By Louie Stout

Is fishing big business in Michiana?

It depends what you consider big business, but it definitely contributes to the economy throughout this region, according to the most recent statistics provided by the American Sportfishing Association and Southwick Associates.

For example, in Jackie Walorski’s Indiana Congressional District 2, 167,062 anglers spent $64.7 million on fishing-related retail purchases in Indiana during 2017.

Statewide, 1,676,383 anglers spent $707 million while fishing in Indiana.

In Fred Upton’s southwest Michigan Congressional District 6, 174,163 anglers spent $157.6 million on fishing-related purchases in Michigan while 2,716,157 statewide anglers spend $2.4 billion while fishing in Michigan.

Nationally, 49 million U.S. anglers generated $50 billion in retail sales that created employment for more than 800,000 people.

If sportfishing were a corporation, it would rank 51st on the Fortune 500 list.

In another study conducted by Michigan United Conservation Clubs and Michigan State University, Michigan leads all Great Lakes states in jobs created from hunting and fishing purchases. More than 171,000 jobs were funded by sportsmen and those purchases generate $11.2 billion annually.