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Date of Graduation
Fall 2012
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Department of Integrated Science and Technology
Abstract
The Upper South River Special Regulation Area (SRA) is a fishery in Augusta County, Virginia that opened as a trout fishery in January 2011. There is a need to estimate the economic impact of the fishery on the local community in order to find the value of the fishery. The economic value of the fishery is important because of its implications in the management practices as well as funding for future restoration and conservation projects. In this study, the economic impact was estimated to be $78,181 from January 2011 through June 2012. This was calculated based on prior surveys and not from a survey to Upper South River SRA anglers. Most notably, the 2006 National Survey offered trip-related expenditures for Virginia anglers and non-Virginia anglers when fishing in Virginia, the 2011 South River Survey gave a percentage of expenditures that are spent within 20 miles of the river, and conversations with active anglers gave an estimate of angling effort. Upper South River SRA Permit application data was used to get geographic data of the anglers. It is recommended that a future survey be conducted on Upper South River SRA permit applicants in order to further assess the economic impacts of the fishery on the local community. $78,181 is a conservative estimate of the economic impact and a focused survey can show the impact to be much larger. This document outlines the importance and procedure of natural resource valuation and has recommendations for a survey to continue the efforts to value the Upper South River SRA.
Recommended Citation
Rapp, Brian, "Economic analysis of the Upper South River Special Regulation Area in Augusta County, Virginia" (2012). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 296.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/296
