Comparing Economic Values of Trout Anglers and Nontrout Anglers in Colorado's Stocked Public Reservoirs

Trout are often popular target species for anglers worldwide and have been the most commonly stocked game fish species in the USA. Using survey data collected at Colorado's stocked public reservoirs in 2009, we found that trout anglers’ net economic benefits were more than twice those of anglers fishing for species other than trout. Values estimated from the travel cost method produced angler-day consumer surpluses (willingness to pay [WTP]) of US$191.60 for trout anglers and $61.68 for nontrout anglers. Based on the contingent valuation method, the mean WTP was $196.48 for trout anglers and $73.84 for nontrout anglers, while the median WTP was $164.53 for trout anglers and $56.78 for nontrout anglers. Thus, the relative values of fishing for trout versus fishing for other species are robust to nonmarket valuation methods, and the two valuation methods show convergent validity. Received August 31, 2010; accepted November 11, 2011