Assessing the economic value of fish stocked in inland waters: An application of a mixed approach to angling at the Prespa Lakes

Abstract The main goal of the current study was to determine how the consumer surplus value per stocked fish may be calculated using the change in the number of angler trips in response to the catchable stocking level for the current season. We also explored several independent variables that affect consumer surplus and daily catch rate. To do this, we conducted a case study in the Prespa Lakes watershed in southeast Europe using a mixed-methods approach. We achieved the goals by combining the findings of two travel cost method (TCM) regression models with a set of formulas. We made separate estimates for carp and non-carp angling. We collected the necessary data by administering a mail-back, semi-stratified, and self-reported survey questionnaire in 2023. The valuation estimates determined consumer surplus values of €0.171 for stocked non-carp fish and €0.059 for stocked carp. This shows the three-fold difference in net economic value per stocked fish between carp and non-carp. Carp anglers have a consumer surplus approximately twice as large as non-carp anglers, although non-carp anglers catch 4.08 fish per day on average, compared with 3.22 fish per day on average for carp anglers. Economic, socio-demographic variables and participation characteristics influence the demand for carp and non-carp fishing trips, as well as the number of target species each angler catches in a single fishing day, with varying levels of significance and sign. The findings of this study may aid policymakers in defending funding for initiatives targeted at sustainable fisheries management and protection. They will also assist fishery managers in creating more successful and resource-efficient carp and non-carp stocking programs.