Mario Du Preez

The value of the trout fishery at Rhodes, North Eastern Cape, South Africa: a travel cost analysis using count data models

Recent government legislation in South Africa (the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, No.10 of 2004) calls for the removal of trout from ecosystems and habitats where they may cause harm. The elimination of trout would, however, undermine the tourism appeal of many upper catchments in South Africa to recreational fishers. This paper reports the first formal recreational valuation of a trout fishery in South Africa – the one in and around Rhodes village, North Eastern Cape. The valuation is carried out by applying the individual travel cost method using several count data models. The zero truncated negative binomial model which allows for the non-negative integer nature of the trip data, for truncation as well as for over-dispersion, found that the consumer surplus per day and per trip to the Rhodes trout fishery was ZAR2 668 (US

The contribution of trout fly fishing to the economy of Rhodes, North Eastern Cape, South Africa

334) and ZAR13,072 (US

THE VALUE OF TIGER SHARK DIVING WITHIN THE ALIWAL SHOAL MARINE PROTECTED AREA: A TRAVEL COST ANALYSIS

1634), respectively in the year 2007, and the total consumer surplus generated was ZAR18,026,288 (US

Determining visitor preferences for rhinoceros conservation management at private, ecotourism game reserves in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa: A choice modeling experiment

2 253,286).

The recreational value of beaches in the Nelson Mandela Bay area, South Africa.

Recent government legislation, which calls for the eradication of trout from ecosystems where they may cause harm, could damage the tourism appeal of many South African catchments. However, no South African studies have tried to quantify the economic impact of removing trout from rivers and streams. This study aimed first to value the Rhodes trout fishery, North Eastern Cape, South Africa, and second to assess whether the trout fly fishing industry in Rhodes could form the foundation for the implementation of a local economic development initiative. Overall, the study found that the trout fishing industry directly generates approximately R5 658 240 per annum, and sustains a minimum of 39 direct job opportunities for the community of Rhodes, and can therefore provide the impetus for the creation of a tourism-based local economic development programme.