Recreational Fishing Participation Research Articles

Global dataset of species-specific inland recreational fisheries harvest for consumption

Inland recreational fisheries, found in lakes, rivers, and other landlocked waters, are important to livelihoods, nutrition, leisure, and other societal ecosystem services worldwide. Although recreationally-caught fish are frequently harvested and consumed by fishers, their contribution to food and nutrition has not been adequately quantified due to lack of data, poor monitoring, and under-reporting, especially in developing countries. Beyond limited global harvest estimates, few have explored species-specific harvest patterns, although this variability has implications for fisheries management and food security. Given the continued growth of the recreational fishery sector, understanding inland recreational fish harvest and consumption rates represents a critical knowledge gap. Based on a comprehensive literature search and expert knowledge review, we quantified multiple aspects of global inland recreational fisheries for 81 countries spanning ~192 species. For each country, we assembled recreational fishing participation rate and estimated species-specific harvest and consumption rate. This dataset provides a foundation for future assessments, including understanding nutritional and economic contributions of inland recreational fisheries.

Factors affecting seabird abundance and interaction with the nearshore ‘for hire’ recreational charter fishery in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract Bycatch in fishing gear is a threat to the conservation of seabird populations globally. Factors affecting interactions with commercial fisheries are well documented; however, little comparable information exists for recreational fisheries. High participation rates in many recreational fisheries globally mean that interactions with seabirds may have population‐level impacts. This study specifically assessed factors affecting seabird interactions with a recreational hook‐and‐line fishery in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Observers on ‘for hire’ nearshore charter vessels collected data on seabird abundance, interactions and various fishing and environmental variables which could affect the numbers of seabirds in attendance at vessels. In 2017/18, observers were present on 135 fishing trips spanning ~33–36°S off coastal NSW recording 3,183 seabirds, including 10 species from seven families. The majority consisted of shearwaters (Procellariidae; 76%), albatrosses (Diomedeidae; 8%) and gulls/terns (Laridae; 10%), including several species of conservation concern. Significant seasonal variation in the abundances of the three main seabird families were recorded; however, none of the fishing or environmental variables influenced abundances of seabirds (except for the positive effect of inclement weather on shearwaters). Eleven direct interactions and a single incidence of (shearwater) bycatch were recorded in over 630 h of observed fishing (1.74 and 0.16 per 100 h fishing, respectively); these rates were likely due to the active fishing methods used which allows fisher behaviour to minimize interactions. Despite this, these rates indicate that the nearshore charter fishery does have the potential to present a threat to the conservation of seabird populations in this region. Furthermore, globally, for regions with high recreational fishing participation rates, increased and ongoing monitoring of seabird interactions with recreational fisheries is required. This study also highlights that such interactions are likely to be rare events and future monitoring may require utilization of existing broadscale recreational fisheries monitoring programmes, as well as the development of new or enhanced programmes.

Understanding the economic activity generated by recreational fishing in South Africa provides insights on the role of recreational fisheries for social development

AbstractWhile the economic activity associated with recreational fishing is well assessed in the developed world, substantially less is known in developing countries. South Africa is a unique microcosm for applying economic evaluation frameworks as its dualist economy shares characteristics of both the developed and developing world. Understanding participation levels and the role of dualism in economic activity linked to recreational fisheries is a crucial step towards leveraging the sector for economic development. A total of 1320 face‐to‐face and online questionnaires were used to estimate annual economic spend by recreational fishers, and the economic activity associated with this spend was modelled using Social Accounting Matrix analysis. Recreational fishing participation estimates totalled 1,327,633, which contributed ZAR 32.6 billion (US$2.2 billion) per year to economic activity and sustained 94,070 full‐time jobs. However, less than 10% of the economic activity benefitted lower income households, suggesting that the “first” and “second” economies of this dualist economy are disconnected. This is likely similar in other developing nations with international tourism‐driven recreational fisheries. To reduce this disconnect, changes in tourism policies to focus on local development, the identification of recreational fisheries tourism hotspots and the development of local education, skills and appropriate infrastructure through public–private partnerships will be necessary.

