Fishing reels in success for local businesses

Sportfishing has a profound impact on the tourism industry in the Mat-Su Valley, and reaches across many sectors in the business community. King salmon, silver salmon and trout fishing play an important role in not only attracting visitors to our area, but also in keeping them in the Mat-Su Valley for longer periods of time, generating more business for local merchants.

It’s obvious that sportfishing guides, sporting goods retailers and tackle shops benefit immensely from a healthy sportfishing industry in the Mat-Su Valley. But when you look at the impact fishing has beyond those obvious businesses, it can be quite overwhelming.

Take a look at one sample fishing trip, and let’s say it’s a family of four coming from Fairbanks. They may stay at a local RV park for two nights while they are fishing, or perhaps they’ll stay at a bed and breakfast, generating not only income for the business owner, but they also pay a 5 percent room tax to the Mat-Su Borough. They may purchase tackle at a local outfitter, and hire a guide for those two days.

They also eat in a local restaurant twice while in the Valley, and then fill up their gas tank for their return trip home – that two-day fishing trip benefited a lodge, a gas station, a restaurant, a guide and even the borough.

Then follow the money they spent here in the Valley. The guide spends some of that money on a local welder to fix his boat. He has to fill up his boat’s gas tank for the next clients. The lodge owner takes that money to the supermarket to stock up for the next guests. The restaurant also buys supplies – like Alaska Grown vegetables – and it becomes quickly apparent that the multiplier effect of that one fishing expenditure has a big impact throughout the community.

In 2009, the Institute of Social and Economic Research prepared a report for the Mat-Su Borough on the economic impact of sportfishing. I encourage people to read the report to truly grasp just how important this industry is to the borough.

The Mat-Su CVB is hosting its annual meeting Friday, Nov. 19 at Evangelo’s. As part of the annual meeting, there will be a panel discussion, focusing on the economic impact of sportfishing. Panelists will host an open discussion with questions from the membership, and talk about not only the biological science of what is happening with sport fishing in the Mat-Su Valley, but also how local businesses can take advantage of a healthy fishing industry.

The meeting will start at 9:30 a.m. downstairs at Evangelo’s. At 11 a.m., the “Voice of the Membership” meeting will outline the Mat-Su CVB marketing efforts for the upcoming year, and successes from the previous year will be reported to members. At noon, the Mat-Su CVB will host an awards luncheon, where the stars of the industry will be honored for their efforts.

The cost for the entire half-day, including lunch, is $25. If you are interested in finding out how fishing can impact your business, and how you can leverage your business to take advantage of this resource, call 746-5000 to reserve your spot.

Casey Ressler (casey@alaskavisit.com) is the marketing and communications manager at the Mat-Su CVB.