Recreational Fishing Activities Research Articles

Marshes to mangroves: Residential surveys reveal perceived wetland trade-offs for ecosystem services

Coastal landscapes are rapidly changing due to both climate change and the decisions of waterfront landowners. For instance, the climate-driven encroachment of woody mangrove species into grassy marshland areas is predicted to impact coastal ecosystems, with consequences for the ecosystem services these landscapes provide to people. However, there is a dearth of knowledge concerning coastal resident perceptions of the effects of mangrove expansion on wetlands and their ecosystem services, which may impact residents’ behavior around shorelines and landscape-level patterns. We surveyed waterfront residents in the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA) to understand perceptions of the relative performance of marshes and mangroves to deliver fisheries ecosystem services. Residential-scale shoreline condition and preference, recreational fishing activity, geography, and demographics were evaluated as potential predictors of resident perceptions through non-parametric comparisons across groups and ordered logit modeling. Significant predictors included area of residence, marsh shoreline condition, marsh shoreline preference, fishing frequency, and household income. Florida residents (where mangroves are most prevalent) and frequent recreational fishing participants exhibited stronger preference for mangroves. Unexpectedly, residents with marsh currently present on their shoreline also perceived that mangroves were better at delivering fisheries ecosystem services than marshes. Considering the important role that coastal residents play in shoreline management decisions, these results demonstrate how coastal resident attitudes may drive or mediate climate-driven processes in ways that are not evident by examining environmental conditions alone. Understanding social-ecological shifts due to climate change will be important to inform effective landscape management that promotes resilience in coastal ecosystems and societies.

Assessing the Role of Policy in the Evolution of Recreational Fisheries in Chinese Fishing Villages: An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Delphi Method Analysis

Recreational fisheries in Chinese fishing villages have undergone significant transformation due to supportive government policies. This study develops a comprehensive indicator to objectively assess the development of recreational fisheries under rural revitalization policies. Six key dimensions were identified using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Delphi method. The findings indicate that fishery resource conditions and environmental conditions are paramount, followed by service conditions, activities, policy conditions, and accommodation conditions. Key success indicators indicate the importance and priority of implementing policies, including “Tasting delicious aquatic products”, “Government support”, “Recreational fishing activities pricing”, and “Talent revitalization.” This study concludes by offering strategic recommendations to prioritize recreational fisheries within rural revitalization policies, utilizing identified indicators for policy implementation, and establishing a dedicated promotional group. These insights are essential for stakeholders and policymakers to promote sustainable and economically viable recreational fisheries in China.

Performance indicators of the red grouper (Epinephelus morio) fishery along the Yucatan coast, Southeast Mexico

This study assesses the Fishery Performance Indicators (FPI) of the red grouper fishery, currently overexploited, aiming to identify factors for sustainable management and economic growth. Evaluation spans commercial and recreational fishing activities and encompasses output indicators focusing on ecology, economy, and community, through 68 metrics, including measures related to stock abundance, ecosystem impacts (e.g., habitat degradation, bycatch rates), and social aspects (e.g., community participation in management). Input indicators assess enabling conditions such as diseases, water quality, air pollution, biodiversity, etc. Scoring involved reviewing fishery data and information from various sources including scientific literature, technical reports from workshops and meetings, journalistic notes, databases, and unpublished data; with each metric scored according to its specific system. The red grouper fishery exhibits strengths in harvest and community involvement but grapples with stock and ecological concerns. Medium-size fleet perform adequately, yet challenges arise from aging vessels and market fluctuations. Artisanal fleet encounter issues like illegal fishing and economic struggles, while recreational fishing faces stock and ecological worries. Persistent environmental and governance challenges underscore deficiencies in management practices and fishing markets. Enhancing the red grouper fishery requires fair pricing, effective stock management, and sustainability efforts in co-management, fisheries management, and post-harvest processes. Improving gear selectivity is crucial for effective stock management, involving minimizing catches of juvenile red grouper and incidental species. Insufficient bargaining power results in an unfair market and disadvantages for fishermen, leading to losses. To address these issues, it is essential to diversify market channels, stabilize prices, and advocate for fair pricing mechanisms. Empowering fishermen through collective bargaining and regulating credit agreements can ensure fairness. Additionally, policy interventions are necessary to support fishermen and foster a more equitable industry.

