Page 110 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2022

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
story and photos by
John N. Felsher
A shrimper sorts through his catch, separating the shrimp from the bycatch as he prepares to sell live bait to fishermen.
110 | August 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
More than 400,000 anglers buy Magnolia State fishing licenses each year, not counting those with lifetime licenses or exempt from purchasing a license, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. License sales combined with federal matching funds contribute about $10.4 million annually to state coffers.
In addition, the state sells about 80,000 saltwater licenses annually. Anyone, Mississippi residents or non-residents, who hires a licensed captain for a fishing trip does not need to buy a Mississippi license. That entices many people to come to the Mississippi Coast to fish.
“A lot of people come down from northern Mississippi or other states to
fish the Mississippi Coast,” explains Joe Spraggins, the Executive Director for
the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources in Biloxi. “We probably see more than a $100 million annual economic impact on the Mississippi Coast from recreational saltwater fishing. This creates about 1,200 direct jobs along the coast for fishing guides and crews, people who sell bait and others.”
Economists estimate that every dollar spent multiplies at least seven times as it changes hands. This creates more jobs.
Coastal Fishing Creates Major Economic Impact