It has recently been demonstrated that modern recreational fish finders with high-frequency (800 kHz) Sidescan transducers can detect submerged human bodies. This ubiquitous technology is widely used on the water and has the potential to be utilized for the rapid detection of submerged decedents in any waterbody. This research investigates whether, with minimal training, the boating public can use modern recreational fish finders to accurately locate a submerged human proxy in a shallow nearshore coastal location. One human-shaped plastic proxy was submerged, resting on the water bottom, at a depth of ~8 m in a semi-sheltered bay with a silty bottom. Ten parallel searches were completed by nine local volunteers using four different recreational vessels. Volunteers reported the location of the proxy when seen on the fish finder. Three vessels were equipped with recreational fish finders capable of high-frequency (800 kHz) Sidescan and Downscan sonar. One vessel was equipped with low-frequency (200 kHz) conventional down-looking sonar. High-frequency Sidescan sonar provided clear and distinctive visuals of the submerged proxy in all volunteer sonograms. Most reported locations were <10 m of the target location. This research demonstrated that local mariners with mixed boating experience can successfully use recreational fish finders with high-frequency (800 kHz) Sidescan transducers to identify and report accurate locations of a submerged human proxy in a shallow (<20 m), nearshore coastal environment. This sophisticated recreational technology provides the potential to enhance community awareness and involvement for the early detection of submerged decedents.

Queensland, in northeastern Australia, is host to some of the most biodiverse and important marine ecosystems in the world, with the Great Barrier Reef being one of the most critical and well-known coral reef systems in the world. Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are amongst the iconic species inhabiting the region, with important rookeries and foraging grounds found along the Queensland coast. Gladstone Harbour, in Central Queensland, is one such foraging ground, representing an important habitat for post-pelagic juvenile, subadult and adult green sea turtles. It is also the site of Queensland's largest multicommodity port, containing the world's fourth largest coal exporting terminal, as well as holding busy recreational fishing and commercial net fishing grounds.The expansion of the port over the last century has resulted in significant changes to the marine habitat, with seagrass beds and mangroves ecosystems physically degraded, increased pollution and increased shipping traffic. As part of a port-specific monitoring programme for the turtle populations, green sea turtles found stranded (n=22), either dead or euthanized due to non-rehabilitative conditions, between 2017 and 2020 were subjected to comprehensive post-mortem examination to determine underlying morbidities and the cause of death. Many of the turtles (9/22) were in poor nutritional condition, and most had cardiovascular inflammation and/or gastroenteritis, although the blood fluke parasite (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) burden was generally low to moderate. Trauma, caused by boat strikes and occasional shark attack, was another relatively frequent finding. Overall, the findings point to considerable impact from habitat loss and degradation, pollution and vessel strikes caused by human activities and modifications of the ecosystem in the port and surrounding areas leading to malnutrition and likely weakening the immune system of the turtles. The findings may inform approaches to mitigate some of these anthropogenic impacts in the future.

Tourism is one of the service industries that plays a significant role in improving the economy for local governments, the private sector, and local communities. Economic growth occurs through various activities carried out by stakeholders in delivering services to tourists. However, the development of tourist attractions in Lake Maninjau still faces several challenges, including low community awareness of tourism development, limited utilization of water-based attractions, and inadequate competencies in guiding and safety management for water tourism. These conditions indicate the need for targeted interventions to enhance the quality and competitiveness of the destination. Therefore, this program aims to provide solutions through several initiatives: (1) socialization to increase community awareness of the benefits of tourism, (2) development of water-based attractions such as lake tours using traditional boats, canoes, and paddle boats, as well as traditional rinuak fishing and recreational fishing, and (3) training for water tourism guides and first aid (PPGD) for tourists. This program is expected to strengthen community capacity and improve the sustainability and attractiveness of the destination

