Ensuring sustainable recreational fisheries in the face of social change


Date:
March 3, 2022
Source:
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Summary:
The observation that 'the fishing's not what it used to be' ranks
up there with 'the one that got away' as a story that has crossed
over from folk wisdom to folklore. But what if there is truth
in it? New research suggests that slow but steady degradation of
recreational fisheries may be common, and points to actions that
anglers and fisheries managers can take to help stabilize and
improve fisheries today and for future generations.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The observation that 'the fishing's not what it used to be' ranks up
there with 'the one that got away' as a story that has crossed over from
folk wisdom to folklore. But what if there is truth in it? New research published in Fish and Fisheriessuggests that slow but steady degradation
of recreational fisheries may be common, and points to actions that
anglers and fisheries managers can take to help stabilize and improve
fisheries today and for future generations.


========================================================================== Fishery biologist Dr. Chelsey Nieman led the study when they were a postdoctoral researcher at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. They
explain, "For too long, recreational fisheries were seen as
self-regulating. We now know that their sustainability depends on both
natural and human features. When these conditions change, it can have
big implications for fish populations and the quality of the fishing experience." Nieman and co-author Dr. Chris Solomon, an ecologist at
Cary Institute, focused on the human side of fisheries. Their study is
one of the first to explore the role that slow social change plays in
the resilience of recreational fisheries.

"When change happens over many years or generations, it can be hard
for people to perceive it or summon the will to act on it," Solomon
notes. "Yet our work shows that slow social changes that can degrade
fisheries may be quite common and widespread." Using a mathematical
model of open access recreational fisheries, and data from Wisconsin,
the western Pacific, and British Columbia, they considered the impacts of
three kinds of social change on fish abundance: the cost of going fishing,
the effectiveness of fishing technology, and the importance of catch to
angler satisfaction. "These are three key determinants of fish abundance,"
says Nieman, "and there is reason to believe that each of them might be changing in ways that gradually drive fish abundance lower." Travel tends
to be a major 'cost' of going fishing. Improvements in road infrastructure
that accumulate over many years can reduce travel time and encourage more fishing. The authors highlight evidence that fishing destinations are
becoming easier to reach. An Ecological Applicationsstudy in a region
of northern Wisconsin where lake access is one of the primary uses of
roads found that road density more than doubled between 1937 and 1999.

Similarly, gradual advancements in fishing technology -- from improved
fishing gear to wider use of electronics and faster spread of fishing
knowledge via apps and social media -- mean that each hour spent fishing
can yield more fish caught. "This 'technological creep' has been well documented in commercial fisheries," says Nieman, "and it's occurring
in recreational fisheries as well." The importance of catch to angler satisfaction may also change over time.

Anglers value many aspects of the fishing experience beyond just catching
fish, such as spending time in nature, socializing, and mastering angling-related challenges. "Because catching fish is only one of many
reasons that people go fishing," Solomon says, "they may continue to
enjoy going fishing even as catch rates decline."


==========================================================================
For instance, a study looking at motivations for fishing in British
Columbia found that from 1990-2005, catch-related motivations declined
while non-catch motivations changed very little. "It's like the old
story about boiling a frog," says Solomon. "If anglers gradually become accustomed to lower catch rates, they may not notice the signal that
it's time to jump out of the water.

Ultimately, that can be bad for the fishery, because fishing pressure
continues even as fish populations drop to dangerously low levels."
Despite these concerns, the authors emphasize a positive message:
"There are concrete actions that anglers and managers can take to help
ensure sustainable fisheries, even in the face of slow social change,"
says Nieman. They and Solomon emphasize five actions -- three for anglers,
and two for fisheries managers -- as particularly important.

First, anglers can embrace the challenge of fishing, to fight
technological creep. "Limitations on fishing methods are commonly accepted
or even adopted by anglers out of a sense of fair play and a desire for challenge," says Solomon.

"Extending these limitations -- for instance, by voluntarily avoiding the
use of technologies like fish finders -- could go a long way." Voluntary behavior change may be essential for counteracting the negative effects
that gradual technological improvement can have on fish populations.

Second, anglers can take steps to reduce fishing mortality by using
best practices to release captured fish whenever possible. "Limiting
fish mortality helps to sustain good fishing opportunities," says
Nieman. Third, anglers can support and advocate for adequate funding for fisheries monitoring by state management agencies, who play an essential
role in understanding and conserving fish populations in the face of
social and environmental change. Improvements in monitoring lead to
more effective responses by managers -- and better outcomes for fish populations.

For managers, the authors recommend actions that are already in use
in some places. First, some fishing opportunities should be managed
for high catch rates. "Many waterbodies are managed to support high
fishing effort," says Nieman. "This is important for making sure that
people have opportunities to fish, but because it's hard to have lots of
people fishing and high catch rates at the same time, it may contribute
to decreases in the importance of catch to angler satisfaction. If some waterbodies are managed for high catch rates instead of high effort,
it should help counteract slow but insidious changes in the importance
of catch," Nieman advises.

Second, the authors urge careful consideration of the long-term
impacts of investments in infrastructure such as boat launches; once
access improves, fishing pressure ramps up. "Everyone wants good and
equitable access to fishing opportunities," says Solomon, "Providing
that access while ensuring long-term fisheries sustainability will
take careful thought." "If anglers and managers can work together
to confront the challenges posed by gradual social and environmental
change," concludes Nieman, "we can hope to sustain good fishing
opportunities and healthy fish populations for many generations to come." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
Cary_Institute_of_Ecosystem_Studies. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Chelsey L. Nieman, Christopher T. Solomon. Slow social change:
Implications for open access recreational fisheries. Fish and
Fisheries, 2021; 23 (1): 195 DOI: 10.1111/faf.12608 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220303095657.htm

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