Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

Abstract

<em>Abstract.-</em>The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has promoted urban fishing for years, but recent population growth added impetus to provide high quality fishing “close to home” for the state’s 17 million urbanites. A statewide network of community fishing lakes in small towns had been stocked annually with 229 mm channel catfish <em>Ictalurus punctatus </em>in the fall and 200 mm rainbow trout <em>Oncorhynchus mykiss </em>in the winter. However, this practice had limited success in providing year-round fishing or recruiting new anglers. Therefore, TPWD biologists developed an improved Neighborhood Fishing Program focused on the large metropolitan areas where 80% of the population lives. Initially, we reviewed programs in other states and then evaluated usage, harvest, angler expenditures, demographics and regulation compliance within the TPWD program. Our program enhancements were based upon ongoing evaluations and a model program has now developed that provides quality, year-round angling opportunities in metropolitan areas and targets nontraditional users. Our program aims to be self-supporting, easily expandable, to form effective partnerships, include angler education and tackle loans, plus have a successful marketing strategy. Some 30,000 anglers participated in the pilot phase in 2006 at eight small urban impoundments.