How much money does recreational fishing contribute to the New Zealand economy?

May 22, 2020

The recreational fishing industry contributes a significant amount of money to the New Zealand economy, which in turn supports fisheries management and other government services. Research by the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation in 2016 found that $946 million was spent annually on recreational fishing. This spending generated $1.7 billion dollars in economic activity nationwide and it supported the equivalent of 8,100 full-time jobs. Recreational fishing generates $638 million in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a conservative $188 million in tax revenues annually.