocation of marine resources. Some of the key questions to be asked and answered today if sport fishing on the Texas coast is to remain a competitive marine use are the following: 1. How may Texas and non-Texas fisherment salt water fish in Texas and how often? 2. How are they distributed throughout sport fishing environments from fishing piers to deep water? 3. How much do they spend per capita and where? 4. What is the impact of coastal sport fishing on the state, regional and local economies? 5. Who will use and benefit from artificial fish attractants such as artificial reefs? Is the location of artificial attractants a factor in determining who will use them? 6. What is the biological impact of sport fishing activity on the fishery and on specific species? How does sport fishing affect our marine resources? What is the extent of competition for marine resources between commercial and sport fishing interests?