News Release Archives - July 2007
July 23, 2007
Fishing Statistics Positive in 2006
Despite North Dakota’s low water levels and dry climate last year, fishing license statistics showed positive results. In 2006, residents and nonresidents purchased more than 170,000 North Dakota fishing licenses, and including children, about 200,000 people fished state waters.
Fishing has long been a popular pastime for North Dakota residents. “Most families have one or more members who fish and virtually every North Dakota resident has a family member or close friend who fish,” said Greg Power, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries division chief. “In 2006, more than one in four residents, 15 years or older, bought a fishing license and on average spent parts of 19 days fishing.”
The three big fisheries in North Dakota include Lake Sakakawea, Devils Lake and the Missouri River/Lake Oahe. Numerous small lakes and rivers played a large role for anglers as well. “While Devils Lake and the Missouri River System are important, North Dakota’s 300 small lakes, reservoirs and rivers account for nearly 50 percent of all fishing effort and are very important locally,” Power said. “Fishing is good not only for walleye, but for northern pike, large and smallmouth bass, catfish, trout and panfish.”
While license sales are up from 2005, license sales have been consistently good since rebounding in the mid-1990s. The number of nonresidents coming to North Dakota to fish is also on the rise. “Over a 20-year period, we’ve seen an increase in nonresident fishing effort in the state,” Power said.
The current numbers reflect anglers’ enjoyment of fishing in North Dakota. “The state has a strong tradition and heritage of fishing and the statistics speak for themselves,” Power said. “The respectable level of license sales can be attributed to a number of events and actions, but most importantly we have decent water levels across most of the state and good to very good fishing.”
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