Abstract

The USVI Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) throughits recreanonal fisheries assessment program iscurrently using various methods to gather information from all aspects of the recreational fishery. One of the sampling methods that the Division is currently evaluating is the use of telephone surveys to gather information from recreational anglers. A household telephone survey was conducted from December 1998 to July 1999. The USVI phone directory wasdivided in two stratums: (1) Sto Croix and (2) St. Thomas/St. John. Attempts were made to contact households units on each stratum listed in the US Virgin Islands telephone directory on a monthly basis. The response rate in St. Croix stratum was 75% whereas the response rate in St. Thomas/St. John was 55%. Of all household units contacted, 11% of households in St. Croix and 13.5% of St. Thomas/St. John stratum had at least one recreational angler. A number of 3,294 recreational anglers were estimated from St. Croix and 7,705 recreational anglers for St. Thomas/St. John stratum. Based on this survey, St. Croix recreational fishermen landed an estimated number of 35,225 pounds annually with a fishing effort of 11,844 hours. St. Thomas/St. John recreational fishermen landed an estimated number of 137,412 pounds annually with a fishing effort of 42,820 hours. The results of this survey indicate that during this study, 9.2% of the residents of the US Virgin Islands (approximately 11,000 individuals) fished recreationally.

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