By Randee Brown, Editor at WNC Business

In 2023, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission released a report sharing the economic impact of trout fishing in North Carolina. As the habitat of trout is primarily cool mountain streams, the majority of this impact occurs in WNC.

According to the report, approximately 369,968 individuals fished for trout in 2022. These anglers spent a collective 4.6 million days fishing for trout with the average angler taking nine trout fishing trips. On average, North Carolina trout anglers spent $240 per trout fishing trip, which totaled $587,553,393 on trip-related expenditures in the state. In terms of equipment-related expenditures, North Carolina trout anglers spent $770,570,566.

Trout fishing also directly and indirectly supported 11,808 full- and part-time jobs across the state, creating a labor income of more than $535 million. The overall economic impact of these trout fishing expenditures in North Carolina in 2022 was $1.38 billion. The Social Accounting Matrix multiplier indicated that for every dollar spent on trout fishing in North Carolina, there was a $1.93 return to the state economy.

Anglers reported fishing the most in Ashe, Watauga, Avery, Jackson, and Haywood counties, and fishing mostly on public lands. With about 72% of fishing trip-related expenditures spent in the county of their typical fishing site, the sport is significantly impactful to the economy of these areas. 

With 48,000 anglers traveling from out of state, impacts also filter into the hospitality, food and beverage, and retail sectors of the economy. Considering both in- and out-of-state anglers, Trout fishing had the biggest impact on the retail and sporting goods sector, which had a direct impact of $115 million. Other significant expenditures included items like vehicle and boat fuel, guide and charter fees, groceries, and camping supplies.

The Commission’s Lead Social Scientist Cristina Watkins compared the 2022 data to the 2015 trout fishing report, noting more people trout fishing combined with general inflation creates a tremendously increased economic impact on WNC.

“We are hearing from anglers around the country that North Carolina trout fishing puts a checkmark on an experience they’d like to have,” Watkins said. “There are plenty of opportunities and places to fish, long open seasons, and the ability to fish in the winter. In addition to the trout themselves, fishing in North Carolina is unique and special for a lot of reasons.”

The Commission’s Coldwater Research Coordinator Jacob Rash said 76% of respondents to the survey used to collect this data were satisfied with the program. The program itself as well as the diversity of the waters, places to fish, communities, people, and businesses supporting the sport combine to create a desirable outdoor recreation experience for anglers.

“It creates a program that is really popular,” Rash said. “More folks outside of the state are becoming more aware of the draw, and with that attraction comes the need for the waters to be intensely managed.”

The Public Mountain Trout Waters program manages areas in the 26 westernmost counties of the state. Hatcheries collectively stock about a million fish per year, primarily in the spring and fall. With partnerships with the US Forest Service, state parks, and private landowners, the program determines which streams can be stocked. The program’s biologists also evaluate the health of stream habitats as trout need clean, cold water to thrive, which can also help determine stocking times. 

Damaged by floods in 2021, the Bobby Setzer Hatchery in Pisgah National Forest has plans to undergo a significant renovation project to repair damages and increase the hatchery’s capacity. Watkins said it was calculated that for every dollar spent to produce and stock trout, about $780 is returned to the state’s economy, and will continue to impact the outdoor recreation industry and various related sectors into the future.

Regarding the 2023 report, Inland Fisheries Chief Christian Waters said, “The report reveals impressive and useful data to our agency. This information provides a resource we may use in determining priorities and strategies for the PMTW program. It also illustrates the beneficial effects of our efforts to support trout angling for North Carolina and its impact to constituents, specifically local municipalities and businesses. Trout stocking is one important element of our trout program and why we’ve secured funds to renovate one of our fish hatcheries we use to raise and stock trout for Western North Carolina.”

The preceding article originally appeared on June 12, 2024 at WNC Business’s website and is made available here for educational purposes only. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 106A-117 of the U.S. Copyright Law.