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BOARD of DIRECTORS
Robert Bachman, PHD
Don Baylor
Sandy Bing
Al Caucci
Phil Chase
Jim Coz Costalnic
Fredrick Eck
Craig Findley
Lee Hartman
Jerry Holland
Bill Johnson
Martin Karess, Esq.
Tony Ritter
Jerry Stercho
John Warakomski
Paul Weamer
Jeff White
Jerry Wooland
LEGAL COUNSEL
Martin Karess, Esq.
Ralph Kates III, Esq.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Barry and Cathy Beck
Peter Bodo
Monte Burke
James Butler
Mary Dette Clark
Bob Clouser
Don Eckert
Paul Guernsey
Joe Humphies
Poul Jorgenson
Peter Kaminski
Nick Lyons
Charlie Meck
Mike O'Brien
James Prosek
John Randolph
Tom Rosenbauer
Nancy Shukaitis
Dick Telleur
Tom Valente
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Position on Regional Economic Impact
(click here if
you prefer Adobe PDF format)
The world famous upper Delaware River, and its equally renowned West Branch,
comprise not only the largest, but also one of the few remaining wild trout
rivers left in the Northeast. It is, however, much more than that. It is
also a tourism and economic engine that is dramatic - and that has yet to
reach its potential.
Let me explain it this way. What kind of direct dollars, tax abatements,
economic funding and a host of other incentives would a federal or state
tourism, or economic development related, agency provide to an industry that
would conservatively generate $58,000,000 a year in economic activity to
this depressed region? An industry that would create new jobs that could
never be out sourced and that required no new physical plant. One that
would constitute no environmental threat, that already had a trained work
force, that would substantially improve the economies of hard-pressed areas
in at least two states, and where control would remain local. These
premiums are only some of the attainable realities facing the fly fishing
related industry on the upper Delaware River.
The consumer for this industry is, indeed, impressive: The average fly
fisher is married (83%); nearly 90% attended college, the average income is
$140,000 and 90% own their own home. In direct support of this industry's
tourism product - fly fishing - some 95% traveled an average of 900 miles in
the past year, spending an average of $2800 per trip. Significant, for our
Delaware River fly fishing industry, some 58% traveled to the Rocky Mountain
States during the summer months for the purpose of fly fishing.
Reflecting these demographics, The American Sportfishing Association and
Trout Unlimited, in a jointly sponsored 1996 study, "The Economic Impact of
Trout Fishing On the Delaware River Tailwaters in New York" (done only for
Delaware County in New York, though it does provide a window into the
region) found that angling for the Delaware's wild trout resulted in some
$17.69 million in local revenues and generated some $30 million in local
economic activity. FUDR research has further disclosed that 70% of that
angler spending occurs in May and June, effectively, just a two-month
window. The perception of visiting anglers is that fishing falls off from
mid June to mid September due to poor fishing conditions on the Delaware.
Not that these anglers stop fishing. In large numbers, they do indeed
continue to fish; they merely travel to other destinations – like the Rocky
Mountain states mentioned above (57%) – where the seasonal fishing
conditions are considerably better. There is a way to stop this annual
hemorrhaging of tens of millions of dollars in lost economic impact, lost
jobs and forfeited development opportunities.
Our scientific advisors (acknowledged as among best in their field) have
advised us that properly regulated releases from the Cannonsville dam,
coupled with a minimum 600cfs release from that dam, would quadruple the
numbers of wild trout and would extend the current two month season to over
five months – rivaling, if not surpassing, the best of the western rivers
and within a day's drive of nearly half of the US population. The resulting
economic impact from this would, as I suggested, be dramatic. As mentioned,
70% of angler spending occurs in just two months; if we use an exceedingly
conservative growth factor of just 70% of those economic numbers, projected
for the expanded season the FUDR plan creates, we find the following:
Angler spending increases from $19.8 million to $34.6 million; local
economic activity increases from $33 million to $57.8 million and wages from
$4.4 million to nearly $8 million.
Now let me share why this will not only never occur, but that even the
current economics will be substantially reduced without your help: In April
of this year, the Delaware River Basin Commission - a federally constituted,
but both federal and state subsidized agency, joined with the City of New
York's DEP in a plan to unnecessarily restrict the historic Cannonsville
average releases of over 640 cfs – more than FUDR is calling for – to less
than an average of 160 cfs during the same critical months. Without having
offered any proof that has been independently verified, the Commission and
the NYCDEP both claim that there isn't enough water in the system – our
research confirms that there is more than enough water, and without
jeopardizing any human, municipal or commercial need. They raise the
specter of fear – drought. While I won't dwell on the problems inherent in
arbitrarily, not scientifically, determined drought curves (the formulas
used to forecast/determine actual drought, drought warnings or watches) I
will point out that FUDR has, of course, taken the consequences of this
naturally occurring phenomenon into account in its planning.
We need your help for this economic picture to be realized and we ask that
you consider using the auspices of your office to withhold state or federal
appropriations from either or both, the Delaware River Basin Commission and
the New York City DEP until their April Resolution is either modified to
accommodate what FUDR is calling for, or a new and more economically
friendly resolution is adopted.
Respectfully,
Craig Findley,
President
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