Forget quiet contemplation—when Americans go fishing, they generate a tsunami of economic activity, proven by the sportfishing industry’s staggering $151.4 billion contribution to the U.S. GDP in 2022.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, direct retail sales of fishing tackle in the United States reached $7.2 billion
- The sportfishing industry contributed $151.4 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2022 through direct, indirect, and induced effects
- Anglers' trip-related expenditures totaled $43.8 billion in the U.S. in 2022, accounting for 86% of total sportfishing spending
- 40.7 million Americans participated in sportfishing in 2022, representing 15% of the U.S. population aged 6+
- Freshwater fishing participation reached 33.1 million anglers in 2022
- Saltwater fishing saw 13.6 million participants in the U.S. in 2022
- Sportfishing industry employed 1.02 million jobs in U.S. in 2022 across all sectors
- Fishing tackle manufacturing supported 28,400 jobs in 2022
- Boat dealers and marinas employed 142,000 workers in 2022
- U.S. fishing rod market generated $1.8 billion in retail sales in 2022
- Total tackle sales (rods, reels, lines, lures) hit $7.2 billion in 2022
- Fishing apparel and footwear sales reached $1.1 billion in 2022
- Sportfishing conservation organizations funded $100 million in projects via excise taxes in 2022
- Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program distributed $1.1 billion to states in FY2022 for habitat
- 85% of U.S. coastal fish stocks are sustainably managed per 2023 NOAA report
The sportfishing industry is a massive economic engine driven by millions of dedicated American anglers.
Angler Participation
- 40.7 million Americans participated in sportfishing in 2022, representing 15% of the U.S. population aged 6+
- Freshwater fishing participation reached 33.1 million anglers in 2022
- Saltwater fishing saw 13.6 million participants in the U.S. in 2022
- Average angler made 25 fishing trips in 2022, totaling 1.02 billion outings nationwide
- Youth participation (ages 6-17) in fishing was 6.2 million in 2022, up 4% from prior year
- 49% of U.S. anglers are millennials or Gen Z in 2023 surveys
- Female participation in sportfishing reached 9.8 million women in 2022, 24% of total anglers
- Hispanic/Latino anglers numbered 5.4 million in 2022, growing 10% since 2019
- Baby Boomers (55+) comprised 32% of anglers or 13.1 million in 2022
- Lapsed anglers (non-participants who fished in past) total 70 million Americans
- Participation rate for males aged 6+ was 20% in 2022 vs. 10% for females
- Urban anglers made up 55% of participants in 2022
- In 2022, 24 million Americans fished freshwater only, 4 million saltwater only, 12 million both
- Fishing days totaled 463 million for freshwater and 192 million for saltwater in 2022 MRIP data
- 18% of U.S. households participated in fishing in 2022
- Gen Z fishing participation grew 15% from 2021-2023
- Southern U.S. states had 46% of national anglers in 2022
- Repeat anglers (fished past 5 years) numbered 35 million in 2022
- Participation peaked in summer with 42% of trips June-August 2022
- Black/African American anglers totaled 2.1 million or 5% of total in 2022
- Asian American participation reached 1.2 million anglers in 2023 estimates
- Rural residents fished at 22% rate vs. 14% urban in 2022
- Family fishing households: 28% introduced kids to fishing in 2022
- Northeast region had 7.8 million anglers in 2022
- Midwest led with 11.2 million freshwater-focused anglers
- West region anglers totaled 8.1 million in 2022
Angler Participation Interpretation
With a constituency rivaling that of mid-sized nations, American sportfishing is not merely a quiet pastime but a sprawling, multi-generational, and surprisingly urban national ritual, where nearly half the ranks are now young, a quarter are women, and the collective devotion is measured in billions of purposeful trips from coast to inland shore.
