Individual outcomes matter in the context of responsible and sustainable catch-and-release practices in recreational fisheries and their management

Fisheries, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 5, 2025

Abstract Recreational anglers often engage in catch-and-release (C&R) whereby some of their catch is returned to the water (either comply with harvest regulations or voluntarily) assumption that fish will survive and experience negligible impacts. Despite C&R usually harmless and, thus, helps reduce overall fishing mortality, a large evidence base shows proportion released not survive. Even if event lethal, each individual sublethal impact (e.g., injury stress). There debate within recreational fisheries science management community regarding extent which impacts even mortality matter, given efforts focus on whether excessive affects population size quality angling. Here, we embrace perspective individual-level outcomes matter context responsible sustainable management. We outline 10 reasons why there need account for generate resilient under changing climate face other ongoing, increasing, future threats stressors. Fostering better handling practices behaviors angling through education improve interactions between people while ensuring more successful releases ecological benefits across fisheries. acknowledge cultural norms values underpin ethical perspectives, vary among individuals, regions rural vs. urban), geopolitical jurisdictions, these can dictate angler behavior objectives as well how are perceived. Our complements parallel paper (see Corsi et al., 2025) argues do unless they create population-level Creating forum discussing reflecting alternative viewpoints intended help identify common ground where opportunity work collectively ensure managed responsibly sustainably.

Language: Английский

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Reasons to Be Skeptical about Sentience and Pain in Fishes and Aquatic Invertebrates

Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32(1), P. 127 - 150

Published: Oct. 4, 2023

The welfare of fishes and aquatic invertebrates is important, several jurisdictions have included these taxa under regulation in recent years. Regulation requires use scientifically validated criteria. This why applying Mertonian skepticism toward claims for sentience pain sound prudent, particularly when those are used to justify legislation regulating the taxa. Enacting without strong scientific evidence a societal political choice that risks creating interpretational problems as well major policy challenges, including potential generate significant unintended consequences. In contrast, more rigorous science-based approach organisms based on verified, measurable endpoints likely result "win-win" scenarios minimize risk negative impacts all stakeholders, fish invertebrates. authors identify supporters animal welfare, emphasize this issue not about choosing between no invertebrates, but rather ensure important decisions their robust evidence. These ten reasons delivered spirit organized orient legislators, decision makers community, alert them need maintain high evidential bar any operational indicators animals, mandated by legislation. Moving forward, maintaining highest standards vitally order protect only also global food security humans.

Language: Английский

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Stay or go? Geographic variation in risks due to climate change for fishing fleets that adapt in-place or adapt on-the-move

PLOS Climate, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 3(2), P. e0000285 - e0000285

Published: Feb. 9, 2024

From fishers to farmers, people across the planet who rely directly upon natural resources for their livelihoods and well-being face extensive impacts from climate change. However, local- regional-scale associated risks can vary geographically, implications development of adaptation pathways that will be most effective specific communities are underexplored. To improve this understanding at relevant local scales, we developed a coupled social-ecological approach assess risk posed fishing fleets by change, applying it case study groundfish cornerstone fisheries along U.S. West Coast. Based on mean three high-resolution projections, found more poleward may experience twice as much temperature change equatorward fleets, 3–4 times depth displacement historical environmental conditions in grounds. Not only they highly exposed but some >10x economically-dependent groundfish. While show clear regional differences fleets’ flexibility shift new via diversification (‘adapt in-place’) or grounds response future through greater mobility on-the-move’), these do not completely mitigate exposure economic dependence fleets. Therefore, Coast overall due contrast expectations other parts world. Through integration climatic, ecological, socio-economic data, illustrates potential widespread implementation assessment scales fishers, communities, decision makers. Such applications help identify greatest opportunities enhance dimensions adaptive capacity.

Language: Английский

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New directions for Indigenous and local knowledge research and application in fisheries science: Lessons from a systematic review

Fish and Fisheries, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 25(4), P. 647 - 671

Published: April 22, 2024

Abstract Social‐ecological systems like fisheries provide food, livelihoods and recreation. However, lack of data its integration into governance hinders their conservation management. Stakeholders possess site‐specific knowledge crucial for confronting these challenges. There is increasing recognition that Indigenous local (ILK) valuable, but structural differences between ILK quantitative archetypes have stalled the assimilation management, despite acknowledged bias uncertainty in scientific methods. Conducting a systematic review fisheries‐associated research ( n = 397 articles), we examined how accessed, applied, distributed across space species, has evolved. We show generated qualitative, semi‐quantitative information diverse taxa 98 countries. Fisheries‐associated mostly targets small‐scale artisanal fishers (70% studies) typically uses semi‐structured interviews (60%). revealed large variability sample size 4–7638), predicted by approach employed (i.e. qualitative studies target smaller groups). Using thematic categorisation, scientists are still exploring techniques, or ‘validating’ through comparisons with (20%), recording what understand (40%). A few researchers applying social science methods to derive trends abundance, catch effort. Such approaches facilitate insight management fall short accepting as valid complementary way knowing about systems. This synthesis reveals development increased opportunities needed bridge data.