Assessing the viability of small aerial drones to quantify recreational fishers

AbstractUnderstanding fishing participation assists sustainable fisheries management. Relative to commercial fisheries, however, accurate quantitative data on recreational fishing is often more challenging to collect. The quality and robustness of recreational fishing surveys to assess fisher numbers may be improved with cost‐effective remote sensing platforms, such as aerial drones. Here, the precision and cost‐effectiveness of drone‐based surveys were compared with more traditional vessel‐based surveys of recreational fishing participation at four locations on the east coast of Australia. Although vessel‐based surveys had greater initial costs, this technique observed more fishers, took less time to complete and did not require post‐processing of video footage. In comparison, the drone‐based video surveys provided greater precision and a permanent record of fishing activity. Currently, drone‐based techniques do not provide a substantial improvement to traditional vessel‐based counts of fishers. The complimentary use of drones appears to be an appropriate application of this technology for supporting fisheries management.

The effects of aquatic invasive species on recreational fishing participation and value in the Great Lakes: Possible future scenarios

The impacts of aquatic invasive species (AIS) on the recreational fishery in the Laurentian Great Lakes are of concern to managers and policy makers. Some AIS have the potential to depress sportfish populations, reducing recreational fishing opportunities and damaging local economies. Alternatives that could reduce the threat of AIS could be costly. Assessments of how AIS could affect recreational fishing participation and the economic value derived from it would contribute to the evaluation of these alternatives. We assessed best-case and worst-case scenarios for how a range of AIS could affect recreational fishing participation and economic value. We utilized previously developed scenarios for how AIS could affect sportfish populations as input for a recreational fishing model developed by Ready et al. (2018). Their model estimated changes in fishing participation and economic value from such scenarios. Given uncertainty in how AIS could affect sportfish, projected effects of AIS on economic value varied widely, with some scenarios likely to have minimal effects and others leading to losses of over $100 million annually. None of the scenarios would lead to a large percentage decrease in recreational fishing in the eight Great Lake states, largely because anglers have numerous inland fishing opportunities. Nevertheless, lakeshore communities dependent on Great Lakes fishing could still suffer considerable economic loss. Collectively the economic valuation of the range of scenarios narrows down the possible impacts on fishing and the economy that decision makers need to consider.

Recreational fishing participation trends in Upper Great Lakes States: an age-period-cohort analysis

ABSTRACT This findings abstract summarizes the results of a demographic study of recreational anglers in five Great Lakes states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin). Using annual fishing license sales data (2000-2016), we employed an age-period-cohort regression model to estimate the independent effects of age, time period, and birth year on likelihood to fish for males and females in each state. Generations of men born prior to 1970 were more likely to fish than more recent generations. For women, more recent generations (born since 1980) were more likely to fish than their mothers or grandmothers. Projections suggest that the future number of male anglers will continue to decline, while the number of women will grow. Females should be expected to make up an increasing share of anglers. Accordingly, fisheries managers and policy makers should engage women as active stakeholders in decision-making. Analytical reports, maps, and data are available at https://www.mtu.edu/greatlakes/fishery.

Do Fish Drive Recreational Fishing License Sales?

AbstractManagement agencies need to understand the factors that influence fishing license purchases. While traits such as gender can influence the decisions of recreational fishers, a gap remains in understanding the influence of catch‐related fishing quality on these decisions. We evaluated the use of fish biomass density as a proxy for catch‐related fishing quality along with non‐catch‐related factors (population density, gender, and ethnicity) to explain variation in 2014 resident fishing license rates across 510 origins in Ontario. License rates were higher in areas with lower population density (i.e., rural areas), in areas with higher fish biomass density, and among populations with stronger representation by ethnic majorities. From simulated scenarios, we predicted that resident license sales could increase between 14% and 25% if fish biomass density increased by 30% and 54% in northeastern and southern Ontario, respectively. However, license sales could decrease between 5% and 10% with a 30% redistribution of rural residents to a major urban area. The relationship between license rates and non‐catch‐related factors confirms the role of urbanization on recreational fishing participation, while catch‐related factors provide support for a functional response by fishers to fish.Received April 28, 2016; accepted October 3, 2016Published online January 3, 2017

