Recently I queried Janess Eilers about the number of charter fishing boats in Oregon. Eilers is the Registration Operations & Policy Analyst for the Oregon State Marine Board, who is responsible for licensing charter boats.
In March 2011 there were 243 licensed charter vessels in Oregon. Of these, 210 were "6 packs," smaller vessels carrying 6 or fewer people and not requiring Coast Guard inspection. That leaves 33 larger Coast Guard inspected vessels.
Birders use only 3 of the larger boats for pelagic birding on less than 10 days out of the year. That seems insignificant compared to the total number of boats available and the total number of trip days available on all those boats in a year.
According to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation there were 30.0 million US anglers (age 16 or over, 75% male, 92% white) of which 5.3 million (17.7%) fished salt water from boats. These salt water boat fishers averaged over 11 days fishing at sea during the year.
Of the wildlife watchers in the US, 88% watched birds. Of these, 19.9 million watched birds more than 1 mile away from their homes (age 16 or over, 54% female, 93% white).
Locally, Oregon had 483,000 fishers (16% of population). If Oregon's average is the same as the US in total, then about 85,330 fished from a boat in the ocean. At an average of 11 trips per year, charter boats carried nearly 950,000 people fishing in Oregon in 2006.
Oregon also had 675,000 away-from-home wildlife watchers. If the US average of 88% of these being bird watchers applies to Oregon, then there were approximately 594,000 bird watchers in Oregon in 2006.
So many interesting things to say about these numbers....
But for now, I want to tie it to charter boats and fishers versus pelagic birders.
The number of bird watchers joining chartered birding boat trips at sea off Oregon is no more than 250 persons per year. That includes about 20 people who take 2-3 trips each year.
So, there are about 20% more bird watchers than fishers, yet in one year, fishers take just shy of a million ocean boat fishing trips in Oregon, while birders take 250.
Obviously, there is a tremendous difference in the participation rate of going to sea in boats between the two groups (3800:1).
Why?
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Well, for me, i don't have to face the challenges of the sea to see birds -- they are everywhere. It's just not that important to me to see those birds. I'd rather go to Texas in the spring than get on an ocean going boat.
ReplyDeleteBut if someone wants to catch halibut or tuna, well, they have to go out on the ocean.
Who knows really?
greg haworth
Thanks for your comments, Greg. I think the same can be said for fishing, though, can't it? Fish are everywhere, from mountain streams to ponds and lakes across the state. And Texas has some different fish than Oregon. I am sure there are many fishers who won't go out on the ocean.
ReplyDeleteIf one wants to see albatrosses and petrels, well, they have to go out on the ocean, just as fishers must go in the ocean to catch tuna and halibut.
I wonder if it is a difference between consumption and non-consumption? Once does it for birds, so bird watchers don't "need" to go out and see them again (unless they are participating in a Year Listing activity, in which case on December 31 their previous sightings are "consumed" and they have to start over).
Thanks for commenting.
Greg
Yes Greg, I think you are correct when you say, “I think the same can be said for fishing, though, can't it? Fish are everywhere, from mountain streams to ponds and lakes across the state.” And I thought of that after I posted my comment.
ReplyDeleteOk, so here are some other thoughts.
I know some fishers who go out onto the ocean, charters and their own boats. I think you may be on to something – I do know it is the hunt for them. The size of the prey in the ocean is part of the draw. Recall the Hemingway “Old Man in the Sea”?
Now, about the birders. You’re comment, “Once does it for birds, so bird watchers don't "need" to go out and see them again” is interesting. It seems that it is directed at an assumption that all bird watchers are “listers”. I can tell you from my perspective that I’ve been observing the natural world for over fifty years. I have over a hundred note books filled with field observations, insect collections, leaf imprints, rock collections –etc. And, I have no idea how many species I’ve seen in any of the animal kingdoms. I keep databases, but just to check my memory not to tally.
How many of the “594,00” bird watchers in Oregon do you think actually keep numerical count lists and would be willing to spend the money and hazards of the sea to add to that list? I would think less than a thousand, probably less. You’re guess would be much more informed, as you are hooked into that group. I’d be interested in your thoughts on that and the recalculation of the “(3800:1)” ratio based on your experience.
My definition of birder is much stricter. Grandparents that take their grandchildren to the local pond once a year to feed the ducks qualify as bird watchers according to this survey.
ReplyDeleteThe government directly compares these "bird watchers" with hunters and fishers, including days of activity and money spent. But, at least with ocean boat trips, the comparison between fishers and birders fails completely. In my mind this casts doubt on the whole notion of the definition of "bird watcher" and the whole debate about terms birder and ornithologist.
Now if "fishers" were expanded to include people who travel more than a mile to EAT fish, then maybe the comparisons would be more equal to the broad definition of "bird watchers"? (Just kidding.)
Still, how many people would pay a license to watch birds compared to those who do so to hunt and fish? I might go fishing occasionally if no license was required. Mahi mahi. Yum....
Greg
Oh, and to answer another of your questions. Yes, by far the majority of birders on an ocean birding boat trip are listers. Or, at least, they are trying to see specific species they've never seen before, which is the basis of listing, whether they keep track rabidly or not.
ReplyDeleteThis makes them "birders" in my terminology--actively seeking all species in an area, but especially something they've never seen before.
Birders go out in boats, generic bird watchers not so much. If true, why?
Hmm...
Yes, i think this is the line of reasoning that is needed to answer your initial inquiry about participation rate, "Obviously, there is a tremendous difference in the participation rate of going to sea in boats between the two groups (3800:1)."
ReplyDeleteIt has to be in the definitions. "Bird watchers" are probably a much more diverse group in usage than fishers.
So, if you are wondering why the ratio is "(3800:1)" then i am proposing it is in these definitions and the intent of the individuals within them.
Specifically, fishers hunt and there are few sub-categories. "Bird watchers" on the other hand are mostly populated with "Grandparents that take their grandchildren to the local pond once a year to feed the ducks" and people like me. I still maintain there are very few people who "hunt" birds in Oregon.
I think this is at the center of the discussion, trying to answer your inquiry, "So, there are about 20% more bird watchers than fishers, yet in one year, fishers take just shy of a million ocean boat fishing trips in Oregon, while birders take 250."
I think that the 250 people who take these trips represents 25 to 50% of the people who keep tabs on species counts -- people who "hunt" birds for a tick on a list.
So, if there are "483,000 fishers " and "85,330 fished from a boat in the ocean" then that is 18% of the fishing population.
So, IF my estimates are correct then listing/hunting interested birders actually out number, percentage wise, the fishers in going to sea.
I think there are less than a thousand bird "hunters" in Oregon and 250 pelagic participants represents at minimum 25% of that group.
Of course it is all speculation on my part. As i said earlier, you are more connected with this group than me. How many avid bird hunters/listers do you think there are in Oregon?
greg