Explore the vast range of titles available.

The global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many jurisdictions implementing orders restricting the movements of people to inhibit virus transmission, with recreational angling often either not permitted or access to fisheries and/or related infrastructure being prevented. Following the lifting of restrictions, initial angler surveys and licence sales suggested increased participation and effort, and altered angler demographics, but with evidence remaining limited. Here, we overcome this evidence gap by identifying temporal changes in angling interest, licence sales, and angling effort in world regions by comparing data in the ‘pre-pandemic’ (up to and including 2019); ‘acute pandemic’ (2020) and ‘COVID-acclimated’ (2021) periods. We then identified how changes can inform the development of more resilient and sustainable recreational fisheries. Interest in angling (measured here as angling-related internet search term volumes) increased substantially in all regions during 2020. Patterns in licence sales revealed marked increases in some countries during 2020 but not in others. Where licence sales increased, this was rarely sustained in 2021; where there were declines, these related to fewer tourist anglers due to movement restrictions. Data from most countries indicated a younger demographic of people who participated in angling in 2020, including in urban areas, but this was not sustained in 2021. These short-lived changes in recreational angling indicate efforts to retain younger anglers could increase overall participation levels, where efforts can target education in appropriate angling practices and create more urban angling opportunities. These efforts would then provide recreational fisheries with greater resilience to cope with future global crises, including facilitating the ability of people to access angling opportunities during periods of high societal stress.

Recreational fishing is an increasingly popular leisure activity on a global scale, with catches that may surpass those of commercial fisheries. However, the lack of comprehensive and standardized data hinders accurate assessment of its ecological impact. This study investigates the species composition across three variables including fishing modalities (shore angling, boat angling, and spearfishing), zone and season along the NW Mediterranean coast. Species identification and number of individuals caught data were obtained through onsite surveys conducted between 2020 and 2023. The results reveal significant differences in catch composition among modalities, as well as across spatial and seasonal scales. However, modality exhibited the greatest differentiation in catch composition compared to the other two variables. Then, regarding modality, boat angling and spearfishing yield the highest catch rates but boat angling had the greatest number of species (i.e., 69). However, species composition characterized the catches of each modality. Specifically, Dicentrarchus labrax was more frequently fished by shore anglers, Loligo vulgaris by boat anglers, and Mullus surmuletus by spearfishers. Currently, there is a need to develop and reinforce marine recreational fisheries sustainable management practices at a regional scale. In the study area, our findings suggest that fishing modality is the main driver to consider when developing sustainable management strategies and the conservation of coastal marine biodiversity.

Technology that is developed for or adopted by the recreational fisheries sector (e.g., anglers and the recreational fishing industry) has led to rapid and dramatic changes in how recreational anglers interact with fisheries resources. From improvements in finding and catching fish to emulating their natural prey and accessing previously inaccessible waters, to anglers sharing their exploits with others, technology is completely changing all aspects of recreational fishing. These innovations would superficially be viewed as positive from the perspective of the angler (aside from the financial cost of purchasing some technologies), yet for the fisheries manager and policy maker, technology may create unintended challenges that lead to reactionary or even ill-defined approaches as they attempt to keep up with these changes. The goal of this paper is to consider how innovations in recreational fishing are changing the way that anglers interact with fish, and thus how recreational fisheries management is undertaken. We use a combination of structured reviews and expert analyses combined with descriptive case studies to highlight the many ways that technology is influencing recreational fishing practice, and, relatedly, what it means for changing how fisheries and/or these technologies need to be managed—from changes in fish capture, to fish handling, to how anglers share information with each other and with managers. Given that technology is continually evolving, we hope that the examples provided here lead to more and better monitoring of technological innovations and engagement by the management and policy authorities with the recreational fishing sector. Doing so will ensure that management actions related to emerging and evolving recreational fishing technology are more proactive than reactive.

Recreational fisheries involve millions of people globally, thus there is a growing recognition of the immense economic, sociocultural and ecological importance of recreational fishing as a significant component of global capture fisheries. However, recreational fishing is still not as controlled nor as well investigated as commercial fishing. Although the difference between commercial and recreational fisheries may be obvious, the definition of recreational fishing is not uniform, and the issue becomes more difficult in the case of sport fishing. The clear distinction between sport and recreational fisheries is vague, in particular due to a lack of definition of what constitutes a “recreational” or “sport” fishery. In this study, sport fisheries is considered as the competition-oriented subcategory of recreational fisheries, involving a subset of recreational fishers that participate in fishing competitions. Obtained results from the Adriatic Sea showed differences between shore and boat angling in terms of the species caught and the CPUE, while a comparison of the results from competition and out-of-competition boat angling revealed different tactics and targets of the recreational fishers, which are more efficient than sport fishers. Thus, there is an urgent need for all-inclusive management in the Mediterranean region, particularly because of the social and economic conflicts that may arise and intensify with the decline of the accessible fish resources.

In passively operated fishing gear, boldness‐related behaviors should fundamentally affect the vulnerability of individual fish and thus be under fisheries selection. To test this hypothesis, we used juvenile common‐garden reared carp (Cyprinus carpio) within a narrow size range to investigate the mechanistic basis of behavioral selection caused by angling. We focused on one key personality trait (i.e., boldness), measured in groups within ponds, two morphological traits (body shape and head shape), and one life‐history trait (juvenile growth capacity) and studied mean standardized selection gradients caused by angling. Carp behavior was highly repeatable within ponds. In the short term, over seven days of fishing, total length, not boldness, was the main predictor of angling vulnerability. However, after 20 days of fishing, boldness turned out to be the main trait under selection, followed by juvenile growth rate, while morphological traits were only weakly related to angling vulnerability. In addition, we found juvenile growth rate to be moderately correlated with boldness. Hence, direct selection on boldness will also induce indirect selection on juvenile growth and vice versa, but given that the two traits are not perfectly correlated, independent evolution of both traits is also possible. Our study is among the first to mechanistically reveal that energy‐acquisition‐related behaviors, and not growth rate per se, are key factors determining the probability of capture, and hence, behavioral traits appear to be the prime targets of angling selection. We predict an evolutionary response toward increased shyness in intensively angling‐exploited fish stocks, possibly causing the emergence of a timidity syndrome.

