Kim Iverson, Ray Rhodes, and Aja Lynch, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division, Office of Fisheries Management, PO Box 12559, Charleston, SC 29422-2559

Abstract. A survey of saltwater recreational anglers was completed to examine selected socio-economic characteristics of anglers using saltwater charter fishing boats, party boats and fee-based fishing piers in the coastal region of South Carolina. This research was initiated in response to socio-economic data needs identified by the SC Department of Natural Resources, especially with regard to visiting saltwater anglers. Primary data was collected by randomly distributing self-administering questionnaires to anglers participating in charter, party boat and pier fishing trips. During 1996, 7,225 usable questionnaires were collected with 71% (5,142) of these respondents representing about 6% of all reported charger and party boat angler trips. Anglers who were visitors comprised 95%, 87%, and 66%, respectively, of salt water charter, party boat, and pier anglers. Most visiting anglers were from SC (22%) (mainly inland counties) and coastal border states, North Carolina (20%) and Georgia (8%). The survey findings show that visiting saltwater anglers are a major consumer segment of coastal recreational fishing services. These findings, along with other data, will be used (1) to estimate the aggregate economic impact of recreational fishing services in the coastal region and (2) to analyze how sociodemographic factors could influence future fishing effort associated with these services.