How Do Recreationists Make Activity Substitution Decisions? A Case of Recreational Fishing

The substitution of other activities for recreational fishing is of particular interest to those interested in fishing participation patterns because when activity substitution occurs, an individual's participation in recreational fishing is reduced or discontinued. This article explores the relationship between commitment to fishing and willingness to substitute other activities for fishing using recreational fishers from Queensland, Australia. A model is developed and tested which posits that willingness to substitute other activities for fishing is indirectly related to level of fishing commitment through the intermediate variables of experience preferences, consumptive orientation, and perceived constraints on fishing activity. Results demonstrate that the mechanism linking commitment to ability to substitute is complex and involves a number of intervening variables. The conceptual model developed and tested here should prove useful as a basis for further exploration of the relationship between commitment and substitutability in this and other populations of recreational fishers.

Examining the impact of fisheries resources and quality on licence sales

One expects that participation and effort in outdoor recreation activities would be directly related to the quality of available resources. However, this expectation remains a largely untested empirical question. We examined this relationship explicitly by analysing the proportion of the population with freshwater angling licences in 188 different administrative regions of British Columbia, Canada. Variations in the proportion of anglers in the population within a region were explained by resource quality measures, including multiple catch and non-catch related factors (such as stocking and the accessibility of fishing destinations). The proportion of the population holding a fishing licence was greatly affected by physical determinants such as access and the availability of many fishing options. Catch-related factors were also important and positively related to participation. The results suggest that management agencies could use actions such as stocking to provide more fishing opportunities across the landscape, or increase the accessibility of opportunities in order to retain licence sales. However, the results also imply that participation decisions arise from more than just considerations of catch at and the accessibility of fishing sites, i.e., socio-demographic characteristics. Management implicationsThe results of this study offer a novel analytical approach for deriving management recommendations, based on a model of fishing licence sales as a function of resource quality and socio-demographic information on a regional scale. The analysis, based on these aggregate types of data, relies on information for 188 administrative units covering the entire province of British Columbia, Canada, and provides a number of important insights for fisheries management:–Stocking activities are an effective instrument to steer participation in recreational fishing;–providing more fishing opportunities, or increasing accessibility is likely to lead to increased participation rates and licence sales; and–non-catch related factors (i.e. accessibility, constraints, socio-demographic and cultural factors) also influence participation rates.

Arkansas Urban Resident Fishing Site Preferences, Catch Related Attitudes, and Satisfaction

Declines in recreational fishing participation, underrepresentation of non-whites among the angling population, and increased urban immigration and sprawl has prompted the development of urban fishing programs. This study sought to develop profiles of anglers living within urban areas located throughout the state of Arkansas. We separated anglers based on the percentage of their fishing effort that was spent within their city of residence. Anglers that predominately fished urban waters were 34% more likely to be non-white than anglers that fished rural waters exclusively. Urban anglers placed greater importance on catch, on-site amenities, and safety than rural anglers, while rural anglers placed greater importance on the scenic beauty of a site and the ability to escape the trappings of the urban environment. Future fisheries management efforts will be dependent on the support of growing urban populations, and fisheries managers will need to strongly consider the unique needs of these constituents.

Why Do People Drop Out of Recreational Fishing? A Study of Lapsed Fishers from Queensland, Australia

AbstractWe sought to understand declining recreational fishing participation in Queensland, Australia, by investigating why lapsed fishers ceased fishing and identifying the constraints that prevented them from resuming their fishing participation. The primary reasons for ceasing fishing were lack of time, loss of interest, and poor fishing quality. Most lapsed fishers were able to compensate for loss of fishing activity by increasing participation in other activities; about one‐quarter reported a decrease in their overall leisure activity and leisure satisfaction since ceasing fishing. Half of the lapsed fishers surveyed reported an interest in fishing again; however, only 15% believed it was likely they would go fishing in the next 12 months. Most lapsed fishers interested in returning to fishing cited too many commitments, lack of knowledge about fishing regulations, and lack of fishing partners as reasons preventing them from fishing. Demographic characteristics significantly influenced the reasons for ceasing fishing and the perceptions of constraints preventing resumption of fishing activity. Results should help the recreational fishing sector develop strategies to deal with declining recreational fishing participation.

