The results of the Northeast Recreation Boating Survey are out!
A partnership including SeaPlan (a collaborator in the LISS CCMP Update project), representatives of the boating industry, New England states and the state of New York, U.S. Coast Guard, and NROC (Northeast Regional Ocean Council) conducted the survey of thousands of coastal boaters in the Northeast during the 2012 boating season. The survey is part of a larger effort that is underway in New England to gather science-based, stakeholder informed information to inform regional ocean planning. The study collected information such as reported boating expenditures over the year, boating routes and popular areas of activities such as recreational fishing and wildlife viewing. Here are some of the interesting facts from the study:
- In 2012, approx. 907,000 marine recreational boating trips generated nearly $3.5 billion in the Northeast economy (of that NH generated $69 million)
- The most sought after species while fishing was striped bass.
- Over half of boating routes plotted by boaters occurred within one mile of the coastline and along major transit routes (see map)