The presence of lead (Pb) sinkers and jigs lost to waterbodies from recreational fishing serves as a potential risk to aquatic ecosystem health. Assessing the toxicity of Pb released from fishing gear poses several challenges, and one proposed approach is to use Pb salts as a surrogate. However, it remains unclear how the toxicity of Pb salts compares to that of Pb derived directly from fishing gear. To test this, we measured Pb release from different concentrations of fishing sinkers (e.g., bell sinkers and split shot sinkers), at 4ᵒC and 30ᵒC for 48 hr. Further, we compared the overt toxicity of Pb sinkers and jigs against lead nitrate (Pb(NO3)2) toxicity using Daphnia magna. Water Accommodated Fractions (WAF) were generated by suspending Pb sinkers (100 g/L) in water for 48 hr, which caused Pb dissolution exceeding Water Quality Guidelines by ∼35-100x with additional impurities of zinc and cadmium in both the split shot and bell sinkers, as well as iron, arsenic, nickel, copper in the bell sinkers. These sinker types were not acutely toxic to D. magna, however chronic exposure to WAFs released from both types of sinkers significantly impacted reproduction (number of neonates produced over 21 days per D. magna) and growth. Therefore, discarded fishing gear may represent a notable source of environmental Pb as well as other metals. This study offers valuable baseline data to support future discussions on regulating Pb-based fishing gear in Canada and highlights the importance of developing cost-effective alternatives.

Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer), commonly known as barramundi, is an economically important food fish inhabiting coastal and brackish waters. In Sri Lanka, demand for commercial and recreational fishing has increased due to its mild flavor and culinary versatility. However, disease outbreaks pose significant challenges to aquaculture production, particularly in cage culture systems. This study investigated the causative agent of mass mortality events in Asian sea bass farms in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Fish exhibiting clinical signs, including skin ulcers, fin rot, exophthalmia, and lethargy, were collected for examination. Samples from the kidney, liver, and spleen were cultured on Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) and Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Salts Sucrose (TCBS) agar at 37 °C for 24-48 hr. Isolates produced small to medium, round, convex colonies on TSA and green colonies on TCBS. Biochemical characterization revealed Gram-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-positive, motile rods that fermented glucose without gas production. Molecular identification using 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction confirmed the pathogen as Vibrio harveyi with 99.44% similarity to strain CP014038.2. The sequence was deposited in GenBank (accession number OR351233). Histopathological examination revealed tubular injury, necrotic epithelial cells, and macrophage-lymphocyte infiltration in liver and kidney tissues. This study confirms that Vibrio harveyi is strongly associated with Vibriosis, causing mass mortality in Asian sea bass cage culture in Trincomalee. These findings provide essential baseline data for developing effective disease prevention and control strategies in Sri Lankan aquaculture systems.

Evaluating social indicators of recreational fishing activity in Western Australia: Insights from a global disruption

Coastal living offers diverse recreational activities that contribute to local society. We investigated the economic value and social perceptions of conservation volunteering and recreational fishing, which are tied to the health and productivity of coastal communities. The broader community value of recreational fishing is regularly assessed, whereas that of conservation volunteering remains underexplored. We surveyed 180 coastal residents in South Australia, where fishing is an iconic part of coastal living and tied to the functioning of ecosystems that sustain the fishing economy. We used the travel cost method, applied to fishing and volunteering trips, and inductive thematic coding to examine the value of recreational fishing relative to conservation volunteering. Volunteers showed greater willingness than fishers to continue participating in their activity when personal costs increased, suggesting they had a deeper commitment to their activity than fishers. Fishers were more sensitive to cost increases, with predicted participation falling by 30% when trip costs doubled, compared with a 4% decline in conservation volunteering. This contrast was reflected by the gap between what participants were willing to pay and what they actually spent; conservation volunteers had an estimated consumer surplus of $994 per trip compared with $610 per trip for fishers. We suggest this disparity in commitment may partly reflect how participants perceived the benefits of their engagement. Volunteers regarded their benefits as mostly collective (e.g., environmental and societal), whereas fishers perceived benefits as more individual (e.g., well-being and recreation). Volunteers and fishers appear to play distinct but complementary roles in strengthening coastal communities. Our findings emphasize the need for more inclusive economic valuation of conservation to capture the range of benefits conservation activities provide. A deeper understanding of conservation volunteering's contribution can inform more inclusive and effective coastal management to the benefit of both the environment and local communities.