Constraints on Recreational Fishing Participation in Queensland, Australia

Abstract In response to a sharp decline in recreational fishing participation in Queensland, Australia, I sought to identify constraints experienced by fishers in Queensland and understand how demographic variables, fishing participation variables, and fishing motivations influence the amount and type of constraints experienced. In a survey of Queensland recreational fishers, 70% reported experiencing constraints-predominantly lack of time, crowding, unavailability of facilities, and costs associated with fishing. Fishers with higher incomes, fishers with higher centrality of fishing to lifestyle, fishers who placed higher importance on motivations related to catching fish and relaxation, and fishers who were male were more likely to experience constraints. With the exception of gender, variables found to have a significant effect on the presence of constraints also had a significant influence on the types of constraints experienced. Results provide insight into factors affecting recreational fishing part...

Impact of summer cottage residence on recreational fishing participation in Finland

Abstract High participation in recreational fishing in Finland was explained by the tradition of families occupying summer cottages and spending leisure time close to lakes or the sea shore in summer. The characteristics of cottage dwelling fishers and other recreational fishers were compared. The summer cottage culture enhances fishing participation of urban citizens, notably children and women. Children were often introduced to fishing while dwelling in the cottages with their family. Cottage fishers favour simple angling, but catch‐oriented fishing with gill nets and wire traps is also popular. Preparing meals based on the catch is an important part of Finnish cottage life, where rural traditions are mixed with the modern and urban. Summer cottage dwellers form an important group to improve local management of problems arising from intense fishing participation and divergent interests in the country.

Testing the Stability of Recreational Fishing Participation Probabilities

AbstractForecasts of recreational fishing participation enable managers to anticipate changes in the number of anglers and future demand for fishing opportunities. Projections of recreational fishing participation have typically been calculated by estimating participation probabilities for cohorts of a given population and then applying those probabilities to forecasted changes in population size and demographic composition. The resulting predictions rely on the assumption that the estimated participation probabilities within each demographic cohort are constant over time. We tested this assumption using replicated surveys of marine recreational fishing participation that were conducted in 1994 and again in 2002–2003 for the northeastern U.S. coastal population from Maine to Virginia. Participation probabilities and forecasts obtained from the 1994 survey were compared with both actual participation rates and the estimated participation probabilities in the 2002–2003 survey. Results suggest that participation probabilities among demographic cohorts are not stable over time. Additional avenues for research are identified that could improve predictions of the changing demand for recreational fishing resources.

Temporal changes in fishing motivation among fishing club anglers in the United States

AbstractResponses from freshwater anglers (n = 4287) to a nationwide survey of the US fishing club members were used to assess differences in the importance of 16 fishing motivation items between 1987 and 1997, dates that preceded and followed a period of substantial decline in recreational fishing participation in the US. Comparison of respondents’ motivations for fishing in 1997 and 10 years earlier indicated consistency in the paramount importance of being outdoors, relaxation and the experience of the catch. However, the importance of family recreation and being with friends in 1987 were replaced by escape items in 1997. Anglers with fewer dependents and living in areas with higher population density were more likely to decrease the importance of family recreation. Younger anglers were more likely to decrease the importance of being with friends. Anglers who had higher household income, fished more and had higher fishing expenditures were more likely to decrease the importance of obtaining fish to eat. The results of this study suggest that managers should be less concerned about angler opposition to liberal regulations that allow anglers to harvest fish, and that heightened efforts to recruit and retain recreational anglers, which presently focus on family recreation, should be broadened to include outdoor experience, relaxation and escape aspects of fishing.

