RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Valuing Offshore Habitat to Recreational Anglers Using Cellphone Location Data
JF Land Economics
JO Land Econ
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 123025-0107
DO 10.3368/le.102.3.123025-0107
A1 Ahmadiani, Mona
A1 T. Woodward, Richard
YR 2026
UL http://le.uwpress.org/content/early/2026/02/13/le.102.3.123025-0107.abstract
AB Offshore structures, including operational and reefed energy platforms, strengthen marine habitats and generate economic value, motivating interest in quantifying their net benefits. We combine a Random Utility Model with Murdock's (2006) site-choice approach to estimate the nonmarket value of offshore structures to recreational anglers in the Western Gulf of Mexicoi (2019-2022). Recreational fishing trips are identified in cellphone location data using a machine learning classifier trained on Automatic Identification System data. Location choices indicate that anglers value destinations farther offshore, particularly those with operating and reefed energy platforms, while other artificial reefs generate smaller and spatially variable benefits.