Independent marine recreational bait and tackle retail stores provide a big boost to the U.S. economy, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study recently found.
In 2013 independent retailers contributed about $2.3 billion across the broader U.S. economy, including $796 million in income, according to the study, the first economic survey of its kind. The industry also supports nearly 16,000 jobs across the nation.
NOAA Fisheries released the figures last week at the 2015 International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades in Orlando, Fla.
“This study clearly shows the strong contribution of the bait and tackle industry to the economic health of our coastal communities and to the broader U.S. economy,” NOAA Fisheries senior scientist for economics Doug Lipton said in a statement. “And it gives us a good baseline for measuring the economic impacts of these businesses as we move forward.”
