The Australian National Recreational Fishing Survey: 2000-01

1 Abstract: The survey, commencing in May 2000, is the first broad based national recreational fishing survey of its kind in Australia. While primarily designed to provide biologic and fisher participant data, it provides a platform for the collection of data applicable to economic policy questions. The survey methodology is based on a nation wide random selection of households for which base data is collected. Those in the household indicating their likely participation in fishing over the coming twelve months are invited to join the recreational fishing survey. These participating in the longitudinal survey are interviewed over the twelve months of the survey by telephone using the Kewagama Research respondent facilitation diary methodology. The offsite survey is supported with on-site creel surveys to verify participant responses throughout the duration of the survey. Because the primary focus of the survey is the collection of biological and fishing data, it is not always possible to link economic data to a particular fishing activity, species or fishing site. The economic data is identified according to whether it is 'at home' or 'away from home' expenditure, the economic zone in which the expenditure has occurred and the proportion of expenditure attributable to recreational fishing activity. The aim in limiting the economic data in this manner is to ensure the provision of robustness data over the full range of the national survey. The economic and behavioural data to be provided by the survey will be constructive input to important to policy issues concerning the assessment and the use of fish, marine, coastal and inland water resources.