Vol. 16, No. 10 / Economic Contributions of the Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing by Sector

Introduction

This newsletter summarizes the economic contributions of the Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing industry by sector from 2014 to 2023.
The economic indicators include income, value-added, sales, and job contributions. The saltwater recreational fishing sectors included are charter boats for hire, private boats fishing, and shore fishing.
The fishing-related durable expenditures are excluded due to the lack of data starting in 2019.
The losses to the industry associated with the 2019 Bonnet Carre Spillway disaster and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020 are measured.

Keywords

Economic contributions, Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing, charter boats for hire, private boats fishing, and shore fishing.

Methods

The losses to the industry associated with the Bonnet Carre Spillway disaster in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020 are estimated using the Mean-Difference model.
The Mean-Difference model estimates losses associated with a major disaster by comparing selected economic indicators in the year of the disaster to their means over the benchmark period.
The benchmark period is the years immediately preceding the year the disaster occurred. It is preferred to be at least three consecutive years without any other major disaster, 2014-18.
Losses occur when current values are below the benchmark mean.

Components and Types of Economic Contributions (Implan, 2024)

The total economic contribution is the sum of direct, indirect, and induced impacts.
Direct contributions express the economic contributions in the sector where the expenditure was initially made.
Indirect contributions result from changes in the economic activity of other industrial sectors that supply goods or services to the sector being evaluated.
Induced contributions are the result of personal consumption expenditures by industry employees.
The four economic contributions included in this newsletter are sales, jobs, income, and value added. These contributions are not additive. Each type represents a specific reported economic activity.
Sales are the gross sales of businesses within the economic region affected by an activity.
Labor income includes personal income, such as wages and salaries, and proprietors' income, or income from self-employment. Labor income consists of all forms of employment income, including employee compensation—wages, salaries, and benefits —and proprietor income.
Value-added contributions measure an industry's addition to the gross domestic product. It is the difference between an Industry's total output and the costs of its intermediate inputs.
Income, value-added, and sales contributions are expressed in dollars for the year specified by the user.
Job contributions are expressed in terms of a mix of both full-time and part-time jobs.

Components of the Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing Industry

Charter boats for-hire
Private boats fishing
Shore fishing
Fishing-related durable expenditures

Mississippi Marinas

An online list of Mississippi marinas with fully functioning pump-out or dump stations for proper disposal of all vessel waste is posted on the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources website.

Mississippi Marketmaker

An online directory of registered recreational fishing businesses is available on the Mississippi MarketMaker website.
An online list of recreational fishing businesses is shown when you type "fishing charter" in the search box.

Total Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips

The average number of Mississippi fishing trips during the benchmark period, 2014-18, is 4.61 million per year (Fig. 1), accounting for about 2.3% of the U.S. total.
The total number of Mississippi fishing trips fell to 4.23 million trips in 2019, 4.29 million in 2020, and 4.43 million in 2023.
The total number of Mississippi fishing trips rose to 4.77 million in 2021 and 4.71 million in 2022.

Figure 1 shows the Total Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips. The raw data source is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Figure 2. This figure shows the Sales and Job Contributions of the Total Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026)

Sales and Job Contributions of the Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing Industry

Between 2014 and 2018, the benchmark mean of Mississippi's total sales contribution reached $96.99 million, accounting for 0.4% of the U.S. total (Fig. 2).
Mississippi sales contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.
A total of 1,117 jobs were created in Mississippi by saltwater recreational fishing, adding 0.8% to the U.S. total.
Mississippi job contribution fell below the benchmark level in 2022 and 2023.

