Dept. of Game, Fish and Parks
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 28, 2001
For more information: Larry Gigliotti, 773-4231

2001 NATIONAL SURVEY OF FISHING, HUNTING AND WILDLIFE-ASSOCIATED RECREATION INTERVIEWING BEGINS APRIL 2001

PIERRE – State Game, Fish and Parks officials say that on April 1, the U.S. Census Bureau will begin interviewing people for the 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The survey is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the request of state fish and wildlife agencies. Interviews will be conducted primarily by telephone. However, people unable to be reached by phone will be interviewed in person.

The survey is conducted every 5 years to update information about fish and wildlife-related recreation. It is paid for with funds from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) and Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux) programs.

Survey data is used by fish and wildlife agencies to estimate demands for wildlife recreation and to analyze trends in participation and expenditures.

"It provides the only comprehensive statistical data available related to participation and expenditures on hunting, fishing, birdwatching and other wildlife-related recreation," said Human Dimensions Specialist Larry Gigliotti. "As such, it is an indispensable resource for wildlife officials, journalists, corporations, conservation groups and others interested in wildlife."

Participation is voluntary and all responses are confidential. Data collected will be used for statistical purposes only. No participant can be identified from information released in the reports.

Interviewing will begin April 1st with a screening of 80,000 households, nationwide. Representative samples will be chosen to include 30,000 anglers and hunters and 15,000 wildlife watchers (wildlife observers, feeders, and observers). Follow-up interviews will be conducted September 2001 and January 2002. Preliminary survey findings will be available in the summer of 2002. Final reports will be issued beginning in the fall of 2002.

For further information contact the Div. of Federal Aid's survey staff: Sylvia Cabrera, Richard Aiken, or Genevieve Pullis on (703) 358-2156. Updates will be posted on the Fish and Wildlife Service's home page http://fa.r9.fws.gov/surveys/surveys.html.

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