WINTER 1986
A 1981 federal/provincial survey on the value attached to wildlife by Canadians demonstrates just how important natural flora and fauna really are to Nova Scotians. In 1981 about $185 million was spent on wildlife related activities in the province. Hunting and fishing accounted for just over half of this total, while trips to observe wildlife accounted for about one third.
According to the survey results, nearly 96 percent of Nova Scotians participated in some wildlife activity - hunting, fishing, trapping, watching birds, photographing wildlife, reading outdoor and nature books and magazines, or viewing films and television programmes on wildlife themes. Over 80 percent of the population of the province held the opinion that maintaining abundant wildlife and protecting endangered species were moderately to highly important priorities. Over half the households in Nova Scotia reported feeding wild birds during the winter as a family activity.
The following table illustrates the number of participants and the amount of expenditures in various popular wildlife related activities.
Activity | Participants | Expenditures |
---|---|---|
Big game hunting | 77,979 | $45,287,084 |
Small mammal hunting | 65,584 | 14,789,192 |
Upland bird hunting | 37,627 | 8,784,399 |
Waterfowl hunting | 22,875 | 10,184,178 |
Sport fishing | 185,040 | 20,004,270* |
Travel to observe wildlife | 127,250 | 60,056,910 |
Wildlife activities at home or cottage | 444,763 | 5,137,012 |
Maintaining natural surroundings | 34,905 | 16,268,173 |
Membership in wildlife/nature organizations | 23,207 | 4,456,992 |
Total | 1,019,230 | $184,970,210 |
*Does not include sport fishing expenditures by individuals over 64 or under 18 years of age. | ||
Reprinted from the Nova Scotia Resource Atlas | ||