Developing U.S. West Coast recreational fishing community measures: Applying an index approach in the context of COVID-19 and social vulnerability

Despite the socio-economic importance of recreational fishing across many coastal communities, a well-defined conceptualization for place-based recreational fishing communities has remained noticeably absent across the U.S. West Coast. Following the framework of natural-resource dependence, this study constructs and evaluates recreational fishing indices, which serve as tools for assessing the involvement and impact of recreational fishing within different communities at the scale of the Census Designated Place. Components of the indices are selected to construct an engagement index of the overall economic activity related to recreational fishing, while a reliance index considers engagement per capita. The indices were then conceptually validated through correlation analyses with proxies for participation and interest. Temporal variations in both indices were evaluated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through a series of mixed-linear models, providing the first detailed assessment of the pandemic's impact on recreational fishing activity across the region. Despite shifts in individual angler participation and interest, the indices remained stable, with engagement declining following the pandemic. Additionally, the communities are evaluated with regard to their social vulnerability, finding communities with higher engagement as less vulnerable than those with higher reliance. Overall, this work provides valuable insights for identifying and assessing recreational fishing communities, potentially informing more sustainable and socially equitable management approaches.

Spatial ecology of the Giant Sea Bass, Stereolepis gigas, in a southern California kelp forest as determined by acoustic telemetry.

The fisheries history of the Giant Sea Bass, Stereolepis gigas (Telostei: Polyprionidae), is closely linked to its spatial ecology. Its overharvest is directly associated with formation of spatially distinct spawning aggregations during summer, while its subsequent recovery is hypothesized to be the result of spatially explicit gear restrictions. Understanding the spatial ecology of Giant Sea Bass is a key part of efforts to assess contemporary threats such as commercial harvest and incidental catch by recreational fisheries. In this study, we used acoustic telemetry to characterize Giant Sea Bass space use in the La Jolla kelp forest using an acoustic array that encompasses two marine protected areas (MPAs) and heavily trafficked recreational fishing grounds. Five of the seven fish we tagged remained in the La Jolla array for at least 6 months. Two fish were resident across multiple years, with one fish consistently detected for 4 years. Only one fish was detected in the broader network of regional acoustic receivers, moving north approximately 8 km to Del Mar. Most tagged fish had home ranges and core use areas indicating they spend considerable time outside MPAs, particularly in areas with high recreational fishing activity. During spawning season we detected fish less frequently in the La Jolla array and recorded higher movement rates. While the current MPA network in La Jolla by no means offers complete protection to this fish, it does appear to support long-term persistence of some individuals in a region of exceptionally high recreational fishing pressure.

Hook Types Influence The Catch Effectiveness, Injuries, and Survival Rates of Fishes in Recreational Fishing

The physical damage inflicted on captured fish in recreational fishing activities tends to be influenced by hook type. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the suitability of hook type for catching fish as well as the evaluation of injuries and survival rates after catch-and-release. The sampling was conducted at a recreational fish pond situated at Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus from July until November 2022. Three sets of fishing rods with two types of hooks (circle hook & octopus hook) were used in this study. The catch efficiency, injury level, and survival rates of both types of hooks were assessed. A total of 41 and 22 fish were successfully caught using circle hooks and octopus hooks, respectively. Of the total fish caught, 39 out of 41 and nine out of 22 of the fishes caught were tilapia. The hooking location (non-critical area) of octopus hooks and circle hooks on the tilapia was approximately 100% and 81.8%, respectively. A total of 15.38% of hooks are located within the critical area (gills) of tilapia when using the circle hook and none for octopus hooks. There was 100% mortality in fish hooked in the critical area, for instance, hooks pinned inside gills. This occurrence may relate to the shape of the circle hook whereby the length of the gape is shorter in comparison to the octopus hook. Now when fish ingested the bait, the hook easily entered deeper areas of the fish’s mouth, which led to severe damage. Thus the present study recommends the use of octopus hooks in recreational fishing to reduce fish mortality rate for catch and release excursions. The results obtained from this study will be useful baseline input for recreational anglers to improve C&R practices in Malaysia.

