EMBARGOED UNTIL: MARCH 27, 1996 (WEDNESDAY) Public Information Office CB96-41 301-457-3030 301-457-4067 (TDD) Ken Kaplan 301-457-3920INFORMATION ON WILDLIFE RECREATION TO BE UPDATED BY CENSUS BUREAU EMBARGOED UNTIL: MARCH 27, 1996 (WEDNESDAY) - Over 108 million Americans enjoyed some form of wildlife-related recreation, and spent $59 billion pursuing these activities in 1991. These recreationists included 36 million anglers, 14 million hunters, and 76 million participants in wildlife observation, photography, and feeding. This information from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation is gathered every five years and will be updated beginning in April by employees from the Commerce Department's Census Bureau.
Martha Farnsworth Riche, director of the Census Bureau, says, "It is important for surveyed households to participate because data gathered in the survey have many important uses. The data are used by state fish and wildlife agencies to estimate demands for wildlife-related recreation and to spot trends in participation and expenditures. It gives federal and state fish and wildlife agencies the information needed to do a better wildlife conservation job."
Data collection will be completed by February 28, 1997 and preliminary survey findings will be available in the summer of that year. The final national report will be issued in the fall of 1997, followed by a report for each state.
Respondents will be interviewed primarily by telephone throughout the survey year. Local households will receive a letter from Director Riche informing them of the survey. All individual information collected is kept strictly confidential and only statistical totals are published.
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