Conservation and Sustainability
- Sportfishing conservation organizations funded $100 million in projects via excise taxes in 2022
- Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Program distributed $1.1 billion to states in FY2022 for habitat
- 85% of U.S. coastal fish stocks are sustainably managed per 2023 NOAA report
- Anglers voluntarily released 90% of caught-and-released fish in 2022 surveys
- Saltwater recreational harvest was 70% of total landings in 2022 for key species
- 1.5 million acres of aquatic habitat restored since 1950 via angler taxes
- Invasive species removal funded $25 million by fishing programs in 2022
- Catch-and-release mortality reduced to under 5% with best practices in 2023 studies
- 72% of anglers support stricter bag limits for sustainability per 2022 poll
- Boat access improved on 1,200 sites with $400 million in grants since 2010
- Wallop-Breaux funding supported 5,000 fish hatcheries stocking 20 billion fish annually
- Coral reef conservation received $15 million from recreational fees in 2022
- 95% of U.S. freshwater fisheries managed sustainably by state agencies 2023
- Angler-funded education reached 2 million kids on conservation in 2022
- Over 300 million fish stocked in U.S. waters from federal aid in 2022
- Marine Protected Areas cover 25% of U.S. coastal waters aiding sportfish stocks
- Lead tackle ban in 10 states reduced eagle mortality by 40% since 2010
- $50 million invested in black bass conservation in 2022 by B.A.S.S. and partners
- Trout Unlimited restored 2,500 miles of streams in 2022 with angler support
- 60% reduction in overfished stocks since 2000 due to management including rec sector
- Coastal wetlands restoration: 150,000 acres funded by Sport Fish Restoration 2022
- Voluntary angler reporting apps used by 1 million for stock assessments 2023
- Muskellunge populations stable or increasing in 80% of fisheries due to slot limits
- $12 million for oyster reef restoration from fishing funds in Gulf states 2022
- 88% of red snapper caught recreationally released in Gulf 2022 for sustainability
- State wildlife agencies conducted 15,000 fish population surveys in 2022
- Bonefish conservation funded $2.5 million for habitat in Florida Keys 2022
- 40% increase in striped bass spawning success from management 2010-2022
- Anglers contributed $300 million to R3 (recruitment/retention/reactivation) programs
Conservation and Sustainability Interpretation
From trout streams to ocean reefs, the modern American angler funds, follows, and fiercely advocates for the science that ensures their passion doesn't become a postscript, proving that a hook can indeed be a tool for stewardship.
Economic Contributions
- In 2022, direct retail sales of fishing tackle in the United States reached $7.2 billion
- The sportfishing industry contributed $151.4 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2022 through direct, indirect, and induced effects
- Anglers' trip-related expenditures totaled $43.8 billion in the U.S. in 2022, accounting for 86% of total sportfishing spending
- Total sportfishing-related spending by U.S. anglers hit $51.0 billion in 2022
- In 2021, the U.S. sportfishing economy generated $126.5 billion in economic output
- Fishing license sales revenue in the U.S. reached $1.6 billion in 2022, supporting conservation efforts
- The multiplier effect of sportfishing spending created $90.2 billion in indirect and induced economic activity in 2022
- Sportfishing supported 827,000 jobs in the U.S. in 2022, with $56.7 billion in labor income
- In Florida alone, sportfishing generated $17.0 billion in economic impact in 2022
- U.S. freshwater fishing contributed $50.3 billion to GDP in 2022
- Saltwater fishing expenditures reached $15.9 billion for trips in 2022
- The global sportfishing market was valued at $14.6 billion in 2023, projected to grow to $20.1 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.6%
- In 2022, Texas sportfishing economy produced $11.2 billion in output and 76,000 jobs
- Sportfishing taxes paid by anglers totaled $2.8 billion federally and $1.5 billion at state/local levels in 2022
- Michigan's sportfishing industry generated $8.3 billion in economic activity and 62,000 jobs in 2021
- The U.S. boatbuilding industry for fishing vessels contributed $4.5 billion in sales in 2022
- California saltwater fishing supported $3.8 billion in economic output in 2022
- Sportfishing's share of U.S. outdoor recreation economy was 12.5% or $151 billion in 2022
- Louisiana's recreational fishing generated $3.1 billion and 22,400 jobs in 2022
- In 2023, U.S. fishing gear imports totaled $2.1 billion, primarily from Asia
- Sportfishing expenditures grew 8% from 2021 to 2022, outpacing inflation
- The industry paid $8.4 billion in state and local taxes in 2022
- North Carolina's coastal recreational fishing contributed $4.2 billion and 35,000 jobs in 2021
- Global rod and reel market size was $8.9 billion in 2022
- U.S. angler spending on bait and ice was $1.2 billion in 2022
- Sportfishing industry exports from U.S. reached $450 million in 2022
- Wisconsin's fishing economy generated $4.7 billion and 36,000 jobs in 2020
- The U.S. fishing line market generated $320 million in sales in 2023
- Oregon's sportfishing contributed $1.9 billion to economy in 2022
Economic Contributions Interpretation
While the primary goal of fishing may be to land a lunker, the industry itself has already hooked the entire U.S. economy, reeling in hundreds of billions of dollars and supporting nearly a million jobs, proving that our national pastime is a very serious bit of business indeed.
