Minnesota Fishing is Big Business

MINNESOTA FISHING Mille Lacs LAKE AREA TOURISM COUNC IS BIG BUSINESS EACH YEAR ANGLERS SPEND MORE THAN $1.8 BILLION IN MINNESOTA ON FISHING RELATED RECREATION. THIS HAS BENFITED THE ECONOMY BY CREATING JOBS AND BENEFITS LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCH AS GAS STATIONS, MOTELS, CAFES AND RESORTS A BIT ABOUT MINNESOTA AREA OF CONNECTICUT 3,547,520 ACRES FISHABLE LAKES: 5,493 FISHING WATERS: 3,800,000 ACRES FISH SPECIES IN MINNESOTA: 158 AMOUNT OF FISH CAUGHT IN 1 YEAR 1. PANFISH -9.7 MILLION LBS. 2. WALLEYE - 4.6 MILLION LBS. 3. NORTHERN PIKE - 4.6 MILLION LBS. THOSE 3 FISH SPECIES ALONE ACCOUNT FOR 18.9 MILLION POUNDS OF FISH IN ONE YEAR! THE DOLLARS AND CENTS ANGLERS SPEND MORE THAN $1.8 BILLION IN MINNESOTA ON FISHING-RELATED RECREATION EACH YEAR. THE BIG MONEY GOES TO: LITTLE ITEMS ADD UP TOO: BAIT BOATS $50 MILLION LURES, LINE, &TACKLE GAS $34 MILLION LODGING ICE $8 MILLION GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY: WHO BENEFITS? ACCORDING TO THE DNR, AROUND 2 GAS STATIONS MILLION MINNESOTANS FISH & AROUND CAFES 700,000 HUNT, GENERATING $3.6 BILLION IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND SUPPORTING 55,000 JOBS. BAIT SHOPS IN 2012 THERE WERE 1.2 MILLION MAJOR ANGLING LICENSES SOLD MOTELS THAT IS 22% OF THE POPULATION OF MINNESOTA RESORTS SALES FOR FISHING LICENSE PROJECTION FOR 2014: $4,000,000 SOURCES: http://www.twincities.com/ci_23218498/fight-at-capitol-over-whether-spend-new-minnesota http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/fishing.html