Income and Value-added Contributions of Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing

Total saltwater recreational fishing in Mississippi generated an income contribution of $31.69 million, accounting for 0.4% of the U.S. total (Fig. 3).
Mississippi income contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.
Total value-added contribution from saltwater recreational fishing in Mississippi averaged $57.25 million, accounting for 0.4% of the U.S. total.
Mississippi value-added contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 3. This figure shows the Income and Value-added Contributions of total Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Mississippi Charter Boats for Hire Fishing Trips

The number of Mississippi charter boat fishing trips during the benchmark period, 2014-18, averaged 23,815 per year (Fig. 4), accounting for about 0.6% of the U.S. total.
The number of Mississippi charter boat fishing trips fell to 20,203 in 2019, 8,984 in 2020, 12,578 in 2021, 11,757 in 2022, and 11,134 in 2023.

Figure 4 shows the Mississippi Charter Boats For-Hire Fishing Trips. The raw data source is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Sales and Job Contributions of the Mississippi Charter Boats for Hire

Between 2014 and 2018, the benchmark mean sales contribution of Mississippi charter boats reached $15.53 million, accounting for 0.5% of the U.S. total (Fig. 5).
Mississippi charter boats' sales contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.
About 177 jobs were created by the Mississippi charter boats, adding 0.8% to the U.S. total.
Mississippi charter boats' contribution to jobs fell below the benchmark in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 5. This figure shows the Sales and Job Contributions of Mississippi Charter Boats For-Hire. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Income and Value-added Contributions of Mississippi Charter Boats for Hire

Mississippi charter boats for hire generated $4.94 million in income, accounting for 0.5% of the U.S. total (Fig. 6).
Mississippi income contribution fell below the benchmark average from 2020 to 2023.
Value-added contribution from Mississippi charter boats for hire averaged $8.04 million, accounting for 0.8% of the U.S. total.
Mississippi charter boats' value-added contribution fell below the benchmark average from 2020 to 2023.

Figure 6. This figure shows the Income and Value-added Contributions of Mississippi Charter Boats For-Hire. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips

The number of saltwater recreational fishing trips by Mississippi private boats during the benchmark period, 2014-18, averaged 1.58 million per year (Fig. 7), accounting for about 2.1% of the U.S. total.
The number of saltwater recreational fishing trips by private boats in Mississippi was below the benchmark in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
The number of saltwater recreational fishing trips on Mississippi private boats exceeded the benchmark in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 7 shows the Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips. The raw data source is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Sales and Job Contributions of Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing

Between 2014 and 2018, the benchmark mean sales contribution from Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational fishing reached $42.39 million, accounting for 0.5% of the U.S. total (Fig. 8).
Mississippi charter boat sales contribution exceeded the benchmark average from 2019 to 2023.
About 438 jobs were created by the Mississippi private boats, adding 1.2% to the U.S. total.
Mississippi private boats' job contribution fell below the benchmark level in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 8. This figure shows the Sales and Job Contributions of Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips. The raw data source is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Income and Value-added Contribuations of Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing

Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational fishing generated an income contribution of $13.19 million, accounting for 0.7% of the U.S. total (Fig. 9).
Mississippi private boats' income contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.
Value-added contribution from Mississippi private boats averaged $24.52 million, accounting for 0.7% of the U.S. total.
The value-added contribution of Mississippi private boats fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 9. This figure shows the Income and Value-added Contributions of Mississippi Private Boats' Saltwater Recreational Fishing. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Mississippi Shore Saltwater Recreational Fishing Trips

The number of Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing trips during the benchmark period, 2014-18, averaged 2.99 million per year (Fig. 10), accounting for about 2.4% of the U.S. total.
The number of Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing trips was lower than the benchmark in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.

The number of Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing trips was higher than the benchmark in 2021.

Figure 10 shows the Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Shore Fishing Trips. The raw data source is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Sales and Job Contributions of Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Shore Fishing

Between 2014 and 2018, the benchmark mean sales contribution of Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing reached $39.06 million, accounting for 0.5% of the U.S. total (Fig. 11).
Mississippi shore recreational fishing sales contribution was higher than the benchmark average from 2019 to 2021.
About 502 jobs were created by shore recreational fishing, adding 1.1% to the U.S. total.
Mississippi shore recreational fishing job contribution was higher than the benchmark average from 2019 to 2021.