Employment Statistics
- Sportfishing industry employed 1.02 million jobs in U.S. in 2022 across all sectors
- Fishing tackle manufacturing supported 28,400 jobs in 2022
- Boat dealers and marinas employed 142,000 workers in 2022
- Food and beverage services from fishing trips created 230,000 jobs in 2022
- Fishing guides and charters employed 19,300 full-time equivalents in 2022
- Retail trade in fishing gear supported 97,000 jobs in 2022
- Construction jobs from fishing infrastructure: 45,000 in 2022
- Transportation services employed 78,000 due to sportfishing in 2022
- Real estate and rentals gained 32,000 jobs from anglers in 2022
- Florida sportfishing jobs totaled 130,000 in 2022
- Average wage in fishing tackle sector was $52,300 annually in 2022
- Charter boat captains numbered 12,500 nationwide in 2022
- Marine engine manufacturing employed 15,200 in 2022
- Lodging industry jobs from fishing: 89,000 in 2022
- Texas fishing jobs reached 76,000 in 2022
- Government jobs supported by fishing license revenue: 18,400 in 2022
- Apparel and accessories for fishing employed 8,900 in manufacturing 2022
- Michigan fishing-related jobs: 62,000 in 2021
- Fuel sales jobs from boats: 22,000 in 2022
- Bait and tackle shops employed 34,500 nationwide in 2022
- Health care and social assistance jobs indirectly: 15,200 from 2022
- Louisiana fishing jobs: 22,400 in 2022
- Professional services (accountants, lawyers for industry): 12,100 jobs 2022
- North Carolina coastal fishing jobs: 35,000 in 2021
- Utilities sector jobs from fishing demand: 7,800 in 2022
- Wisconsin fishing employment: 36,000 in 2020
- Fishing tackle retail jobs grew 3% to 97,000 in 2022
Employment Statistics Interpretation
The sportfishing industry isn't just a leisurely pursuit, it's a serious economic juggernaut that casts a wide net, hooking over a million jobs from manufacturing lures and building boats to pouring drinks and filing taxes for people who just really needed to get away from the office for a while.
Sales and Retail
- U.S. fishing rod market generated $1.8 billion in retail sales in 2022
- Total tackle sales (rods, reels, lines, lures) hit $7.2 billion in 2022
- Fishing apparel and footwear sales reached $1.1 billion in 2022
- Boat sales for fishing purposes totaled $12.4 billion in 2022
- Marine engine sales generated $4.7 billion in 2022
- Electronics and accessories for boats sold $2.3 billion in 2022
- Fuel expenditures by anglers totaled $4.9 billion in 2022
- Maintenance and repair services for fishing boats: $3.2 billion spent in 2022
- Bait sales nationwide reached $1.0 billion in 2022
- Ice purchases for fishing trips: $200 million in 2022
- Online fishing gear sales grew 12% to $2.1 billion in 2022
- Lure sales specifically totaled $1.4 billion in U.S. 2022
- Reels sales generated $1.9 billion in retail 2022
- Fishing line sales: $320 million in 2022
- Kayak fishing sales boomed to $450 million in 2022
- Sonar and fish finder units sold 1.2 million units worth $1.8 billion in 2022
- Trailers for fishing boats: $1.5 billion sales in 2022
- Gifts and novelties related to fishing: $150 million in 2022 holidays
- Saltwater-specific gear sales: $2.8 billion in 2022
- Freshwater tackle dominated with 65% of $7.2 billion total sales 2022
- Big box retailers captured 42% of tackle sales market share in 2022
- Specialty fishing stores sales: $1.9 billion in 2022
- E-commerce platforms like Amazon held 28% of online tackle sales 2022
- Used boat sales for fishing: $3.6 billion in 2022
- Live bait wholesale to retailers: $450 million in 2022
- Fishing apparel online sales surged 18% to $450 million in 2022
- Downriggers and trolling gear: $280 million sales 2022
- Rod sales volume: 12.5 million units at average $145 each in 2022
- Global fishing lure market: $3.2 billion with U.S. 45% share in 2022
Sales and Retail Interpretation
In a year where lures dazzled fish for $1.4 billion and boats cost anglers over $12 billion, the American dream, it seems, is still a man in a $1.1 billion worth of new plaid, standing perfectly still.
Sources & References
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