Economic Valuation of the Chinook Salmon Sport Fishery of the Gulkana River, Alaska, under Current and Alternate Management Plans

Abstract

This paper extends the standard travel cost method (TCM) to develop estimates of the economic value of recreational chinook salmon fishing on the Gulkana River, Alaska, under existing and hypothetical fishery management conditions. Respondents were asked to state how the number of trips that they took to the study area would change if alternative fishery management practices were imposed. Three hypothetical management conditions were considered: a doubled 1992 sport fish harvest, a doubled daily bag limit, and a season bag limit of five. Each of the hypothetical fishery management conditions provides increased economic returns to anglers.