Eliciting Willingness-to-Pay from Canadian Recreational Anglers to Fish on Watersheds Adopting Novel eDNA Toolkits: A Contingent Valuation Approach

This study employs a contingent valuation survey to elicit willingness-to-pay (WTP) responses from Canadian recreational anglers to fish on their preferred watersheds were they to adopt novel eDNA toolkits. The survey gathered responses from 999 Canadian recreational anglers using a double-bounded dichotomous-choice format. Other than WTP elicitation, this study also identifies how the provision of information influences WTP. Results from this study indicate that the provision of information has no significant effect on respondents’ WTP. It is found that Canadian recreational anglers would be willing to pay premiums between 7%-33% on previously reported annual fishing expenditure to fish on watersheds adopting novel eDNA toolkits. Findings from this study can be used to influence the future fisheries management policies, and it is argued that the expected increase in social welfare causes recreational anglers to have strong preferences for the adoption of this technology regardless of the information they are exposed to.