Some interesting facts gleaned from the l996 National and State Economic
Impacts of Wildlife Watching based on the l996 National Survey of
Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Economics, Arlington, Va.
WILDLIFE WATCHING - 1996

National Washington State
Participation of adults 62.9
million l.62 million
Total Expenditures $29.2
Billion $875.3 Million
Total Industry Output $85.4
Billion $l.45 Billion
Employment Generated l,0l0,590
Jobs 2l,454 Jobs
Employment Income $24.2
Billion $426.9 Million
State Sales Tax Revenue $l.04
Billion $56.9 Million
Federal Income Tax Revenue $323.5 Million
Federal Income Tax Revenue $3.8
Billion $67.4 million

Over 34,000 interviews were completed with anglers, hunters and wildlife
watchers.
62.9 million people watched wildlife while 73.8 million watched
spectator sports like baseball, football, basketball, etc..

So you boiders should realize that wildlife watching (mainly birds)
brings in big bucks to the national econmy and should acquaint your
elected and nonelected officials of this instead of sitting on your
tailfeathers just watching birds and playing bird golf. As a retired
wildlife biologist, refuge manager and administrator I found you need a
lot of bucks to preserve, enhance and protect wildlife habitat and
wildlife species. Eugene Kridler, Sequim, Wa. ekridler at olympus.net
ref
.

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