The Gulf Recreation Study: Assessing Lost Recreational Trips from the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill

In the wake of a massive offshore oil spill, federal and state agencies undertook studies to determine the reduction in outdoor recreational trips along the Gulf of Mexico. This paper describes three of those efforts, which gauged the impact of the oil spill on beach visits, boating, and fishing. Together the studies represented an enormous undertaking, involving nearly half a million aerial photographs, 35,000 onsite counts, and 129,000 interviews over a period of three years. For each activity, samples of time-place combinations were quickly developed and systematic data collection covering hundreds of miles of the most affected areas began within six weeks of the start of the spill and soon expanded to cover more than 1,000 miles of shoreline. The research used a mix of aerial and onsite counts and interview data to estimate the reduction in recreation due to the spill. "Baseline" estimates were developed that represented what the level of recreation would have been in the absence of the spill. These estimates were derived from the observed levels of recreation at a later period when the spill was unlikely to have had continuing effects on recreation, with adjustments for differences in the weather between the baseline period and the period immediately after the spill. Overall, the results suggest that there were about 12.3 million fewer visits to the beach because of the spill. In addition, 215,000 fewer boaters went out in the Gulf and anglers made 144,000 fewer fishing trips. We conclude with a discussion of the lessons learned from the study.