NYSDEC ANgler Survey Report.

DEC: Anglers' Report Confirms New York's World-Class Freshwater Fishing

New York's Freshwater Sportfisheries Generate More Than $2 Billion a Year and Support More Than 10,000 Jobs

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that the state's world-class fishing opportunities continue to draw anglers from near and far to New York's many productive freshwater sportfisheries. New data on angler effort, patterns, preferences, and attitudes was released today as part of DEC's statewide survey of freshwater anglers, which helps DEC assess both the biological and human dimension aspects of managing New York's freshwater fisheries.
"New York is privileged to have an amazing diversity of freshwater resources," Commissioner Seggos said. "From remote Adirondack brook trout streams and ponds to the magnificent Great Lakes, our state's freshwater fisheries are among the very best in North America. DEC is committed to effectively managing these resources to maintain high-quality angling opportunities and the recreational and economic benefits they provide. These survey results reinforce what New Yorkers already know-freshwater angling in New York State is not only alive and well, it's thriving-and this survey will help guide our efforts in the years to come."
New York State offers world class fishing for a wide variety of cold water and warm water species. Whether it is smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Erie, brook trout fishing on a crystal-clear Adirondack lake, Pacific salmon fishing on Lake Ontario, fishing for stripers on the Hudson River, brown trout fishing on the Beaver Kill or fishing for panfish on a local pond, there is something special in New York for every angler. In its 2019 rankings, and for the first time ever, Bassmaster Magazine named the St. Lawrence River as the top bass fishing destination in the nation.
DEC has surveyed its licensed freshwater anglers once every decade since 1973. The survey announced today was conducted in 2018, and summarizes the input provided by approximately 11,000 anglers that fished the freshwaters of New York State during the 2017 calendar year.
Combined direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of freshwater angling in New York State totaled an estimated $2.14 billion and supported 10,961 jobs in 2017. Of this total, out-of-state anglers contributed approximately 26 percent, or $564 million. Freshwater anglers spent an estimated $252 million at New York fishing destinations in 2017, and an additional $204 million was expended at home or while traveling to fishing destinations. Purchases of fishing equipment and fishing-related equipment such as boats, motors, etc., generated an estimated $1.8 billion in additional expenditures.
Results of the survey revealed significant increases in angler effort for a number of waters when compared to a 2007 angler survey. The Saranac River experienced the greatest increase in angler effort (150 percent) as more anglers visited to fish primarily for smallmouth bass and brown trout. There was an increase of 141 percent in the number of anglers fishing Irondequoit Creek, a Lake Ontario tributary near Rochester, with a focus primarily on brown trout and steelhead. The Delaware River in southeastern New York has long been popular for trout fishing, and angler effort increased by about 140 percent from 2007. Conesus Lake saw an increase of 155 percent in angler activity, with northern pike, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass among the lake's most popular species. Other waterbodies that experienced a marked increase in angling activity included Whitney Point Reservoir (76 percent), Lake Champlain (72 percent), and the Batten Kill (61 percent).
Freshwater anglers enjoyed an estimated 19.89 million angler days in 2017 in New York's inland and Great Lakes waters, slightly more than a similar survey conducted for 2007. Many anglers fished for warmwater gamefish (44 percent), primarily largemouth and smallmouth bass. Coldwater gamefish were also popular (28 percent), including brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, steelhead, and Chinook salmon. Anglers fished primarily on inland lakes and ponds (49 percent), inland streams and rivers (25 percent), and the Great Lakes and their tributaries (22 percent).
In his 2020 State of the State Address (leaves DEC website), Governor Cuomo proposed the Restore Mother Nature initiative, the nation's most aggressive program for significant habitat restoration and flood reduction. Restore Mother Nature will reduce flood risk and revitalize critical fish and wildlife habitats by connecting streams and waterways, right-sizing culverts and dams, restoring freshwater and tidal wetlands, reclaiming natural floodplains, restocking shellfish populations and upgrading fish hatcheries, preserving open space, conserving more forest areas, replanting more trees, reducing contamination from agricultural and stormwater runoff, and expanding renewable energy. One of the goals of the initiative is to make New York the top state for recreational fishing. As part of a proposed $3 billion Environmental Bond Act, New York would invest in its world-class fish hatcheries. The Governor's program will also improve New York's network of fishing access sites, hand launch boat sites, and public fishing rights with an emphasis on warmwater streams and rivers.
Full results of DEC's Statewide Angler Survey can be found at DEC's website.
http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/press.html

"Your" 5 million????  My, don't you pay a lot of NYS taxes down there in Manhattan North!
 
