Traditional management strategies fail to arrest a decline in the catch‐per‐unit‐effort of an iconic marine recreational fishery species with evidence of hyperstability

Abstract

AbstractThe paucity of long‐term marine recreational fisheries data limits understanding of the effects of exploitation on target species. Long‐term catch‐per‐unit‐effort (CPUE) datasets for a large piscivorous carangid species, Lichia amia (L.), from 3 South African recreational fishery sectors were examined. Although standardised CPUE for all sectors showed an overall long‐term decline, there was considerable variability in trends between the recreational sectors and between datasets. Contrasting trends between competitive shore angling and general shore angling datasets were ascribed to hyperstability in competition CPUE data, which was most influenced by rapidly improving technology, techniques and communication networks amongst anglers. Month and locality were significant factors explaining the probability of catching L. amia. This suggests that the predictable aggregation behaviour of this species could further compound the observed CPUE hyperstability. Although the CPUE responded positively for 6 years after implementation of the first minimum size and bag limits, and for 1 year after the decommercialisation of the species, these regulations and their amendments failed to arrest a long‐term decline in CPUE despite ample evidence for hyperstability. Additional regulations, including a spatio‐temporal closure and the implementation of a voluntary regulation framework of catch and release, are recommended for this species.