Industry Landscape

Fishing Data

• Estimated number of U.S. recreational anglers - 44 million.
• More people fish than play golf or tennis combined.
• Economic impact of recreational fishing - $116 billion

Recreational fishing is big business, generating more than $116 billion in economic output and more than one million American jobs. If sportfishing were a corporation, it would rank above Target, Sears, and Johnson & Johnson on the Fortune 500 list of largest American companies. And fishing is sound investment. The recreational fishing industry contributes more to the health of the nation’s economy now than it did 10 years ago.

Anglers spent over $5 billion on equipment, nearly $15 billion on fishing trips, and some $20 billion more on boats, trucks, licenses and other fishing-related products and services. For example, anglers paid a cool $290 million on ice alone! Anything that reduces angler opportunities would have a chilling effect on the ice business and the local communities that benefit from the positive economic impact of fishing.

Snowmobiling Data

Snowmobiling is a great family sport. It is an activity that keeps parents and kids together. Historically, individuals who snowmobile at a young age with their parents continue in the sport throughout their lives, eventually sharing it with their own children. In many winter regions, snowmobiling is simply the main form of winter outdoor recreation and, in some cases, the primary means of transportation.