The Role of Fishing and the Zebra Mussel on the Tourism Industry
Project Number: R/ME-012, Completion Report
Start Date: 9/1/1990
Completion Date: 8/31/1992
Revision Date: 12/29/1998
| Principal Investigator(s) | 1. | Leroy J. Hushak, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sciences The Ohio State University* |
| This shows the current affiliation and may not match affiliation at time of participation. * | ||
Funding Record
| Source: Ohio Sea Grant College Program | |||
| Source Fund | State Match | Pass Through | |
| First Year | $ 13,689.00 | $ 8,320.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Second Year | $ 38,367.00 | $ 24,314.00 | $ 0.00 |
| Total | $ 46,639.00 | $ 38,161.00 | $ 0.00 |
Objectives
To survey the Ohio population about participation in Ohio's North Coast recreation economy during 1988, 1989 and 1990 and expected changes in participation due to changes in the fiserhy and the Lake Erie environment.
To estimate the economic impacts of the tourist industry.
To estimate the changes in economic impacts of the tourist industry because of changes in participation due to the zebra mussel between 1988 and 1990.
To estimate the changes in economic impacts due to expected changes in recreational participation resulting from continued incidence of the zebra mussel, significant reductions in walleye and yellow perch populations, and other environmental changes. (The economic value objectives of the original proposal will be accomplished if additional funding is obtained.)
To estimate the economic impacts of the tourist industry.
To estimate the changes in economic impacts of the tourist industry because of changes in participation due to the zebra mussel between 1988 and 1990.
To estimate the changes in economic impacts due to expected changes in recreational participation resulting from continued incidence of the zebra mussel, significant reductions in walleye and yellow perch populations, and other environmental changes. (The economic value objectives of the original proposal will be accomplished if additional funding is obtained.)
Rationale
Ohio's North Coast has developed into a major recreational economy with the aid of a large and growing recreational fishery. Many amenities of Ohio's North Coast (Bass Islands, Cedar Point, Sea World and Lakeside) have been developed to attract non-angling visitors. Hotels, restaurants and other non-fishing facilities have been constructed to support the growing numbers of visitors to the North Coast. There has been substantial investment in residential dwellings (cottages, condominiums, etc.) which suggests that tourism has become much less dependent on the Lake Erie fishery. A test of the dependence of tourism on the fishery and of the potential damage of the zebra mussel to tourism are critical to policy decisions.
Methodology
A mail questionnaire will be developed and distributed to a sample of 3,000 licensed drivers in Ohio. (Sample size will be restored to 5,000 and sampling outside of Ohio explored if additional funds are obtained.) An existing input-output model of the 17-county North Coast region will be modified and updated to estimate the economic impacts of tourist support industries on the North Coast economy, and the expected changes in income and employment resulting from participation changes due to environmental changes.
