TITLE:
Local Economic Contribution of Trout and Salmon Production at McNenny State Fish Hatchery, Spearfish, South Dakota, USA
AUTHORS:
Riley C. Bushnell, Michael E. Barnes
KEYWORDS:
Fishing, Production, Economic Output
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Economy,
Vol.17 No.8,
August
18,
2026
ABSTRACT: McNenny State Fish Hatchery, Spearfish, South Dakota, USA primarily produces trout and salmon for stocking into public recreational fishing waters in South Dakota. Hatchery operations at McNenny are funded solely by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and an excise tax on fishing equipment. This analysis evaluated the contribution of hatchery expenditures and trout and salmon production on the economy of South Dakota for calendar year 2025. The statewide economic contribution attributable to hatchery operations in 2025 was estimated to be $120,000,000. Based on annual hatchery expenditures, the hatchery generated $133 of statewide economic output for every budgetary dollar spent in 2025.