A total of 19,403,465 persons in 50 States purchased one or more sport fishing licenses during 1962, the Department of the Interior reported today. The permits cost $54,163,163.
The totals are based on information furnished the Department by 50 State fish and game departments as a basis for distributing Federal aid funds for fish-restoration projects. In 1961 the total licensed was 19,394,177 and the cost of permits was $52,851,224.
Although the number of licensed sport fishermen is large, millions of other people go fishing, but are not required to purchase a license. Previous surveys of fishing and hunting by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife indicated there are more than 25 million sport fishermen 12 years or older in the United States. The unlicensed fishermen include most of those who fished in salt water along the coasts, and people who are exempt from license requirements because of age, veteran’s status or other reasons.
Some State fish and game departments require sportsmen to purchase separate licenses, stamps, permits or tags for fishing for different kinds of fish or for fishing in different areas. Many States offer trip or short-term licenses good for from 1-15 days. Other States issue only one license which is legal for all types of fishing. In many States minors are not required to purchase fishing licenses. Only six States require a license to fish in marine salt waters. Thus the total number of licenses issued does not exactly equal the number of fishermen in some States.
The attached table shows the number of paid fishing license holders, as certified by 50 State fish and game departments, and the number of licenses, stamps, permits and tag purchases, and the revenue received.
Alabama 413,159 518,284 27,659 545,943 $786,820
Alaska 53,583 42,015 14,783 56,798 343.156
Arizona 212,266 245,560 37,265 282,825 807,707
Arkansas 456,663 298,841 157,822 456,663 1,183,070
California 1,485,809 3,192,002 303,740 3,495,742 6,247,472
Colorado 413,525 296,628 120,556 417,184 1,501,931
Connecticut 107,545 104,172 3,373 107,545 414,522
Delaware 11,141 10,226 915 11,141 18,396
Florida 502,610 385,704 135,223 520,927 1,068,498
Georgia 495,822 484,040 13,241 497,281 588,994
Hawaii 4,209 4,109 19 4,209 8,824
Idaho 239,374 159,730 80,673 240,403 1,007,136
Illinois 700,654 683,964 21,813 705,777 1,487,023
Indiana 754,431, 726,290 34,209 760,499 1,013,848
Iowa 414,215 405,840 13,688 419,528 963,041
Kansas 271,362 261,919 9,857 271,776 827,360
Kentucky 316,090 247,257 69,713 316,970 1,021,961
Louisiana 223,031 202,297 22,304 224,601 272,429
Maine 229,019 153,647 76,545 230,192 758,381
Maryland 111,741 97,101 14,640 111,741 339,390
Massachusetts 183,924 140,957 4,946 145,903 578,165
Michigan 927,627 888,508 226,628 1,115,136 2,712,551
Minnesota 1,287,947 1,091,131 217,720 1,308,851 2,494,789
Mississippi 285,898 211,022 81,116 292,138 542,780
Missouri 691,005 746,863 137,903 884,766 2,509,597
Montana 235,709 183,594 47,544 231,138 459,883
Nebraska 221,301 204,919 16,382 221,301 468,054
New Hampshire 121,192 83,029 45,933 128,962 444,981
New Jersey 138,950 205,850 9,894 215,744 758,066
New Mexico 142,168 98,745 46,111 144,856 547,061
New York 727,246 678,346 48,900 727,246 2,379,985
North Carolina 319,277 433,336 44,067 477,403 933,267
North Dakota 72,719 50,194 4,076 54,270 125,411
Ohio 821,452 802,427 19,395 821,822 1,683,303
Oklahoma 462,695 381,957 83,459 465,416 1,036,088
Oregon 436,407 636,157 29,826 665,983 1,577,943
Pennsylvania 602,323 578,235 24,088 602,323 2,013,633
Rhode Island 15,207 21,315 505 21,820 51,555
South Carolina272,192 281,892 21,382 303,274 599,124
South Dakota 148,443 109,075 43,226 152,301 293,822
Tennessee 649,743 708,714 179,573 888,287 1,128,527
Texas 832,913 832,913 --3* 832,913 1,790,763
Utah 172,762 169,429 16,207 185,636 527,958
Vermont 101,028 70,107 32,004 102,111 240,066
Virginia 324,165 475,425 32,970 508,395 883,209
Washington 377,546 358,942 18,679 377,621 1,639,052
Wisconsin 1,060,000 693,615 377,854 1,071,469 3,620,729
Wyoming 132,168 70,899 65,655 136,554 679,179
Totals 19,403,465 20,015,191 3,069,423 23,084,614 $54,163,163
- A paid license holder is on individual regardless of the number of licenses purchased Data certified by State fish and game departments.
- Period covered not identical by certification for all States.
- Same license issued to both residents and non-residents.
Complied by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife from information furnished by the State fish and game departments.
