Majority Of Anglers Research Articles

Seasonality, distribution, and harvest trends of Crevalle Jack in Texas

AbstractObjectiveCrevalle Jack Caranx hippos are important coastal predators and support an increasingly popular catch‐and‐release sport fishery. However, population declines have recently been perceived by stakeholders in parts of the species' range. Here, we aimed to provide distribution and harvest trends for Crevalle Jack in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico.MethodsLong‐term fishery‐independent and fishery‐dependent data were collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from 1983 to 2021. Bag seine, bay trawl, and gill‐net samples were collected in conjunction with angler creel surveys. Crevalle Jack that were observed in fishery‐independent sampling were used to assess patterns in both juvenile and adult relative abundance, distribution, and seasonality. In addition, boosted regression tree models were used to highlight important predictors of Crevalle Jack presence. Crevalle Jack harvest observed during angler surveys was used to describe the fishery, including differences in inshore and offshore catch patterns. Relative abundance of both juveniles and adults was variable across years but displayed no trend throughout the time series.ResultCrevalle Jack of all sizes were found within inshore waters, with subadults and large adults particularly reliant on estuarine systems. Recruitment peaked in early summer, with juveniles occupying all major estuaries along the coast. Shifts in recruitment were evident in bag seines, as the mean date of catch trended almost 2 weeks earlier over the study period. The Crevalle Jack fishery was spread across inshore and offshore waters, with significantly larger fish harvested offshore during summer. The majority of anglers who harvested Crevalle Jack stated that they were specifically targeting other species, thus supporting the notion that the targeted fishery is mainly catch and release.ConclusionAs Crevalle Jack declines have been noted elsewhere in the species' range, these results could help to inform future management decisions in Texas.

Benefits from recreational catch improvements may hinge on fish consumption safety: Evidence from the Cape Fear River, North Carolina

Stock declines in the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina have prompted management actions to improve the ability of migratory fish species to reach suitable spawning habitat. Understanding the benefits of improvements to migratory fish passage will help policy makers make informed decisions regarding potential net gains from modifying existing locks and dams that inhibit upstream access by migratory species. A survey of licenced recreational anglers employing stated preference valuation methods was used to assess angler preferences and willingness to pay for improvements in fishing quality. Results from a contingent valuation exercise suggest that efforts to improve fish passage will generate economic benefits, with a majority of anglers willing to donate to a fund dedicated to improving the ability of migratory fish species to reach spawning habitat. Lower bound estimates of average willingness to donate range from approximately US $18.00 to US $21.00 per year, illustrating a viable source of revenue from donations by licenced anglers. Results from a discrete choice experiment suggest that recreational anglers have strong preferences for avoiding fish consumption advisories and catching more fish and are willing to incur higher travel costs for higher quality fishing trips, providing more evidence of benefits to recreational anglers from improving fish passage. However, anglers’ strong aversion to fish consumption advisories suggests that the economic benefits of improved catch quality will be significantly diminished if fish are not considered safe to eat.

Recreational anglers’ preferences about harvest regulations to protect a threatened freshwater fish in France

A number of freshwater fish particularly migratory species are currently under threat. As the pressure of recreational fishing has intensified, this activity needs to be more regulated to halt the decline of threatened fish stocks. This paper presents results of an economic valuation study of anglers' preferences for a change in the rules applying to Twaite shad fisheries in south-western France. Twaite shad has become a “near-threatened” species, with the same IUCN status as the Atlantic salmon. As shad recreational angling continues to be open access, new regulations are required to limit recreational harvest in support of a management strategy to prevent stock reduction even to foster stock recovery. We combined a deliberative choice experiment with open group discussion to obtain an in-depth understanding of anglers' preferences between two types of traditional regulatory instrument – a license fee or a bag limit. The closure of the fishery served as the reference scenario. The results indicate that the majority of anglers were aware of the decline of Twaite shad stocks. The recreational value of the species remains high, especially for those who already target migratory species. Although econometric estimations show that there are heterogeneous preferences across anglers, there were support for a change toward a bag limit, and an aversion for a high-priced licence fee. The findings also provided two key insights to improve recreational fishing management and preservation policy for threatened species. The communication of observation data on fish stock could not be considered as a sufficient ecological information to ensure threatened species monitoring leads to an effective co-management with anglers' community. Anglers’ aversion to loss can be seen as a behaviour mechanism towards the preservation of the species rather than to its use.