Leveraging data from a private recreational fishing application to begin to understand potential impacts from offshore wind development

Abstract The development of offshore wind energy in the United States necessitates a sound understanding of trade-offs across ocean uses. Location data on private recreational fishing have been a glaring gap in understanding how society uses marine resources, despite its economic importance. In this study, we use a novel data set to start to fill that knowledge gap. We employ a flexible restricted likelihood spatial scan statistic on data from Fish Rules, a smartphone application, which provides georeferenced species-level regulations, to understand whether species-level data of user queries are clustered spatially. Originally developed for epidemiological studies of disease clusters, the flexible scan statistic employed in this study uses a Bernoulli likelihood ratio test to assess the size, number, and significance of clusters in presence/absence data for recreational species. We use a second data set of known fishing locations to validate that the clusters identify private recreational fishing activity. We then discuss the analysis in the context of wind lease areas in the region, highlighting its value in supporting management decision-making. The results suggest that Fish Rules data identify areas with a high likelihood of being private angler fishing locations and can assess differential impacts of offshore wind development on private recreational fishing activities.

Interactions between breeding gulls and monofilament lines at one of the main recreational fishing sites in Argentina

Monofilament fishing lines lost or discarded during recreational fishing activities often result in negative impacts on marine organisms. We assessed the interactions between Kelp and Olrog's gulls (Larus dominicanus and L. atlanticus, respectively) and recreational fishing at Bahía San Blas, Argentina. Monofilament lines constituted 61 and 29 % of total debris items recorded along beaches in the low and high fishing seasons, respectively. A total of 61 balls of tangled lines were also found within Kelp and Olrog's gull colonies. No Olrog's Gulls but nine Kelp Gulls were found tangled with monofilament lines within colony boundaries, seven of which were caught in vegetation. No Kelp or Olrog's gulls foraging in recreational fishing areas were observed tangled with lines. Monofilament lines did not negatively affect gull populations during the study period, but actions are needed to correctly manage their disposal given the relevance of Bahía San Blas as a recreational fishing area in the region.

A Smallholders’ Mariculture Device for Rearing Seafood: Environmentally Friendly and Providing Improved Quality

The aquaculture industry in Taiwan grosses more than USD 1.1 billion annually; however, it also generates considerable waste discharge (causing eutrophication in estuarine and coastal waters) and heavy groundwater withdrawals (causing land subsidence in coastal areas). Many aquaculture facilities using earth ponds are affected by benthic algae, resulting in an earthy odor, and fixed-cage farms are difficult to relocate during cold weather events. In this study, we tested small-scale (~15 ton) mobile cage tanks for the nearshore rearing of white shrimp and grouper in the Yung-An district of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. At the conclusion of the mariculture experiment, the content of free amino acids in shrimp and groupers reared in our mobile tanks surpassed that in animals reared locally in traditional earthy ponds. In a blind taste test involving 42 volunteers, groupers reared in mobile cage tanks were deemed more palatable than those raised in ponds. Our results demonstrate that small-scale mobile cage tanks are a feasible approach to the sustainable rearing of high-quality shrimp or fish. Note that wastewater from the mobile tanks is easily diluted by seawater, thereby reducing the likelihood of eutrophication in coastal regions. The proposed system could also be used for recreational fishing activities to increase income for smallholders of fishermen and/or aquaculture farmers.

Research on the Key Success Factors for the Transformation of the Traditional Fishery to Recreational Fishery in Taiwan’s Outlying Islands

Outlying islands are affected by the environment and economy, and fishery resources are the first to experience these impacts. Therefore, it is necessary to actively and effectively transform traditional fisheries in outlying islands. This is the case in Penghu County (Penghu Islands), located on the outlying islands of Taiwan. The transformation to recreational fishery can increase the additional income of traditional fisheries during the fishing moratorium through the development of recreational fishery boats by fishermen. Recreational fishery means the fishery using fishing vessels for recreational purposes or for passengers to harvest aquatic organisms on the reef or to engage in sightseeing on the islets. Therefore, this study will explore the key factors for the successful route planning of fishermen who switch to recreational fishery boats to assist the fishermen in successfully transitioning and enabling recreational fishery to flourish. In the research, using the method of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) expert questionnaire, it was found that the key factors affecting the route planning of recreational fishery boats are “boat conditions”, “berthing conditions”, “operating environment”, and “sightseeing potential”. After the expert questionnaire, a weight comparison of each level was performed, and it was found that “operating environment” was the most important factor, followed by “tourism potential”. However, the key factors of the “natural environment” and “cultural environment” are more important under the influence of the “operating environment”. Under the influence of “tourism potential”, “attractiveness” is a key factor, as is the “accessibility” factor. In this study, the four main fishing ports in Penghu County were also used for empirical discussion. The study results showed that Magong Fishing Port was the first choice for transformation, followed by Chikan Fishing Port. The results of this study can be used as a reference for fishermen and officials in developing a subsidy scheme for fishing boat operation, and they can be used as a reference for transforming traditional fisheries in outlying islands into recreational fishing to develop recreational fishery boats and leisure tourism industries. This research can help fishermen to attach importance to the development of recreational fishing activities and promote the stable growth of the fishery industry environment.

