Economy Woes Hitting the Local Fishing Industry

Dateline:  Lund Layoffs 140 people.  Mercury Marine lays off 160 positions, Evinrude lays off 370, Heckel’s Marine files for bankruptcy.

These are some huge regional employment losses, and a concern for area fishermen.  Not only do these job eliminations cause harsh hardships for the individuals whom have lost their jobs, but the economic impact has a trickle down affect to the rest of the industry.   

The large corporations have made a job reduction for a reason.  It generally is for the survival of their company.  This slowdown started in 2005 in the boating industry and was not an overnight collapse.  One of the largest controllable expenses with in a business is labor.  It is generally the first cut outside of daily operational costs.  Promotions and Marketing is also a top reduction.  For tournament anglers, this means the loss of potential sponsorship dollars and a continuation of the spiral downward for the industry.

As evidenced in part earlier this year, a tournament like the Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) has a hard time to survive.  In October, this mammoth tour went out of the tournament business.  Other regional tournaments, like a Walleye Weekend in Fond du Lac, WI., becomes a topic of conversation if the marketing costs are worth the rewards for the sponsors. 

The individual who has become laid off now approaches daily life with a different outlook.  Their main focus is related to finding a new employer, and making ends meet.  This becomes a full time obsession, and leaves little time for recreational activities.   Even if an individual can capitalize on their “free time” it is likely the remaining family income will not be spent pouring gas into a boat to go fishing. 

The average angler may become a bit more frugal, spending less at the local bait stores.  Hey, their 401k just took a huge hit, so they tighten the reigns a bit. They may even cut back to the point of not purchasing the annual fishing license.  This limits the amount of monies heading to the Department of Natural Resources, and may put some great programs on hold which help sustain our fisheries’.

The good news is fishing is a staple of life for many Midwesterners.  Regardless of the economic conditions, most people will still fish.  They do so in a less expensive way.  Maybe it is ice fishing or shore fishing so no gas expenditure occurs.  The old artificial baits start popping out of the tackle box to see if they still work in lieu of the “state of the art lure” which is brand new this year.  Many fishermen start looking for a “shared ride” when hitting the waterways.  Websites like www.myfishingpartner.com become valuable to help find that other partner. (Sorry for the plug).

Fear not.  Fishing is not going away.  However, long term many anglers will have less options as to marketplace products, marine dealers, or local bait shops as they fall victim to the economy. This is a temporary situation and many good times are still ahead.  The question is when will the good times return?