Use of Angling Gear to Evaluate the Potential Benefits of Minimum Length Limits on a Highly Mobile Midwestern Blue Catfish Population

AbstractBlue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus provide a popular sport fishery in Mark Twain Lake, Missouri, but little is known about their population demographics or exploitation by anglers. Our objectives were to (1) determine population demographics of Blue Catfish, (2) determine exploitation of Blue Catfish, and (3) determine whether new harvest regulations would improve the quality (e.g., size structure and abundance) of the fishery in Mark Twain Lake. We sampled Blue Catfish by using jug lines baited with pieces of Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, the gear used by the majority of anglers in this reservoir. Blue Catfish grew slowly, reaching a preferred size (762 mm TL) in about 12 years. Annual mortality was estimated at 24.8% using a weighted catch curve. Using reward tags, we estimated exploitation to be between 8% and 12%, and we modeled the effects of 508‐, 610‐, and 660‐mm minimum TL limits on yield and size structure of the Blue Catfish population relative to a baseline of 381 mm TL, the smallest fish usually harvested by anglers. All three length limits increased the proportion of larger fish (≥762 mm TL) in the population without reducing yield, except for slight decreases (6% and 10%) under the 610‐ and 660‐mm limits at the highest modeled natural mortality rate. We recommend the 610‐mm limit instead of the 660‐mm limit because it allows more harvest and higher yields with increases in natural mortality and still doubles the proportion of larger fish relative to the 508‐mm limit.

Could a Harvest-Based Citizen Science Program Be an Effective Contribution to Fisheries Research?

We surveyed 105 St. Louis River Estuary (SLRE) ice-anglers near Duluth, MN, USA to quantify their interest in participation in a harvest-based citizen science program. This hypothetical program would allow anglers to participate in the generation of scientific knowledge about their fishery, while still taking their fillets home. It would also provide researchers with specimens, mostly walleye (Sander vitreus), to gather data typically requiring euthanized fish (determining sex prior to spawn, diet studies, otoliths for aging and microchemistry, etc.). Our data suggests that most anglers (96% of in-person responses and 92% of online responses) would be interested in participating if fish processing stations were located close to their ice-fishing location. The majority of anglers (95% of in-person responses and 77% of online responses) indicated that receiving a personalized end-of-season report summarizing the information gained from their fish-harvest contributions would make them more likely to participate. These results imply that the hypothetical program could be successful within the SLRE with the proper selection of locations, advertisement, and plans for sharing information. This study has implications that may be useful for researchers and managers of other fisheries with an ample and engaged angling community. Despite some challenges to this approach, it has the potential to be a legitimate method for acquiring fisheries research materials, and at the same time strengthen anglers’ trust of managing institutions.

Fishing Mortality and Habitat Loss Affect Largemouth Bass Fishery in the Potomac River (Maryland)

Abstract Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides is arguably the most popular sport fish of inland waters in the United States. The majority of anglers in the fishery practice catch and release. Catch-and-release guidelines aim to reduce negative impacts of angling on individual fish, though such impacts on populations are not widely reported. We hypothesized that a decline in the population size for Largemouth Bass from a catch-and-release fishery from the Potomac River resulted from a period of greater fishing mortality followed by habitat loss that reduced the recovery of the population. After we analyzed several years of fishery-dependent and independent data (1999–2015), it was determined that fishing mortality and relative exploitation were greater than average in the latter half of the 2000s than in previous years. Fishery-independent survey results suggested a loss of large fish and decline in population size. The relative abundance of juveniles subsequently declined possibly because the area of submerged aquatic vegetation used as nursery habitat had declined after tropical storms. For management purposes, we suggest that fishing mortality not exceed 28% for a sustainable fishery (assuming similar levels of natural mortality) in the Potomac River. Negative impacts to Largemouth Bass populations could be lessened by reduced harvest and widespread enforcement of catch-and-release guidelines, especially during times when angler effort is high, fish are highly accessible to anglers in the fishery, and habitat loss limits recruitment.

Insights into fisheries management practices: using the theory of planned behavior to explain fish stocking among a sample of Swiss anglers.

Using inadequate management tools often threatens the natural environment. This study focuses on the example of Swiss recreational fishermen (hereafter called “anglers”) as recreational fisheries management stakeholders. In recreational fisheries, fish stocking conducted by anglers has been identified as one important factor associated with declining fish catches. We therefore aimed to a) gain insights into why anglers want to maintain fish stocking and b) identify entry points for interventions to promote more pro-ecological management practices. Results (N = 349) showed that the majority of anglers think very uncritically about stocking and that they frequently engage in it. We conclude that outcome expectancies and beliefs about risks, in combination with a lack of stocking success controls are the main reasons that anglers retain stocking measures. We suggest that providing anglers with direct experience and feedback about stocking success is suitable to change their intentions regarding stocking and their actual stocking behavior, and thus, to promote more pro-ecological management methods. From a more general perspective, the results of this study are likely to help improve pro-ecological ecosystem management in other domains where problems similar to those in recreational fisheries management might exist.

