An Analysis of Congestion Measures and Heterogeneous Angler Preferences In A Random Utility Model of Recreational Fishing

The potential importance of congestion effects on the management and rationing of recreational facilities and services in the presence of heterogeneous preferences were highlighted nearly twenty-five years ago by Freeman and Haveman (1977). While there have been a number of theoretical models extending and expanding upon this work (McConnell 1988; Anderson 1993), empirical research evaluating such impacts are limited. Evidence of the potential impacts of congestion on resource usage is of obvious importance, especially for natural resource managers who understand that congestion can be an effective rationing device and because users likely differ in both their preferences for use and aversion to congestion. It is the objective of this research to compare alternative measures of congestion for explaining site choice within a random utility modeling framework. Furthermore, we investigate how these congestion measures impact site choice and per trip willingness to pay for stock enhancements when anglers are perceived to differ in their fishing objectives.