Fishing guide: Montana’s outdoor recreation industry threatened by climate change

If fishing opportunities dry up in Montana, so will tourists’ dollars and the jobs they support.

Outdoor recreation in Montana generates $1.5 billion in wages and salaries, $5.8 billion in consumer spending, $403 million in state and local tax revenue, and supports 64,000 jobs, according to surveys conducted by the Outdoor Industry Association.

Commercial and private fishing, in particular, are vital to Montana’s economy, and the effects of climate change on the state’s ecology and wildlife will have a big impact on that industry.

DAVID ERICKSON [email protected]

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