Recreational fishing in the Credit River is worth $48 million

Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) has released results of a study that was designed to assess the value of sport fishing in the Credit River.

Based on a survey of fishermen, the recreational value of fishing the Credit was estimated at $48 million or $1.2 million every year, according to release issued recently by CVC.

"This means that, in total, all the anglers who fish the Credit River would be willing to pay $1.2 million every year for the angling opportunities that the river provides," explained Jeff Wilson, ecological goods and services project coordinator. "But this is only a partial estimate of the value of the fishery. The study focused only on recreational uses, not on values placed on the fishery by other users and nonusers."

Anglers who fish the Credit River completed an on-line survey between August 2006 and January 2007. The results of the survey indicated that the three most heavily fished sites along the Credit are: from Erindale Park to Highway 403 in Mississauga; Trout Unlimited Private Agreement Waters located near Inglewood; and the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park. The most avid anglers fishing the Credit River indicated they fished an impressive 100 days a year, while according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' 2005 Survey of Recreational Fishing, the average angler in Ontario fishes 17.2 days a year.

It was estimated that in total, the Credit River provides more then 30,000 angling days every year, with almost 18,000 of those occurring in the spring and summer. Depending on the season, fishing destination, fish type sought, and expected catch rate, the average value of a fishing day ranged from $9 to $148 per day.

Recreational resources (such as a sport fishery) are often considered public goods, for which no price can be charged for the recreational opportunity. Since no user fee price exists, determining the value of a sport fishery requires sophisticated economic techniques. One such method, the travel cost method, can reveal the value of a sport fishery by examining how much visitors are willing to spend on travel to a fishing site.

"There is no question that we have an incredible recreational resource in the Credit River fishery, which is recognized across Ontario and well beyond," stated Rae Horst, CAO of CVC. "What this study does is begin to demonstrate the economic value associated with a healthy river system."

The study's methodology will allow CVC to forecast changes in anglers' behaviour as a result of changes to the fishery. For example, if a habitat restoration project was being considered that would result in improvements to the fishery, the increased economic value from the improvements could be estimated.

"This type of information is essential for ensuring that public dollars are spent on projects providing the largest possible improvement to the social and economic well-being of watershed residents," Wilson stated.