ABSTRACT Social media platforms are ubiquitous and may influence how recreational fishers engage with fishing and consume fishing‐related content. However, fishers' consumption patterns remain poorly characterized. Using a sample of recreational fishers from Catalonia (Spain), we examined how age, gender, and avidity predict preferences for different digital platforms and consumption frequency. Over half (55%) of surveyed fishers consumed fishing content online. YouTube emerged as the most widely used platform. Among younger fishers, Instagram showed similar prevalence to YouTube. Older fishers showed comparable engagement with Facebook and YouTube but used Instagram less. While significantly fewer women than men consumed fishing content, preferences for the most popular platforms were similar across genders. Avid fishers favored YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, whereas less avid fishers mainly used YouTube. Our findings offer initial insights into how recreational fishers consume social media, which may inform future research and communication strategies for recreational fisheries.

Nitrite toxicity in yellowtail tetra fish, Astyanax lacustris, at different temperature levels

Commercial and recreational fisher participation in marine fisheries management decision-making

Marine recreational fishing in Greece: Evidence from the field

Intra-Sectoral Conflict Resolution in Recreational Fisheries: A Brief Review of Approaches and Strategies.

Inland fisheries in South Africa are crucial for the livelihoods of local communities, but they face pressures that threaten the sustainability of small-scale and recreational fishers livelihoods, the latter making the dominant economic contribution. However, distinctions between small-scale and recreational fishing rights are unclear. We aimed to address the knowledge gap regarding economically significant fish species, their contribution to fishers, and how they are spatial distributed across the uMngeni and uThukela Catchment Management Areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Additionally, we addressed the fisher perceptions and use of targetted fish species. A questionnaire-based interview was conducted with fishers between 2021 and 2023 across rivers and impoundments. Our findings highlight several key challenges for inland fisheries management. We found that there are difficulties in categorising fishers, particularly in distinguishing small-scale from recreational fishers, an ambiguity reflected in fishers' self-identifications and practices, with 'subsistence' as a self-identifier. This complexity was further highlighted by the ecological and economic significance of key species, with the invasive Cyprinus carpio having the greatest market value and being the most economically important species. Fishers largely viewed these invasive species through an economic lens, perceiving them as valuable resources and adapting their practices to target their harvest. Regarding fishing behaviours, subsistence fishers were a significant group, reporting weekly or monthly fish consumption and exhibiting a clear preference for river fishing over other waterbody types. Finally, gender significantly influenced participation, with males exhibiting higher fishing frequencies. We conclude that the definitions of inland fisheries in South Africa do not align with the realities on the ground, and the fuzzy boundary between defined small-scale, recreational fisheries and undefined subsistence fishers will likely negatively influence policy implementation. In addition, it highlighted the need for integrated management of South African inland fisheries and economics to sustain inland fisheries that support livelihoods and fish conservation.

ABSTRACT Despite the large perceived popularity of fishing as a recreational activity, its multiple tourism dimensions, such as constraints, have received somewhat limited research interests. Leisure constraints research sheds insights into consumer travel, helping tourism service providers and developers develop and target services more efficiently. Exploring why people seek or avoid destination activities, such as recreational fishing, helps craft strategies to address these constraints and modulate participation. This study examines the leisure constraints of recreational fishing within a tourism context by exploring both participants' and potential participants' perceived and experienced constraints in activity participation. Employing a case study approach, the study investigates the Russian tourists' constraints in recreational fishing activities in Finland, including an examination of water quality as a constraint in their fishing activities. Research panel data from 465 Russian tourists who had visited Finland suggests that leisure constraints vary across recreational fishing participants and potential participants. Russian tourists who had fished in Finland noted constraints related to language skills and fishing expenses. For those who had not fished, intrapersonal and structural constraints, namely, ‘knowledge about Finnish fishing environment’ and ‘service provider information’ were the strongest ones. Respondent's language skills were the highest rated constraint across both participants and potential participants. While female participants were generally more constrained than male participants, a closer look at gender among potential participants showed that males were more constrained across several constraints. The study shows the relevance of examining a group of potential participants to pinpoint their constraints and needs. Based on the results, easier accessibility regarding fishing related information would likely help international tourists ‘go fishing’ during their trip.

