Marine recreational fishing (MRF) has been shown to substantially contribute to fishing mortality of marine fish. However, European MRF catches are only quantified for a small number of stocks, so it is unclear whether a significant part of fishing mortality is excluded from stock assessments. This study estimated: (i) European MRF removals, which were defined as landings plus dead releases; and (ii) impact at stock level by comparing the percentage contribution to total removal by MRF and commercial fishing. As MRF data were limited for some European countries, catches were reconstructed using a mixture of average release proportions, average fish weights, and extrapolation using the catch per fisher of the nearest country providing catch estimates. Where catch reconstructions exceeded 50%, data were excluded from further analysis. Furthermore, as MRF survey methodology can be variable, semi-quantitative estimates of bias and error were calculated for each stock. Only 10 of the 20 stocks assessed in this study had sufficient MRF data for full reliable estimates. Percentage contribution to total removals (MRF + commercial removals) by MRF ranged between 2% for Atlantic mackerel in the North Sea and Skagerrak and 43% for Atlantic pollack in the Celtic Seas and English Channel. The biomass removed ranged between 297 (± 116) tonnes (Atlantic cod in the western English Channel and southern Celtic seas) and 4820 (± 1889) tonnes (Atlantic mackerel in the North Sea and Skagerrak), but the errors were substantial. Additionally, the bias in the estimated removals was low for most stocks, with some positive biases found. The present study indicates that removals by MRF can represent a high proportion of the total removals for some European marine fish stocks, so inclusion in stock assessments should be routine. To achieve this, regular surveys of MRF are required to collect data essential for stock assessments.

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The impact of marine recreational fishing on key fish stocks in European waters.

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) is a popular activity that involves millions of people worldwide. While the impacts of recreational fishing on freshwater ecosystems received increasing attention ...

Potential Environmental Impacts of Recreational Fishing on Marine Fish Stocks and Ecosystems

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1253&context=ncfwrustaff

The future of recreational fisheries: Advances in science, monitoring, management, and practice

Recreational fishing in the Mediterranean is defined as any fishing activity not conducted for commercial purposes (Commission of the European Communities (CEC), 2001). Recreational fishing involve numerous fishers, fishing boats, types of fisheries and fishing techniques (boatbased, shorebased and underwater) covered by an array of legislative frameworks within different countries (Arlinghaus & Cooke, 2005; Pawson, Glenn & Padda, 2008). Catches of marine recreational fisheries are unreported, and its upward trend across the Mediterranean Sea (Font & Lloret, 2014; Lloret et al., 2016) is raising concerns about impacts on fisheries resources and marine ecosystems (Lewin, Arlinghaus, & Mehner, 2006; Pawson et al., 2008). It is estimated that more than 10% of the EU population participates in recreational fishing, but can be >25% of the population in some Northern Europe (Arlinghaus, Tillner, & Bork, 2015). Recreational catches from the Mediterranean are remarkably high (Cardona, Lopez, Sales, Caralt, & Diez, 2007; MoralesNin et al., 2005; Moutopoulos et al., 2013), with significant socioeconomic benefits for local and national economies (Arlinghaus & Cooke, 2005; Arlinghaus, Mehner, & Cowx, 2002): in some regions recreational fishing Received: 27 January 2018 | Revised: 8 May 2018 | Accepted: 15 May 2018 DOI: 10.1111/fme.12293

Identifying recreational fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea through social media

In 2006, IFREMER, with the help of the polling institute BVA, implemented a national pilot study of recreational fishing. Taking into account all the different fishing methods, from shellfish gathering to offshore angling, including spear-fishing, this study was designed to provide estimates of (i) the number of recreational fishers in France, (ii) recreational fishing effort; (iii) catches and landings; (iv) the economic impacts of recreational fishing, and to develop a classification of recreational fishers. A two-part method was adopted: a random-digit-dialing (RDD) survey combined with an on-site survey. The data collected from telephone and on-site surveys were compared and then used in combination to provide a reliable estimate of this growing activity in France. Recreational fishers are estimated at around 2.5 million, with the total catch estimated at 24,000 t of fish and 3100 t of shellfish. Fishing expenditure was estimated at between 1200 and 2000 million euros.

The nationwide assessment of marine recreational fishing: A French example

Marine recreational fishing (MRF) is a high-participation activity with large economic value and social benefits globally, and it impacts on some fish stocks. Although reporting MRF catches is a European Union legislative requirement, estimates are only available for some countries. Here, data on numbers of fishers, participation rates, days fished, expenditures, and catches of two widely targeted species were synthesized to provide European estimates of MRF and placed in the global context. Uncertainty assessment was not possible due to incomplete knowledge of error distributions; instead, a semi-quantitative bias assessment was made. There were an estimated 8.7 million European recreational sea fishers corresponding to a participation rate of 1.6%. An estimated 77.6 million days were fished, and expenditure was €5.9 billion annually. There were higher participation, numbers of fishers, days fished and expenditure in the Atlantic than the Mediterranean, but the Mediterranean estimates were generally less robust. Comparisons with other regions showed that European MRF participation rates and expenditure were in the mid-range, with higher participation in Oceania and the United States, higher expenditure in the United States, and lower participation and expenditure in South America and Africa. For both northern European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Moronidae) and western Baltic cod (Gadus morhua, Gadidae) stocks, MRF represented 27% of the total removals. This study highlights the importance of MRF and the need for bespoke, regular and statistically sound data collection to underpin European fisheries management. Solutions are proposed for future MRF data collection in Europe and other regions to support sustainable fisheries management.

Recreational sea fishing in Europe in a global context-Participation rates, fishing effort, expenditure, and implications for monitoring and assessment

Łukasz Dziemian

Papers

Recreational sea fishing in Europe in a global context-Participation rates, fishing effort, expenditure, and implications for monitoring and assessment

A pan-Baltic assessment of temporal trends in coastal pike populations