Language: Английский

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Recreational killing of wild animals can foster environmental stewardship

Nature Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(8), P. 956 - 963

Published: July 3, 2024

Language: Английский

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Habitat management and restoration as missing pieces in flats ecosystems conservation and the fishes and fisheries that they support

Fisheries, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 24, 2025

ABSTRACT Flats ecosystems are dynamic, shallow, nearshore marine environments that interconnected and provide immense ecological socio-economic benefits. These habitats support a diversity of fish populations various fisheries, yet they increasingly threatened by anthropogenic stressors, including overfishing, habitat degradation, coastal development, the cascading effects climate change. Effective management restoration essential but often missing for flats ecosystems. Despite navigating landscape imperfect knowledge these systems, decisive action implementation protection is currently needed through policy practice. We present comprehensive set 10 strategic guiding principles necessary integrating conservation flat include calls ecosystem-based ­management, adaptive strategies leverage diverse partnerships, scientific research, legislative initiatives, local traditional knowledge. Drawing on successes in other environmental realms, we emphasize importance evidence-informed approaches to address complexities uncertainties aim advance restoration, promoting integrity strengthening resilience important environments.

Language: Английский

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The Knowledge and Perceptions of Recreational Anglers Related to Alien Plant Species in Freshwater Ecosystems: A Case Study From Hungary

Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 35(3)

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

ABSTRACT The value of recreational anglers' ecological knowledge and perceptions have come to prominence in the past few decades. Based on recent studies, their observations might include those alien organisms and, therefore, be particularly important monitoring revealing causes aquatic invasions. Although number registered anglers Hungary has doubled less than 5 years, exceeding 1 million by May 2024, little is known about knowledge. To learn more plant species, 72 field interviews were conducted between December 2021 2023 at four regularly fished freshwater bodies Hungary: Hévíz Canal Lakes Fényes, Balaton Velence. During interviews, photographs 12 occurring mostly thermal water habitats, shown as effects biological invasions recorded. Overall, most unable name all presented but least half respondents could confidently identify whereas fishing habitats able correctly invasive plants. Sixteen interviewed engaged aquaristics, two whom confessed that a species (i.e., lettuce [ Pistia stratiotes ]) fish goldfish Carassius auratus previously held aquaria had been intentionally released into wild them. Our research underlines importance organisms, also potential promote invasions, especially if they are aquarists too. Anglers facilitate early detection invasives before occur. We suggest an untapped resource defining implementing conservation strategies counter spread establishment invasives.

Language: Английский

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What Is(n't) Environmental Stewardship? Eliciting Unspoken Assumptions Using Fisheries as a Model

Conservation Letters, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 18(2)

Published: March 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Environmental stewardship is often invoked as a net social good and an approach for achieving equitable sustainable conservation outcomes, but it rarely defined explicitly in management settings, conflicting definitions have proliferated. This lack of consensus can influence outcomes several ways. Conflict arise between stakeholders with different stewardship; managers may not proactively identify important whose orientation does include public advocacy; sense in‐depth knowledge particular ecosystem advocate ineffective or counterproductive actions. Developing strategies identifying the implicit, unspoken environmental held by resource users, managers, scientists help navigating these challenges. Here, we develop method to elicit unstated orientations group shared setting. Using thought experiments Policy Delphi process, find that even within our relatively homogeneous test recreational fisheries scientists, individuals differed their understanding stewardship. We encourage organizations mission stewardship, ones interface stewards, adopt like this one potential sources conflict, inequity, action before they arise.

Language: Английский

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Three Decades of World Recreational Fishing Conferences: What Have We Learned About the Dynamics of Recreational Fisheries?

Fisheries Management and Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 28, 2025

ABSTRACT Recreational fishing extends beyond catching fish, by connecting individuals with nature, generating environmental stewards, and contributing to local, regional, national economies. Multi‐ inter‐disciplinary research, integrative management, policy approaches can support better assessment of potential impacts recreational on social‐ecological systems. Transdisciplinary thinking supports managing fisheries effectively, but poses challenges for researchers managers balancing specialized expertise innovative, boundary‐crossing perspectives in light limited funding a rapidly changing environment. The World Fishing Conference (WRFC) serves as the leading global scientific forum addressing these challenges, fostering interdisciplinary exchange among scientists, managers, makers, stakeholders. Papers this special issue represent output last WRFC Melbourne, Australia, 2023. By reviewing content papers published present issue, we illustrate critical role collaborative spaces, such series, bridging different innovation, thereby securing adaptive management conservation response changes. Evaluating development over three decades highlights how conference series represents think tank serving entire network professionals globally.

Language: Английский

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Angler and guide perceptions provide insights into the status and threats of the Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) fishery

Marine Policy, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 151, P. 105569 - 105569

Published: March 23, 2023

Language: Английский

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