Key Sustainable Factors for Recreational Fishery Development Under Rural Revitalization Policy

With the promotion of rural revitalization policies, coastal cities have begun to actively develop recreational fisheries for local social and economic benefits. The recreational fishery is the future development trend of the fishery and leisure industry. Thus, this study aims to construct a set of indicators to objectively evaluate the key success factors of recreational fisheries development under rural revitalization policies. For the evaluation, relevant supporting measures are analyzed, and industry strategies are formulated. This study is conducted through a literature review and by applying the Delphi method. Through two rounds of measurement by experts and scholars, the key success factors and a set of indicators of recreational fishery development under rural revitalization policy are found. Six important dimensions are proposed, including fishery resources, environment, accommodation, services, activities, and recreational fisheries policy. After the analysis of the central tendency, 52 factors for the development of recreational fisheries are defined. The most important dimensions for recreational fishery are found to be resources and environmental conditions, followed by service conditions, activities and policy conditions, and accommodation conditions. Among them, experts and scholars are concerned about the four indicators: "Tasting delicious aquatic products", "Government support: whether the government has included the project into development and support", " Recreational fishing activities pricing" and "Talent revitalization: cultivating talents for the development of secondary and tertiary industries in fishing villages". The following suggestions are put forward with the result: (1) making recreational fishery an important object of my country's rural revitalization policy, (2) using each indicator as the basis for policy implementation, and (3) establishing a recreational fishery promotion group. At six levels, key implementation strategies are proposed.

Decrease in recreational fisher compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic: the case of Rockfish Conservation Areas

Abstract Little is known about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on recreational fisheries compliance. Starting in 2015, we monitored recreational fishing activity in Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) with trail cameras overlooking RCAs around Galiano Island, Canada. We also carried out in-person surveys with recreational fishers at marinas and docks to assess recreational fisher compliance with RCAs. Questions included asking fishers whether they had accidentally or intentionally fished inside RCAs with prohibited techniques in the past two years. The number of suspected or confirmed angling incidents that we observed on the trail cameras declined steadily from 2015 to 2019, and then increased significantly during the pandemic to the highest levels seen during our eight years of data collection. The number of fishers who admitted to intentionally or accidentally fishing in RCAs in the past two years with prohibited gears did not change during the pandemic, although there was an apparent but not statistically significant increase in the number of respondents who personally knew someone who intentionally fished in RCAs. Our study corroborates other research that showed a response of pandemic lockdowns on illegal activities. High non-compliance highlights the ongoing need for education, outreach, and increased enforcement.

Angling counts: Harnessing the power of technological advances for recreational fishing surveys

As the popularity of recreational fishing gathers global momentum, so does the importance of knowing the number of active anglers and their spatial behaviour. Conventional counting methods, however, can be inaccurate and time-consuming. Here we present two novel methods to monitor recreational fishing applied in Kaunas water reservoir (ca 65 km2), Lithuania, comparing their performance to a conventional visual count. First, we employed a remotely piloted fixed wing drone which conducted 39 missions distributed over one year and compared its accuracy to conventional visual land or boat-based counts. With these data we developed a linear model to predict the annual number of anglers depending on weekday and ice conditions. Second, we used anonymous data from a popular GPS-enabled sonar device Deeper®, used by anglers to explore underwater landscapes and to find fish. The sonar usage probability was calibrated with angler observations from drones using Bayesian methods, demonstrating that at any given time ~2 % of anglers are using the sonar device during the open water season and ~15 % during the ice fishing season. The calibrated values were then used to estimate the total number of anglers, given the daily records of sonar usage in Kaunas water reservoir. The predicted annual number of anglers from both linear drone-based and Bayesian sonar-based methods gave similar results of 25 and 27 thousand anglers within the area during the period of day surveyed, which corresponded to nearly 110 thousand angling trips in the total reservoir area annually. Our study shows high potential of both drone and fish finder digital devices for assessing recreational fishing activities through space and time.