The Role of Recreational Fishing in Global Fish Crises

Abstract Exploitation of fishery resources has become a major conservation issue on a global scale. Commercial fisheries have been repeatedly blamed for the worldwide declines in fish populations. However, we contend that the recreational fishing sector also has the potential to negatively affect fish and fisheries. Here we present evidence to show that both recreational and commercial fishing sectors deserve consideration as contributors to the exploitation of fish in marine and inland waters. The lack of global monitoring and compiling of statistics on recreational fishing participation, harvest, and catch-and-release has retarded our ability to understand the magnitude of this fishing sector. Using data from Canada, we estimate that the potential contribution of recreational fish harvest around the world may represent approximately 12 percent of the global fish harvest. Failure to recognize the potential contribution of recreational fishing to fishery declines, environmental degradation, and ecosystem ...

Dropping Out and Dropping In: A Study of Factors for Changing Recreational Fishing Participation

Abstract We used a longitudinal study design to understand the factors that cause changes in recreational fishing participation over time for a sample of anglers who had purchased a fishing license in 1989 and responded to a 1990 Texas statewide angler survey. License records from 1991 were used to identify subsequent license purchasers. In 1994, we sent a follow-up mail survey to a random sample of 1,600 respondents to the 1990 statewide survey. One-half had purchased a Texas fishing license in 1989 but had not obtained a 1991 license; the remaining 800 purchased Texas fishing licenses during both license years (1989 and 1991). There were four combinations among the original sample of 1989 license buyers. Those who did not follow up and purchase licenses in 1991 or 1994 were termed “inactive anglers” (17%). The second group participated again in 1991 but not in 1994; this group was termed “recent dropouts” (6%). A third group of 1989 license purchasers did not participate in 1991 but did so again in 1994...

Recreational fishing in Norway from 1970 to 1993: trends and geographical variation

Abstract Participation in recreational fishing by Norwegians and geographical differences in fishing behaviour in Norway were investigated from 1970 to 1993 by comparing results from several household surveys at the national level and in different municipalities. Approximately 50% of the adult population fish every year. Only slight changes in participation rates were observed between 1970–1993, but considerable local variation in rates of participation and type of fishing were found. Participation rates among people living in northern Norway and in rural municipalities was higher than among people living in southern Norway and urban citizens. Among people living in the capital city, Oslo, the rate of participation was particularly low. Recreational fishing in Norway includes angling as well as subsistence fishing. Large geographical variation in fishing, continuing urbanization and an increasing population of elderly people should be taken into account by managers when developing a recreational fisheries strategy for the future.

The Perspectives on Urban Fisheries Management: Results of a Workshop

Abstract A workshop of 20 urban fisheries specialists convened in December 1991 to discuss the progress and future direction of urban fisheries. The participants agreed there is a need for urban fishing opportunities, and urban fisheries management is sufficiently different from traditional fisheries management as to be recognized as a separate program. The group defined the scope of urban fisheries management as “providing or enhancing public fishing opportunities so people can fish where they live.” Three objectives for urban fisheries programs were identified: increase recreational fishing opportunities, develop and increase environmental awareness and conservation ethics in anglers and nonanglers, and increase participation in recreational fishing. The participants delineated roles (functions and activities) necessary for successful urban fisheries programs and identified the entities responsible for these roles. This workshop emphasized that future urban fisheries programs will require cooperative ef...

Estimating changes in recreational fishing participation from national water quality policies

The complete evaluation of the offsite effects of national policies or programs that affect levels of agricultural nonpoint source pollution requires linking extensive water quality changes to changes in recreational activity. A sequential decision model is specified to describe an individual's decisions about fishing. A participation model for recreational fishing that includes a water quality index reflecting regional water quality is developed and estimated as a logit model with national level data. A visitation model for those who decide to fish that also includes the water quality index is estimated using ordinary least squares. The water quality index is found to be significant in the participation model but not in the visitation model. Together, the two models provide a means of estimating how changes in water quality might influence the number of recreation days devoted to fishing. The model is used to estimate changes in fishing participation for the Conservation Reserve Program.