An economic valuation of the South African linefishery

Abstract

Economic data collected during 1995 and 1996 in a national survey of shore-anglers and skiboat fishermen is used to provide an economic assessment of aspects of recreational, subsistence and commercial linefishing on the South African coastline. Results show that more than 90% of shore-anglers have incomes which lie in the highest two quintiles of the distribution of incomes, and that <5% of rock-and-surf anglers were members of a household that was in poverty. Estimated mean income of commercial skiboat operators also fell into the upper 40% of incomes, but the estimated incomes earned by their crew barely exceeded the poverty line. A low income elasticity of demand was estimated for fishing trips by recreational anglers, predicting that the growth in demand for recreational fishing trips will slow with economic growth. The price elasticity of demand
was also estimated to be low, indicating that the levying of an annual licence fee will not be effective in reducing effort. The macroeconomic importance of the recreational and commercial fishery was estimated
from expenditures on fishing trips and income earned by commercial operators and crew, and when multiplier effects are taken into account, the fishery is estimated to contrbute 1.3% of the GGP of the coastal economics, and to generate employment for 131 500 people. Shore-angling was found to be most significant, contributing 76% of the GGP attributable to the fishery.