The Economic Value of Changes in Harvest Regulations to Anglers on Charter and Private Boat Trips: Results from a Choice Experiment Survey in Southeastern U.S. Waters

We estimate the economic value of changes in saltwater fishing regulations to anglers fishing on charter and private boat trips in southeastern U.S. waters. Our new estimates of angler willingness to pay (WTP) are far hypothetical changes in the bag limits for dolphinfish, Coryphaena hippurus, red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus; other/aggregate snappers, Lutjanidae spp.; grouper, Epinephelus spp. and Myc-teroperca spp.; and king mackerel, Scomberomorus cavalla. We use a multispecies choice experiment with varying levels of regulations (e.g., bag limits), not catching or keeping fish. The focus on changes in regulations, instead of catch, allows us to explicitly consider how angler WTP might vary over the range of potential regulation levels, including closure.