The Economics of Recreational Fishing for Pelagics in Hawaii

Project findings published as part of the SOEST-JIMAR publication series:
"An analysis of auction prices of tuna in Hawaii: Hedonic prices, grading, and aggregation", 1998. K.E. McConnell, I.E. Strand and R.E. Curtis. SOEST 98-03, JIMAR Contribution 98-317

"Small boat fishing in Hawaii: Choice and economic values", 2001. Kenneth E. McConnell and Timothy C. Haab. SOEST 01-01, JIMAR Contribution 01-336

See SOEST-JIMAR Publications page for other PFRP reports

Dr. Kenneth McConnell
Dept. of Agricultural & Resource Economics
University of Maryland
2200 Symons Hall
College Park, Maryland 20742
Phone (301) 405-1293
FAX (301) 314-9091
email: tedm@arec.umd.edu

Progress Report - July 1998

Purpose of the Project

• To estimate the marginal economic value of catching the most important pelagic species by the small boat anglers in the marine recreational sector of the main Hawaiian islands;
• To model and estimate the behavior that leads to the marginal value;
• To develop an empirical basis for understanding the substitution between pelagics and other fish sought by the small boat anglers

Progress during FY 1998:

During the past year, this project has completed data gathering phase. This was accomplished with a combination mail-phone survey that was completed in April 1998. The survey includes 1,008 complete interviews of small boat fishermen, drawn from a sample frame of owners of boats registered to the state of Hawaii. This is the basic data set on which the empirical analysis will be based.

Also during the year, the project has completed the estimation of hedonic models of tuna prices in the Honolulu and Hilo auctions. This work has been published as a UH SOEST/JIMAR report (SOEST 98-03, JIMAR 98-317).

Plans for the next Fiscal Year:

In the coming year, the empirical analysis of the data will be completed. This will entail two types of models: a behavioral model that estimates a nested logit model of where boats are launched from and where the boats fish, given their launching location; a contigent valuation model of willingness to pay for a fishing trip. This model will be estimated from a series of questions that respondents answered during the phone interview.

List of Papers Published in Refereed Journals during FY 1998:

No papers have yet been accepted for publication.

Other Papers, Technical Reports:

We have completed a technical report on an empirical analysis of auction prices (SOEST 98-03, JIMAR 98-317). Part of this report has been submitted as a journal paper.

This page updated August 17, 2006