Figure 11. This figure shows the Sales and Job Contributions of Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Shore Fishing. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Income and Value-added Contributions AND VALUE-ADDED CONTRIBUTIONS OF MISSISSIPPI SALTWATER RECREATIONAL SHORE FISHING

Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing generated an income contribution of $13.56 million, accounting for 0.6% of the U.S. total (Fig. 12).
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing income contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.
Value-added contribution created by Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing averaged $24.69 million, contributing 0.7% to the U.S. total.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing value-added contribution fell below the benchmark average in 2022 and 2023.

Figure 12. This figure shows the Income and Value-added Contributions of Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Shore Fishing. The source of raw data is NOAA Fisheries (2026).

Summary, Limitations and Implications

Total Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing trips decreased by 8.2%, 6.7%, and 3.7% in 2019, 2020, and 2023.
Total Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing sales contribution fell by 25.6% and 25.0% in 2022 and 2023.
Total Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing job contribution decreased by 71.0% and 72.9% in 2022 and 2023.
Total Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing income contribution went down by 58.5% and 58.2% in 2022 and 2023.
Total Mississippi saltwater recreational fishing value-added contribution fell by 47.2% and 46.8% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi charter boats' fishing trips decreased by 15.2%, 62.3%, 47.2%, 50.6%, and 53.2% in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Mississippi charter boats' sales contribution fell by 50.7%, 30.0%, 82.0%, and 81.9% in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Mississippi charter boats' job contribution declined by 49.7%, 29.9%, 78.5%, and 79.7% in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, respectively.
Mississippi charter boats' income contribution declined by 63.8% and 64.0% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi charter boats' value-added contribution decreased by 56.4% and 56.6% in 2022 and 2023.
Saltwater recreational fishing trips on private boats in Mississippi decreased by 12.8%, 8.5%, and 2.7% from 2019 to 2021. They rose by 8.5% and 3.4% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational sales contribution rose by 16.1%, 24.8%, 34.6%, 10.1%, and 11.6% from 2019 to 2023.
Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational job contribution increased by 15.0%, 20.7%, and 28.4% from 2019 to 2021. Job contributions declined by 63.3% and 65.1% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational income contribution declined by 63.3% and 65.1% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi private boats' saltwater recreational value-added contribution decreased by 56.4% and 56.6% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational fishing trips decreased by 5.8%, 5.3%, 0.5%, and 7.0% from 2019 to 2020 and 2022 to 2023 and rose by 7.4% in 2021.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational sales contribution rose by 40.7%, 44.9%, and 66.7% from 2019 to 2021, and went down by 41.8% and 42.2% from 2022 to 2023.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational job contribution increased by 38.5%, 39.3%, and 58.0% from 2019 to 2021, and declined by 75.1% and 76.7% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational income contribution increased by 42.7%, 47.0%, and 69.0% from 2019 to 2021, and fell by 63.8% and 64.0% in 2022 and 2023.
Mississippi shore saltwater recreational value-added contribution increased by 44.1%, 70.8%, and 70.8% in 2022 and 2023, and declined by 56.4% and 56.6% in 2022 and 2023.

Acknowledgement

This newsletter is a contribution of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi State University Extension Service.
This material is based upon work that is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hatch project under accession number 100004, and
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the states of Alabama and Mississippi Federal grant number NA24OARX417C0155-T1-01.
The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of these funders.

Suggested Citation

Posadas, Benedict C. 2026. Economic Contributions of Mississippi Saltwater Recreational Fishing Industry by Sector. Mississippi MarkeMaker Newsletter, Vol. 16, No. 10. Mississippi State University Extension and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Publication MASGP-26-059-10. October 13, 2026. 17 pp. https://extension.msstate.edu/newsletters/mississippi-marketmaker

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