Collection and use of recreational fisheries data to support stock assessment, harvest strategies and social science

Chairs: Faith Ochwada-Doyle & Simon Conron.

Date: Wednesday 9th November

On Wednesday afternoon of the conference, Faith Ochwada-Doyle & Simon Conron will be presenting a focused session on the “Collection and use of recreational fisheries data to support stock assessment, harvest strategies and social science”.

Recreational harvests in industrialized nations often rival or exceed commercial landings, and the recreational sector is of significant socio-economic importance. Many jurisdictions are consequently monitoring recreational fisheries in a systematic and ongoing manner. The developing time series of recreational data are suitable for multiple purposes, including stock assessment, harvest strategies, and socio-economic modelling. Such monitoring is particularly relevant in Australia & New Zealand, where some overlap exists between recreational and commercial fishing and with recreational-only fishing occurring for some resources.

This theme session explores the diversity of ways in which recreational data are applied in contemporary fisheries science, including the use of such data in the development and evaluation of management strategies. The transition towards co-management, assessments and fisheries harvest strategies is underpinned by defensible recreational data, increasing the need to consider estimates and indices of recreational fishing activity as well as recreational fishery objectives in decision-making and performance indicators.

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