Study Reveals That Inland Recreational Fishery Harvest is Quite the Catch
New research shows that inland recreational fisheries likely harvest far more fish than previously reported. A recent article in The Conversation summarizes this research and highlights the significant and underestimated role recreational fisheries play in food security, ecosystems, and economies.
Inland recreational fishing (non-commercial fishing in lakes, rivers, and other landlocked waters) has traditionally been viewed as a leisure activity, with limited contributions to food and nutrition. A recent study conducted by a team of CASC-funded North American fishery scientists, however, tells a different story. Using thousands of fishing surveys from across the contiguous U.S., the team estimated that the total harvest from lakes, ponds, and reservoirs produce around 236,000-671,000 metric tons annually—17-48 times greater than prior official estimates. These findings suggests that recreational fisheries contribute far more to local economies and household food security than previously thought. The data also shed light on possible ecological and fish stock-related impacts, offering information that may be useful to fisheries managers and decision makers as they assess future needs.
Learn more about this research and what it means for future estimates of recreational fishery contributions in this article by The Conversation, Recreational fishing in the US catches far more fish than previously estimated.