Aquaculture

• The 1995 farm value of Georgia's aquaculture industry was over $26 million.
• There are over 6,000 acres of catfish ponds in Georgia with a production farm value of $14 million.
• Other aquaculture species produced in Georgia include: ornamental fish, bait fish, alligators, crawfish, rainbow trout, hybrid striped bass, grass carp, largemouth bass, and various species of bream.
• Georgians consume about 258.5 million pounds of seafood annually.
• Over one-half the recreational fishing in Georgia occurs on privately owned ponds and lakes.
• There are approximately 100,000 privately owned ponds and lakes in Georgia.  This represents about 260,000 acres of impounded water.
• In 1991, there were 1.1 million state residents and nonresidents, 16 years and older, who went sportfishing in Georgia.  Of this total, 906,000 were state residents and 200,000 came from out-of-state.  Resident anglers spent $535 million in 1991 for fishing.
• Fishing on U.S. National Forest lands generated $1.8 billion in retail sales, $5.1 billion in total multiplier effects, $1.3 billion in salaries and wages, and 64,865 jobs annually in 1994.
• Fishing on U.S. National Forest lands provided $82.2 million in state sales tax revenues, $17.3 million in state income tax revenues, and $160.3 million in federal income tax revenues in 1994.
• Over the next 50 years, until 2040, cold water fishing is expected to increase 100%, while warm water fishing is expected to increase 50%, from 1989 levels.