The Significance of Angling in Stress Reduction during the COVID-19 Pandemic-Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications.

Recreational fishing and other outdoor recreational activities have been proven to have positive effects on mental health, including neutralizing pandemic stress. This study aims to identify the perceptions and behavior of recreational anglers during the COVID-19 pandemic along with identifying the factors that determine attitudes. This study is essential for understanding the complex economic, social, and environmental implications associated with a pandemic. Perceptions of pandemic stress reduction were confirmed by 63.8% of anglers, and nearly 98% felt there was no risk of infection from fishing. These feelings were most strongly positively associated and explained by a preference for fishing with friends and family and the frequency of fishing. Over 26% of respondents fished more frequently during the pandemic. Additional free time and the need to escape the pandemic media hype were the main factors for the increase in angler activity. The balance of benefits from changes in angler pandemic behavior was ambiguous. This was determined by considering the potential increase in pressure on the environmental resources that anglers use. Given the positive effects of angling on stress reduction, it is not advisable for policymakers to restrict recreational fishing access. Instead, best management practices should reduce sanitary bottlenecks to increase safety on fishing grounds.

Economic value of regional spearfishing competitions

Large-scale surveys have been used to estimate the value of recreational fishing over large areas and time periods in the past, but there is a lack of information regarding the value of smaller event based recreational fishing activities. Using the travel-cost method, we estimate the overall value generated by two regional spearfishing competitions in eastern Australia and the adjusted value per competitor. The 2021 Bluewater Classic was valued between $32,874 and $39,492 AUD, with past values up to $100,364. The 2021 Eden 3-way Championships was valued between $102,461 and $118,747. On a per-competitor basis, the adjusted mean expenditure was between $1,090 and $1,649. Both competitions generated substantial economic activity within the towns that hosted them, as we estimated that localised expenditure constituted 60 – 71% of a competition’s overall value. These estimates demonstrate the value of recreational competitions for regional areas and the importance for economic surveys to consider smaller events.

Quantifying the historical development of recreational fisheries in Southeast Queensland, Australia

Recreational fisheries are of global socio-ecological importance and contribute significantly to local economies and fisheries harvests. In some regions of Australia, organized recreational fishing activities have existed for over 150 yr. However, historical understanding of the spatio-temporal development and resource usage of recreational fisheries has been hampered by the lack of continuous time-series catch and effort data. This study used historical newspaper articles of reported landings by fishing clubs to reconstruct catch rate trends and evaluate changes in catch composition of marine recreational fishing activities in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, from 1920-1984. Using generalized additive mixed models, 2 catch rate metrics (no. of fish fisher-1 trip-1 and kg fish fisher-1 trip-1) were constructed as functions of time and distance travelled. Significant nonlinear relationships were found for no. of fish fisher-1 trip-1. Fluctuations in no. of fish fisher-1 trip-1 were strongly influenced by time, while increases in distance travelled predicted a larger no. of fish fisher-1 trip-1. Measures of kg fish fisher-1 trip-1 were tightly linked to increases in distance travelled but did not vary with time. Spatial analysis revealed shifts in areas fished, from inshore reefs during the 1920s and 1930s (pre-WWII) towards isolated offshore island systems in later decades (>1950s; post-WWII). Reported catches pre-WWII were strongly associated with reef species, while reported catches post-WWII were predominantly characterized by demersal coastal fish. Spatially resolved time-series fisheries data can be reconstructed from archival sources, providing valuable information about the development of recreational fishing activities and explaining the historical social-ecological dynamics that led to current ecosystem states.

Recreational Fishers' Motivations at Wetland Destinations: The Push and Pull Theory Approach

This study aimed at developing and validating a scale to examine recreational fishing tourists' motivations at wetland destinations by applying the push and pull motivation theory. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data from travelers participating in recreational fishing activities in Turkey, a scale generation phase was followed to develop a purified push and pull motivation scale. The findings revealed three push motivations (e.g., fishing, nature, and socio-cultural aspects of the destination) and three pull motivations (e.g., geographic attributes and infrastructure, local culture and customs, and activity). Furthermore, several theoretical and managerial implications with suggestions for further studies were discussed.

