250 Commercial Aspects of Sport Fishing 



sudden interest in outdoor living and are frantically expanding camping 

 sites in an attempt to keep up. One forest supervisor estimated that the 

 numbers of campers using state- and federally operated camp sites in- 

 creased 10- to 20-fold in the period from 1955 to 1960. 



Concurrent with the interest in outdoor living has been the recent, 

 sudden, and widespread enthusiasm for power boats and associated 

 activities. In 1960 the State of Wisconsin made a survey of Wisconsin boat 

 owners, their needs, and problems.^ More than 200,000 boats were licensed 

 in that state, 130,000 by residents, 20,000 by nonresidents, and 50,000 by 

 boat livery operators. Ninety-three per cent of all of these licensed boats 

 were propelled by outboard motors of which about 60 per cent exceeded 

 10 horse-power. Owners often used their boats for several activities, such 

 as fishing, water skiing, and general boating. 



The uses of boats in aquatic activities were as follows: 



Fishing 81.5 per cent 



General boating 55.6 per cent 



Water skiing 25.5 per cent 



Hunting 16.6 per cent 



Overnight cruises 4.0 per cent 



Sailing 1.5 per cent 



Skin diving 1.1 per cent 



Racing 1.0 per cent 



Commercial 0.6 per cent 



They were taken out an average of 32.5 days per year, and about half 

 of the owners hauled them around on trailers. 



The Wisconsin tax on the gasoline used in boats amounted to $670,000 

 in 1960. As less than 10 per cent of this tax was refunded, more than 

 90 per cent was going into the state highway fund. 



This study for Wisconsin illustrates the interest in boating there and in 

 other lake states where many waters are available. However, even in 

 Wisconsin there are problem waters where the number of boats exceeds 

 use facilities. The most important needs listed by Wisconsin boat owners 

 were: (1) more launching ramps, (2) more auto and trailer parking 

 space, (3) improved launching ramps, (4) toilet facilities, (5) camping 

 areas near mooring facilities, and (6) more piers and docks. Ten other 

 categories were considered of lesser importance. 



Whether the campers, power boaters, and water skiers will continue 

 to place a strain upon available facilities is a question only time can 

 answer. There is little doubt that the fishermen will continue to be as 

 numerous as they have been in the past. Fishing gives opportunity for 

 mild exercise out-of-doors in surroundings that are highlv appealing to 