Stocking Cut, the 2016 cut was the only one announced when the survey went out in  2017.
 
I know you have experience in all corners of the State, but Whitney Point Reservoir is one of Central New York's top ice fishing destinations so the increases there might reflect ice fishing. Of course, if you or any or your posse received the survey and then shiff canned it, it doesn't reflect your spots (be thankful).  And it is a survey so is representative within the limits of random sampling.  Of course, the State will use it for propaganda, that is what states do, especially when they are committed to whoring out their resources to neighboring states' residents.   But, gee, if they can get a whole dollar back from the Feds for every one sent by NYS, more power to them.
 
Good to see that the mail order Curmudgeon Course has been arriving on time!  Or is it just lack of ice?

Thanks fichy for reminding me I'm not just the town jester. We do put some boots on the ground in places of the corner in various fishery types, not just a trip outta a city along rt 104
Whitney resivor, really.. I honestly think ice fishing has exploded in a fishing resource and local revenue in last 10 years as much if not more than any other activity and yet it's not acknowledged.
What is promoted heavily is the great lakes or cold water streams which I feel are lacking and going to just a check mark on someone's evaluation sheet.

Maybe I'm wrong and hopefully so. When the food runs out, I don't mind eating my hat for dinner

Most of the hatcheries in the NYS System were built before you were born, so you've enjoyed the largess of past generations, not just a pay as you go system.  But thanks for crediting the rest of with also contributing. I know they are stocking  fish, and some large ones other than in the GL, because I see your pix posted every time you go to the Ausable, up in the Adirondacks, which I also fish and which is well off the 104 corridor, as are the Finger Lakes.    Finally, perhaps there is some connection between wages where you work and the cost of hatchery raceways, last time I looked they are built from concrete.
 
The company that conducted the survey reported the data they received from respondents.  And they reported that 4 % of effort is on ice fishing.  Maybe they got a bunch of non ice fishers.  If they did the survey this year it might be lot lower.  Maybe you see so many more people on the waters you fish because they are actually frozen, or maybe it is because you trumpet them to the internet so frequently.  I know beaucoup people who buy fishing licenses, but very few of them ice fish.  Of my own brothers, 5 out of six fish and buy licenses, but I'm the only one that has ever ice fished, and I don't go every year, I like a solid 8" and we haven't seen that yet anywhere nearby.
 
Sorry to hear the down report, Fichy, but I've heard from my friend at Orvis that the Battenkill has come back quite a bit from the low point, and the report on increased anglers meshes with these reports and the articles in magazines like Fly Fisherman.  We have to share our streams with other users too, in WNY, aluminum and rubber donut hatches occur on flowing waters that are public everywhere when it is hot out.  As to " lies" about stocking, unless you are there everyday all day, to be there when the truck is there, how do you know they were not stocked?  And have you made any calls to the Regional fisheries manager to register a complaint and report your observations?  The squeaky hinge gets the oil!  Or go over their head and write to Steve Hurst, he is about as attuned to public input as any Director of Fisheries the DEC has ever had. 

Since I assume you are referring to the Altmar hatchery,  I will point out that NO atlantics are raised there.  Atlantics stocked by NYS come from the Saranac Hatchery, Atlantics stocked by the USGS Biological Resources Division come from the Tunison Research Facility in Cortland.  If you need a reference, contact your old friend Griz, he's working there now.

I have fished the Battenkill.  And I have seen the numbers from back when I fished it and it was truly a waste of time to fish, and what it is now, and it is improving, both on the Vermont side and the NYS side.  Now, watch yer tone, or I'll go crying to the moderators!

 
  Can't match that kind of arrogance.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 





 
 

So I'm gonna drag this one out.
First, the spring lake trawls showed EXCELLENT baitfish abundance in all year classes. The west end had an excellent smelt population as well.
I've seen the info and pictures/ video.
Second: with nys completely broke, does anyone see these Capitol hatchery projects actually taking place ?
Third: with the Rome and other trout hatcheries contaminated by zebra mussels, is there a future for stream and brook trout ?
Lastly : is there an excuse to come forth ?

When the lake guys are finally allowed to charter again, the fish will be plenty and snappy, not just because of shinny lures out of starvation.
From these years to come following, there will be no snappy fish to chase lures because the fewer left will have a smorgasbord of abundant bait.

Tough times ahead folks

Fichy, your last line reminded me of this tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWwUJH70ubM