A Random Utility Model for Sportfishing: Some Preliminary Results for Florida

Abstract

The gray literature in the field of nonmarket benefit measurement has made extensive use of the random utility (or discrete choice) model in recent years, but few applications appear in the literature. This article provides such an application, illustrating the technique with preliminary results from a regional study modeling east cost sportfishing behavior. The article discusses some of the strengths and weaknesses of the random utility model. It also illustrates how data regularly collected by the National Marine Fisheries Service can be supplemented with economic survey data to estimate these discrete choice behavioral models.