Segmenting anglers by lifestyles, lake types, and management preferences

SEGMENTING ANGLERS BY LIFESTYLES, LAKE TYPES, AND MANAGEMENT PREFERENCES By Jody Christopher Simoes Information on angler behaviors and preferences is vital for management efforts that enhance fishery resources and provide public benefits. This dissertation adds to the angler human dimensions literature on angler segments and preferences by using two surveys of Michigan’s recreational anglers in support of three dissertation chapters to: (1) test the effectiveness of a widely-used marketing segmentation methodology for profiling angler behavior, (2) enhance existing lake classifications with data on user (i.e. angler) characteristics and fishing behaviors and, (3) model anglers’ preferences over management outcomes in the Great Lakes. In the first chapter, although the commercially-available classification approach examined is easily implemented, the evaluation suggests that while adept at producing market segments that are accessible and stable over time, statistical relationships between our segment variable and the fishing behaviors and purchase behaviors were generally weak. The results highlight limitations of using this generic approach to develop market segments that exhibit similar within-group fishing and license purchase behaviors. Chapter two examines the relationship between a recent inland lake landscape-based classification effort and angler-reported trip characteristics from an ongoing, statewide angler survey. The research goal was to develop managerially-relevant inland lake angler descriptions. Results from a multinomial probit model largely supported the descriptive analysis. Marginal effects for several of the angler trip characteristics and species targets were large and statistically significant. While not originally intended as an angler behavior classification strategy, the result demonstrate that the lake characteristics and species assemblages used to classify Michigan’s inland lake resources may also serve as an integrated (social and biological) classification system for inland lake fisheries resources. In support of Great Lakes management plans, chapter three reports on a stated preference survey of Michigan anglers’ preferred outcomes from management activities in four Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair. Discrete choice trade-off questions were analyzed using conditional logit models. Results showed anglers generally expressed stronger preferences for management outcomes related to ecosystem health attributes and recreational opportunity attributes. To further demonstrate the managerial applications of the trade-offs quantified by the research, predicted preferences were calculated to illustrate the importance of species abundance relative to increasing average fish size. The model was also used to calculate choice probabilities for three hypothetical Great Lakes management strategies which differed in their emphasis on Pacific salmon, prey base, risks of ecosystem collapse and average fish size. Specifically, predicted probabilities were calculated for management outcomes that emphasized; (A) an fishery with more Pacific salmon and less native sportfish, (B) less Pacific salmon and more native sportfish, and (C) the status quo or same as today management option. In general, choice probabilities for the average angler, which can be interpreted as the average amount of support for management outcomes, were greater for management outcomes favoring a native species