ABSTRACT Economic and social aspects of recreational fishing that have been increasingly studied indicate different motivations and enjoyment among participants. However, economic and social interactions between marine recreational fishers and other users of the marine environment have been less studied. We examined impacts of marine recreational fishing activity on economic and social benefits from a marine multiple use area in the New South Wales Marine Estate. Risk assessments are commonly used to assess risks to ecosystems resulting from commercial activity, but are less commonly used to assess risks of recreational fishing on benefits to all users from marine spaces and ecosystems. A risk assessment framework was used to identify key threats from recreational fishing to economic and social benefits derived from the Marine Estate. Assessment evidence was from the literature, Government management agencies, media and stakeholder reports, and expert opinion. This risk assessment approach to assess social and economic impacts can contribute to management of other marine‐based activities internationally, including recreational fishing and other activities in multiple‐marine use areas.

Across the western United States, introductions of non-native fish into historically fishless mountain lakes have impacted native biota. Understanding the impacts of fish introductions is essential for conservation in Olympic National Park, a Biosphere Reserve. We reconstructed fish plantings using records dating back to 1930, followed by environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to estimate the current distribution of fish and amphibians in 117 remote mountain lakes. We used Bayesian multiscale occupancy models to determine how lake attributes and planting history related to fish and amphibian occupancy. The most frequently detected species were Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cascades Frog, and Northwestern Salamander. eDNA sampling revealed 52 lakes with amphibians only, 45 with fish and amphibians, 14 with fish only, and 6 unoccupied. Of the 53 lakes with planting records, 38 had fish eDNA detected. Fish eDNA was also detected in 21 lakes lacking planting records, which could reflect incomplete records, unauthorized plantings, and false positive detections. Of the three species planted, Cutthroat Trout had the highest failure rate and did not become established in 23 of 28 historically planted lakes. In a subset of 9 lakes sampled for up to 7 years, those with known fish and amphibian presence showed consistent eDNA detections over time. The number of times a lake was stocked was the best predictor of occupancy for Brook and Rainbow trout, while higher occupancy for Brook Trout was also associated with lower elevations, lower solar radiation, and larger lake area. We did not observe widespread negative associations between amphibian occupancy and fish presence, although there was a negative relationship between fish presence and Rough-skinned Newt and Long-toed Salamander occupancy. Cascades Frog occupancy showed no relationship to fish presence or lake traits. Our results suggest mechanisms of fish persistence over time and highlight areas where native amphibians are impacted by introduced fish. These results can guide management options like targeted fish removals that benefit native fauna while still supporting recreational fishing. More broadly, our work demonstrates the value of combining historical records with contemporary surveys and the utility of eDNA for broad-scale surveys of species distribution in remote wilderness areas.

ABSTRACT The round goby, an invasive fish from the Black and Caspian Seas, has spread to Swedish waters, threatening recreational fisheries. We modeled impacts on the future recreational fishery in Sweden using data from a recreational fishing survey, and estimated effects of the round goby on other fish species. Values attached to recreational fishing were estimated using a travel cost approach. Catch and consumer surplus were compared before and after a 10‐year increase in round goby abundance. Overall impacts of a 10‐year increase in round goby abundance in Swedish waters would reduce the present value of consumer surplus by SEK 379‐million (EUR 33‐million). Any management action keeping a status quo in round goby impact with a price less than about 3 million EUR yearly would hence be justified. This study highlights how aquatic invasive species can cause substantial social losses and that proactive management may be cost‐efficient.

Rising global concern regarding the conservation and management of shark species makes it essential to identify key ecological species to guide conservation efforts, especially species with more restricted distributions such as endemic species. The southern African endemic spotted gully shark Triakis megalopterus is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Though not commercially exploited, increased catches of this species by recreational fishers and high misidentification with other species of Triakidae in commercial fisheries are bringing uncertainty regarding the future of the population. Although T. megalopterus is known for localised behaviour, the extent of its site fidelity and fine-scale movements remain largely unknown. Using passive acoustic telemetry, this study assessed the species’ residency, site fidelity and movement patterns along the Western Cape coast of South Africa. Overall, the data revealed low detections, suggesting that individuals are using coastal areas not currently covered by receivers. Tagged T. megalopterus exhibited seasonal detection patterns within their zone of tagging, with increased detections during winter months. A high number of the detections occurred after the estimated parturition period; thus, the existing receiver array might not cover potential nursery areas for the species. The results also show that some individuals do undertake long-distance movements to other zones of the coastline, possibly driven by the need to locate reliable food sources. Finally, the species did not significantly use marine protected areas (MPAs), highlighting the importance of better receiver coverage and the need to expand existing MPAs.

