The decline in the number of anglers in New York’s Lake Ontario region over the last decade-and-a-half has raised concerns. With the region’s economy based to a large extent on sportfishing, NYSG-funded investigators Drs. Diane M. Kuehn and Valerie A. Luzadis from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry are exploring some marketing and management strategies that could help sustain the economies of coastal communities along Lake Ontario.

“One potential strategy is to increase fishing participation by residents of the Lake Ontario region,” says Kuehn. “This would provide an opportunity for businesses and tourism promoters to tap into an underutilized and large resident market group. We will be focusing on bass fishing because many residents are already involved in it.”

Redirecting some promotional and business efforts to this resident angler market becomes increasingly important as further declines in nonresident anglers – the focus of past tourism promotions – are expected due to rising travel costs and a sluggish national economy.

“By studying what motivates and prevents residents from bass fishing, we’re hoping to provide businesses and tourism promoters with the marketing and management information that they need to attract anglers,” says Kuehn. Investigators aim to do this by surveying residents (in the fall of 2009) on the motivations, constraints, and facilitators associated with bass fishing on Lake Ontario.

— Paul C. Focazio