Legally Licensed - the Conservation Benefits of Buying a Fishing License

Each year, millions of licensed residents and nonresidents fish Michigan’s beautiful waters, making recreational fishing the largest and highest-valued use of the state’s fishery resources. The number of unlicensed residents and nonresidents that fish these waters illegally, however, remains a mystery and, unfortunately, a big problem. This film serves as an education and outreach tool, which is intended to inform recreational fishers about the importance and conservation benefits of obtaining a state-issued fishing license. This film is intended to reach an audience of resident and nonresident recreational fishers, who either live in Michigan or are interested in visiting Michigan to participate in the abundance of world-famous recreational fishing opportunities this state offers. This film was prepared as part of a Michigan State University (MSU) graduate seminar course entitled “Telling your Story: Communicating Research to Diverse Audiences.” It was filmed at the MSU campus and in other East Lansing locations.