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More than one million recreational saltwater anglers went fishing in Massachusetts waters in 2004, according to the state Division of Marine Fisheries. In total, they spent over $1 billion. Numbers of saltwater anglers have been increasing steadily since the mid 1980s.
The figures show 350,000 non-residents visited the state last year. Another 550,000 anglers who live on the coast and 150,000 inland residents, fished in saltwater.
Part of the appeal of saltwater fishing in Massachusetts is the state’s unique geographic location. According to Michael Armstrong, Ph.D., a Division biologist, three major ecological zones converge here: The Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank and the Mid/Atlantic/Southern New England Bight. Numbers of striped bass, cod, haddock, fluke and blue fish have shown tremendous increases in 2004. False albacore, bonito, Spanish mackerel and weakfish are also increasing in numbers.
Saltwater anglers made over 4.5 million fishing trips and caught over 16 million fish in 2004. Twenty-five different species were caught, with the most popular being:
* striped bass (6.2 million fish)
* scup (2.7 million)
* bluefish (1.9 million)
* cod (1.2 million)
* dogfish (0.8 million)
* Atlantic mackerel (0.7 million)
* fluke (0.7 million)