Recreational fishing is a growing source of marine litter, yet its contribution to plastic pollution remains underexplored. In the Mediterranean Sea, Eging-a popular recreational technique for catching cephalopods-relies on specialized artificial lures (EGIs) composed of multiple materials, including polymers, metals, and pigments. Once lost, these lures can persist in the marine environment, fragmenting into microplastics and potentially releasing chemical additives. This study reports the first survey of EGIs lost, in the north-eastern Sicilian coast (Strait of Messina, Central Mediterranean Sea), identifying collected lures (546 EGIs sampled from six sites) using a handheld Raman spectrometer and a complementary micro NIR spectrometer for the characterization of textile coatings, polymeric bodies and lure parts. Polymer identification was carried out on a representative subset of 30 lures and 4 detached textile fragments, selected to encompass the observed morphological and chromatic variability. Guided by an a priori hypothesis based on independent sources, we tested EGI composition on a representative subset through spectroscopic investigations and found a dominant pattern-polystyrene in bodies, polyethylene terephthalate in coatings, and epoxy in eyes-with signature distribution of 48.4% PET-like, 30.2% PS-like, and 21.4% intermediate/mixed. Spectral classification using cosine similarity distinguished PET-like, PS-like, and intermediate/mixed signatures, reflecting manufacturing variability and environmental alteration. As stated by literature, both PS and PET exhibit high resistance to biodegradation, fragmenting over time into persistent microplastics (MPs) capable of adsorbing pollutants and entering marine food webs. The widespread presence of these lost lures, yet often overlooked, highlights the need to obtain further information on degradation kinetics, leaching assays, chemical additives composition, and ecotoxicological effects to fully understand their toxicity and their action as long-term contaminants sources, also calling for the adoption of active measures to mitigate recreational fishing impacts.

Highlights A web application, ShellCast, was created to issue near-term temporary shellfish harvest closures. ShellCast’s final version uses the probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecast on the backend. A pilot program was organized to evaluate end-user perspectives on the tool. ShellCast is most useful for growers managing farms in waters with low rainfall thresholds. ABSTRACT. Farmers and harvesters of molluscan shellfish (e.g., clams, oysters, mussels) in estuarine waters must adapt to periodic temporary harvest closures due to water quality concerns, which are issued without advance notice. Shellfish sanitation programs commonly use rainfall thresholds to assess water quality impairment risks (e.g., 2 inches of rain in 24 hours) and make decisions on temporary harvest closures. To help shellfish farmers and harvesters anticipate near-term closures, we created ShellCast, a forecast and notification system that alerts users when closure risk is moderate to very high today, tomorrow, or in two days. In this Research Brief, we summarize the development of the ShellCast web application for shellfish growing areas in North Carolina, USA, and changes made to accommodate its expansion to South Carolina and Florida. We also summarize findings from a pilot deployment program that was organized with end-users from North Carolina in which participants were asked to describe their experiences with, and perceptions of, ShellCast. ShellCast application development has iterated through the use of different rainfall forecast products and methods on the backend, with the U.S. National Weather Service’s Probabilistic Quantitative Precipitation Forecast driving the present-day version of ShellCast. From the pilot deployment program, we learned that text and email notifications were the most appreciated features of the ShellCast web application and that the forecasts are most useful for those who manage leases in waters with low rainfall thresholds where frequent closures are relatively more common. Findings from the development and evaluation of ShellCast could be used by others who are seeking to create decision-support tools for recreational fishers and food producers who are subject to weather-driven disruptions. Keywords: Clams, Decision-support tool, Fecal coliforms, Fecal indicator bacteria, Oysters, Water quality, Web application.