A Socioeconomic and Biological Evaluation of Current and Hypothetical Crappie Regulations in Sardis Lake, Mississippi: An Integrated Approach

—We conducted a socioeconomic survey and review of existing biological data in an integrated evaluation of current and hypothetical fishery regulations on crappies Pomoxis spp. in Sardis Lake, Mississippi. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess angler acceptance of current and hypothetical harvest restrictions, (2) determine the recreational value of the crappie fishery to its participants, (3) estimate possible changes in recreational value based on angler responses to hypothetical regulations, and (4) integrate the results of the socioeconomic surveys with existing biological information. Using the travel cost method, we estimated mean expenditures at US$29.48 and average consumer surplus per angler per trip at $8.88. We estimated 75,601 crappie angler trips in 1995, yielding an annual consumer surplus for the Sardis Lake crappie fishery of $671,000 and a gross willingness to pay (GWP) of $2.9 million. Hypothetical changes in creel limits would have greater effects on the crappie fishery than would changes in length limits. If a creel limit of 10 crappies/d were implemented, 24,986 fewer angler trips could be expected, reducing both consumer surplus and GWP approximately 33% ($222,000 and $958,000, respectively). Changes in angler trips related to length limits were small (,4%) until a 31-cm length limit was proposed, for which 7,035 fewer angler trips could be expected, reducing consumer surplus and GWP approximately 9% each ($61,900 and $270,000, respectively). Biological evaluations of the effects of length and creel limits suggested they are unlikely to affect crappie populations unless they are much more restrictive than current regulations. Combined, biological and socioeconomic information supported continuing the current 25.4-cm length limit and 30-fish/d creel limit. Freshwater fisheries are an important renewable resource. Resident and nonresident anglers spent 9.732 million angler-days and US$703.692 million in Mississippi in 1996 (USFWS 1996). Despite the importance of fisheries to regional, state, and local economies, regulatory decisions often are made with little information on the possible socioeco* Corresponding author: [email protected] 1 Present address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Post Office Drawer 6099, Mississippi State, Mississippi 397626099, USA. Received December 1, 2000; accepted April 29, 2002 nomic effects of regulations. Because people are the ultimate beneficiaries of fisheries management, fisheries professionals should consider the social and economic effects of their management efforts (Weithman 1993). Knowledge of the socioeconomic effects of various harvest restrictions will allow fishery managers to develop and evaluate regulations that address the needs of the fishery. Valuation of natural resources is necessary to substantiate management actions and allocation decisions (Weithman 1993). An estimate of the recreational value of a fishery is necessary in evaluating potential effects of harvest restrictions on a fishery and enables evaluation of the interactions between changes in harvest restrictions and the value placed on the fishery. 1377 EVALUTION OF CRAPPIE REGULATIONS Biological and socioeconomic data can be combined to develop fishery management plans that address the goals and viewpoints of anglers and fishery managers (Prochaska and Cato 1983). Harvest restrictions may meet goals of maintaining the biological health of a fish population yet may be unsuccessful if the regulations are not accepted by anglers or reduce angler participation in the fishery. To determine if harvest restrictions are successful overall, an evaluation of their effects on the fish population and the socioeconomic environment in which that fishery exists is necessary. Analysis of the social effects of current and hypothetical harvest restrictions can provide managers with information about anglers’ acceptance of current restrictions and direction for future management. Placing management decisions in the context of an economic decision-making process may make decisions concerning the resource more objective and may more accurately reflect the recreational value placed on that resource by its users. The objectives of this study were to examine the crappie fishery in Sardis Lake, Mississippi, and (1) assess angler acceptance of current and hypothetical harvest restrictions, (2) determine the recreational value of the fishery to anglers, (3) estimate possible changes in recreational value based on angler responses to hypothetical regulations, and (4) integrate results of our socioeconomic surveys with existing biological information.