Hunters, fishermen are a big catch
Maryland's 521,000 hunters and anglers spend more than $900 million a year on hunting and fishing, according to a recently released report.
The report, "Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy - A force as big as all outdoors," spotlights the impact hunters and anglers have on the economy at the national and state level.
In Maryland, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 14,000 jobs and generates $516 million around the state, according to the report. Outdoor activities also generate $112 million in state and local taxes.
Sportsmen spend $119 million annually on outboard boats and engines. The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to $2.4 million a day being pumped into the state's economy, the report showed.
"Spending by sportsmen benefits not only the manufacturers of hunting and fishing-related products, but everything from local mom-and-pop businesses to wildlife conservation," said Doug Painter, president of National Shooting Sports Foundation.
The report was produced by the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, using the results from the Fish and Wildlife Service's 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and statistics from the American Sportfishing Association and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
http://www.sportsmenslink.org/programs/spo...eport_small.pdf