First Assessment of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Marine Recreational Fisheries

This work is the result of an international research effort to determine the main impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on marine recreational fishing. Changes were assessed on (1) access to fishing, derived from lockdowns and other mobility restrictions; (2) ecosystems, because of alterations in fishing intensity and human presence; (3) the blue economy, derived from alterations in the investments and expenses of the fishers; and (4) society, in relation to variations in fishers’ health and well-being. For this, a consultation with experts from 16 countries was carried out, as well as an international online survey aimed at recreational fishers, that included specific questions designed to capture fishers’ heterogeneity in relation to behavior, skills and know-how, and vital involvement. Fishers’ participation in the online survey (5,998 recreational fishers in 15 countries) was promoted through a marketing campaign. The sensitivity of the fishers’ clustering procedure, based on the captured heterogeneity, was evaluated by SIMPER analysis and by generalized linear models. Results from the expert consultation highlighted a worldwide reduction in marine recreational fishing activity. Lower human-driven pressures are expected to generate some benefits for marine ecosystems. However, experts also identified high negative impacts on the blue economy, as well as on fisher health and well-being because of the loss of recreational fishing opportunities. Most (98%) of the fishers who participated in the online survey were identified asadvanced, showing a much higher degree of commitment to recreational fishing thanbasicfishers (2%).Advancedfishers were, in general, more pessimistic about the impacts of COVID-19, reporting higher reductions in physical activity and fish consumption, as well as poorer quality of night rest, foul mood, and raised more concerns about their health status. Controlled and safe access to marine recreational fisheries during pandemics would provide benefits to the health and well-being of people and reduce negative socioeconomic impacts, especially for vulnerable social groups.

Economic valuation of the snapper recruitment effect from a well-established temperate no-take marine reserve on adjacent fisheries

The global exhaustion of marine fishery resources has triggered worldwide demands for sustainable utilization of marine resources and Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM). Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a long-term spatial management strategy in the EBM toolbox. MPAs demonstrate ecological and economic benefits. While MPAs’ ecological benefits are well researched, there are only a few studies that estimate the economic benefits of MPAs to the adjacent fisheries. Currently, methodologies for measuring the economic benefits flowing from MPAs are underdeveloped. Our research builds on a recent assessment of the economic contribution of a small, temperate, no-take marine reserve in New Zealand to rejuvenating depleted snapper (Sparidae: Chrysophrys auratus) stocks. Empirical evidence shows that 10.6% of newly settled juvenile snappers sampled up to 55 km outside of the MPA were the offspring of adult snappers from the MPA. This suggests a significant boost to the commercial fishery of $NZ 1.49 million catch landing value per annum and $NZ 3.21 million added from recreational fishing activity associated spending per annum. These values all come from the recruitment effects associated with one species, from only 0.08% of the marine space in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. The economic valuation of this marine reserve’s snapper recruitment effect demonstrated $NZ 9.64 million in total spending accruing to recreational fishing per annum and $NZ 4.89 million in total output to commercial fisheries annually. This study is the first estimation of the economic valuation of the recruitment effects from a well-established temperate no-take MPA. It represents an important step forward for quantifying the economic benefits of marine reserves and how marine reserves could have positive influence on EBM and marine sustainability.

Critical information for fisheries monitoring may be available in social media

Abstract Fisheries monitoring is essential to evaluate and manage fish populations. Effective monitoring is particularly challenging in low‐ and middle‐income countries where fisheries often occur at large spatial scales and include multiple techniques. Recreational spearfishing, for instance, can be detrimental to fish populations and is often underrepresented in management strategies due to the lack of data. Because recreational fishers frequently share pictures of their catches online, social media can harbour valuable information. As a case study, freely available pictures in social media were used to assess the impacts of spearfishing on the endemic and endangered Brazilian parrotfish, Scarus trispinosus, that has experienced a sharp population decline in recent decades due to overfishing. It was found that S. trispinosus is widely captured by recreational spearfishing and at larger sizes when compared to artisanal fisheries, revealing complementary fishing pressures operating on different life stages of this species and a lack of compliance to current regulations. The number of users sharing these contents increased between 2007 and 2018, but declined thereafter until 2020. Identifying where spearfishing is more intense and the most targeted life‐stages can inform prioritization of management strategies. Social media can be a rapid and low‐cost tool to obtain nationwide fisheries information, especially for recreational fishing activities that have a flawed monitoring. The public disclosure of ‘trophy fishes’ can reveal lack of compliance to existing regulations and help fill critical information gaps on complementary fishing pressures. This approach may be applicable for many species and types of trophy fishing, providing valuable and useful information for management and conservation.