Freshwater recreational angling is growing in popularity internationally. Due to the potential negative environmental impacts, various regulatory systems exist. In South Africa, freshwater recreational angling is regulated through a complex legal framework, consisting of national and provincial legislation dating back to the 1960s.The legislation also relates to historical and current provincial boundaries, adding to the regulatory complexity. Due to this complexity, the question arises whether freshwater recreational bank anglers in South Africa are aware of the regulatory requirements applicable to them. Low levels of awareness could lead to non-compliance, which would suggest an ineffective regulatory system. The aim of this research was thus to determine the environmental regulatory awareness of freshwater recreational bank anglers in South Africa. This was achieved through a literature review of national and provincial legislation, as well as the rules applicable to organised freshwater recreational bank angling. An online survey was completed by 100 members of the South African Freshwater Bank Angling Federation (SAFBAF). The results of the survey ndicate that the regulatory awareness of the sample of SAFBAF freshwater recreational anglers is low in certain key areas, such as bag and size limits for specific fish species, catch and release requirements, as well as legal definitions for alien and invasive and TOPS species listings. However, the low level of awareness can be ascribed to the complex regulatory system and not unwillingness of anglers to comply per se. It is recommended that (i) a single consolidated and simplified regulatory system for freshwater recreational bank angling be developed, and (ii) that angling organisational and competition rules be aligned with relevant regulatory requirements, to improve overall awareness and promote higher levels of regulatory compliance.

The Habitats Directive of the European Union requires Member States to regulate the introduction of alien species into their territory, avoiding any adverse impact on natural habitats or native fauna and flora. Italy has implemented this obligation by adopting a general prohibition on the introduction of non-native species into the environment. The Ministry of the Environment (MASE) may, however, authorize the introduction of alien species if there is no prejudice to habitats and native species. As part of the work carried out by the Research and Evaluation Unit established to analyze the conditions for applying this ban on fish species, ISPRA was asked to conduct further studies on 1) the regulatory framework in other European countries regarding the introduction of alien fish, 2) the regional distribution and year of first introduction of key alien species of fishing interest, 3) the presence of naturalized populations of these species and 4) the impacts of these species on native species and ecosystems. The evaluations focused on Coregonus lavaretus, Salvelinus umbla, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and Salmo trutta. A comparative analysis of how other European countries implemented the Habitats Directive revealed a universal ban on the release of alien species into the wild. Furthermore, 84% of the countries have adopted derogation systems for non-native species introductions. The assessment of the dates of the first introductions in Italy showed that most alien fish species were introduced in the second half of the nineteenth century, leading to the establishment of naturalized populations of all fish species of fishing interest in many basins across the country. Fifty-one native species protected by regulations are susceptible to significant impacts from Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo trutta. Over 60% of these native species are in an unfavourable conservation status, as documented in the latest report submitted by Italy to the European Commission.

Bonefish (Albula vulpes) support a world-renowned fishery in South Florida, USA. However, fishing guides and anglers have been reporting significant declines in bonefish angling quality over that past three decades. In the absence of any long-term bonefish stock and ecosystem assessments, the cause of this decline in the fishery is unclear. Here we summarize our current knowledge of bonefish ecology in Florida and discuss potential causes of fishery decline. Reductions and alterations in freshwater flows from the Everglades have caused major changes in bonefish habitat, including acute (anoxic conditions) and chronic (changes in benthic flora and fauna) effects in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay. Various pollutants from agricultural and urban runoff may also be impacting bonefish population(s) directly and/or indirectly throughout their range. Efforts to locate juvenile A. vulpes in Florida have been largely unsuccessful to date, suggesting abundances may be low, and/or juveniles have unknown habitat requirements in Florida. Further, bonefish larvae may be sourced from adult individuals outside of Florida in areas such as Cuba or Mexico, in which case bonefish conservation in other regions is highly relevant to the Florida population. Extreme weather events may have also contributed to the decline; an extreme cold spell in 2010 caused significant bonefish mortality and coincided with documented declines in the fishery. The fishery may also be impacting the population. We outline research needs and potential approaches to better understand the causes of the bonefish decline in Florida and restore populations of this ecologically and socioeconomically important species.

This study summarizes the recommendations regarding how to set a recreational angling reporting system where over 99% of the anglers report their harvested fish and their fishing visits. We conducted 40 in-depth interviews with anglers and managers of fisheries, where we asked about the reporting of harvested fish and fishing visits and about compliance with reporting and fishing rules. We achieved the high reporting rate by implementing a mandatory reporting system using angling logbooks, where anglers must write down all harvested fish and all fishing visits. The anglers must return the filled in angling logbooks to continue angling legally. The compliance of anglers with the fishing rules is enforced through field inspections by angling guards. The Czech Fishing Union explains the reasoning behind the fishing rules through local angling organisations where the fishery managers know the anglers personally, arguing that if the anglers do not comply with the angling rules, there will be no fish left to catch in the future. Keeping anglers informed regarding any changes to angling rules is critical for maintaining trust. The effective reporting system requires mandatory angling logbooks, but the communication between the Fishing Union and their anglers is essential to ensure that anglers comply with the system.