Marginal Valuation of Improving the Sport-Fishing Catch

Abstract

This paper presents estimates of the marginal willingness-to-pay to improve sport-fishing conditions in a county in southern Sweden. Previous valuation studies have focused mainly on mean estimates, but policy decisions often require marginal values. The estimates are obtained by using the contingent valuation method within a parametric model that allows for zero willingness-to-pay values (a spike model). The data were collected using a mail survey sent to anglers in the county of Bohus in Sweden in 1998. The results show that the value of improved catch conditions depends on the type of angling and decreases at the margin when the catch increases. The marginal willingness-to-pay for catching an extra fish ranges from about SEK 5 (SEK 12 per kilo) for coastal angling to about SEK 530 (SEK 172 per kilo) for river angling (US$1 ≈ SEK 9). Such economic information is useful for managers with limited budgets who need to prioritize between different alternatives or actions to improve sport-fishing.