How Do License Prices Affect Participation in Recreational Fishing? Evidence from Pennsylvania

The long-run sustainable management of recreational fisheries in North America relies on license revenues to pay for conservation. This article examined the effect of changing license prices on purchases using time series data from Pennsylvania. I measured the effect of prices on yearly sales for three types of licenses: resident annual, nonresident annual, and 3-day tourist licenses. Results showed that demand is price inelastic for the annual licenses but slightly price elastic for the 3-day tourist license. An across-the-board increase in all license prices would not be an efficient way to increase revenues. In Pennsylvania, increasing the current price of the 3-day tourist license would likely decrease participation and revenues.