Angler exposure to domoic acid via consumption of contaminated fishes

Domoic acid (DA) is a neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning, and fish are recog- nized vectors of DA to marine fauna. However, the exposure of anglers through consumption of DA- contaminated fish is unknown. We measured DA in 11 fish species targeted by Santa Cruz Wharf (SCW) anglers in Monterey Bay, California, USA, and sur- veyed anglers regarding their fish consumption pat- terns. In addition, we used California mussel Mytilus californianus DA data provided by the state of Califor- nia and our measurements of DA in seawater to exam- ine the associations between DA in fish viscera versus in mussels and seawater. DA was detected in the vis- cera of 7 fish species commonly consumed by anglers, and toxin uptake in fishes varied according to their diet. DA was almost entirely in the viscera, with low DA concentrations detected in muscle tissue. The majority of anglers (58% of 565) reported consuming their catch, with a small fraction ingesting the viscera. Total DA concentrations in fish decreased significantly after 11 mo storage at -20°C. DA concentration in sea- water and California mussels was correlated with DA in the viscera of some but not all fish groups. We con- clude that SCW anglers who consume their catch are exposed to asymptomatic DA doses, and that exposure is a function of the species and parts consumed, as well as storage methods and DA levels in the seawater when the fish are caught.

Preferences, Specialization, and Management Attitudes of Trout Anglers Fishing in Tennessee Tailwaters

AbstractEfforts to manage several trout fisheries in Tennessee have been stymied by conflicts between management agencies and angler groups. To assist in preventing such conflicts in the future, we examined attitudes and motivations of trout anglers who fished eight tailwater fisheries in Tennessee during 2001–2002. Using a stratified random sampling design, anglers were contacted and interviewed on site (n = 2,643). Those anglers who agreed to complete a questionnaire (n = 1,942) were mailed a 10‐page survey. Response rate to the mail survey was 55% after excluding surveys that were undeliverable. Angler subgroups were created using hierarchical cluster analyses of 14 variables related to experience, resource use, investment, and centrality of fishing to their lifestyle. Five subgroups of minimally to highly specialized anglers were identified, and nonhierarchical cluster analysis determined the size of each group (n = 178–369 anglers/group). Subgroups differed in the importance they attached to harvesting trout and catching trophy trout. The most disparate mean ratings among subgroups were for the motive of “obtaining fish to eat.” Specialized anglers placed greater importance on catching a trophy fish, experiencing the catch, developing their skills, releasing fish, and restrictive regulations than did less‐specialized anglers. Mean ratings for most of nine fishing regulations presented to anglers differed among tailwaters; however, bait restrictions and closed seasons received little support across all rivers. The Caney Fork, Clinch, and Hiwassee rivers had the most uniform distributions of anglers among the five subgroups and thus had a relatively high potential for conflicts over management decisions. The fisheries on the Elk, South Fork Holston, and Watauga rivers were dominated by the most specialized subgroups, indicating that the majority of anglers on those rivers would accept restrictive regulations.

Human mercury toxicity and ice angler fish consumption: are people eating enough to cause health problems?

Mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystems is a global environmental concern. Bioaccumulation of mercury in fish exposes consumers to risk. We interviewed ice anglers on Monona Bay, Wisconsin during the 2001-2002 ice fishing season to determine risk associated with fish consumption and methyl mercury (MeHg) intake. The majority of anglers (95%) were not at risk of mercury toxicity because they ate less fish than would be required to create health problems. The remaining 5% of ice anglers barely exceeded the mercury toxicity threshold, with the exception of one angler who exceeded the threshold by 0.926 ppm. Anglers encountered were all male and predominantly Caucasian. Fish consumption by ice anglers was independent of awareness of consumption advisories, education, income, and age. This suggests that future awareness efforts should (1) identify groups of anglers most at risk and (2) create policies to effectively reach these audiences.

Exemption of Bass Tournaments from Fishing Regulations: An Opinion Survey

A telephone survey was conducted regarding tournaments for largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in Kansas reservoirs. A total of 297 Kansas licensed anglers were contacted and asked to be interviewed; these anglers were also respondents to the 1995 Kansas Licensed Angler Use and Preference Survey. Anglers were grouped into three categories: largemouth bass anglers in a sporting club (club), largemouth bass anglers not in a sporting club (nonclub), and nonlargemouth bass anglers not in a sporting club (general). Response rates for angler categories were 77% for club, 88% for nonclub, and 89% for general. More club anglers participated in fishing tournaments in Kansas than nonclub or general anglers. The majority of anglers in all angler categories either agreed or strongly agreed that fishing tournaments should be held on Kansas reservoirs. The majority of anglers in all angler categories disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “Fishing tournaments for largemouth bass in Kansas that require live release should not have to follow the 18-inch length limit.” Similarly, respondents in all angler categories disagreed that largemouth bass fishing tournaments should be exempt from current creel limits. These data provide important information for managing largemouth bass fishing tournaments on Kansas reservoirs.