U.S. recreational fishing catches far more fish than previously estimated

Specifically, our analysis combined thousands of recreational fishing surveys across the United States and found that recreational fishers in the country’s lakes, ponds and reservoirs catch between 2 billion and 6 billion fish annually.

Many of them engage in catch-and-release fishing, but even taking into account all the fish released, we estimate they retain between 230,000 and 670,000 tons of fish in the United States alone.

This is 17 to 48 times greater than the estimate previously reported by the United States to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Approximately 20% of the total annual recorded fresh fish consumption in the United States is unfrozen. We estimate the value of recreational fish catches to be approximately US$3 billion per year. In comparison, domestic commercially processed seafood is worth about $12 billion annually.

not just for fun

Historically, most researchers and policymakers viewed recreational fishing as a recreational activity rather than an important component of the nation’s food supply.

However, for many families, recreationally caught fish (fish that people catch and raise and regularly eat) represent a meaningful source of protein at very low cost. By recognizing this invisible harvest as an important food source, policymakers can recognize that changes in recreational fishing opportunities not only impact anglers’ enjoyment, but also the food security of millions of families.

The scale of recreational fishing may also have impacts on freshwater ecosystems that are not recognized by fishery managers.

For example, a 2019 analysis of nearly 200 lakes in northern Wisconsin found that about 40% of the recreational walleye fishery was overfished. Even if fish are released and not retained for consumption, they may die soon after release or be injured or stressed as a result of being caught. Injured and stressed fish may produce fewer offspring, be more vulnerable to predators, and be less able to catch prey.

Taken together, these impacts on fish populations and fishing behavior can significantly alter the functioning of freshwater ecosystems. For example, eliminating top predators such as walleyes could lead to an increase in the population of small fish that feed on tiny zooplankton, which in turn feed on phytoplankton. If zooplankton populations decline, algal blooms could eventually result in more frequent blooms.

Effective fisheries management requires accurate estimates of fishing activity. Without this information, officials may overestimate fish stock sizes, which could lead to unexpected population collapses and new fishery regulations and closures.

Why don’t the numbers add up?

Official fishery harvest statistics collected by the United Nations from governments generally focus on marine fisheries, which are typically the largest and most profitable.

Therefore, the only official statistics on U.S. freshwater fisheries production cover commercial fisheries operating primarily in the Great Lakes.

Collecting data on recreational fisheries is challenging. Unlike commercial fisheries, which unload at centralized ports, it’s impossible to know where recreational fishermen are and what they’re catching across the country. With an estimated 35 million people fishing in millions of rivers, lakes, ponds and reservoirs, the sheer volume of recreational fishing makes it an extremely difficult activity to track.

Recreational fishery data are often collected by state agencies that conduct angler surveys. Angler surveys include counting and interviewing anglers on specific rivers, lakes, ponds and reservoirs to provide a snapshot of who is fishing, how they fish and what they catch. Each state collects data differently, with surveys often focusing on a few locations rather than the entire state.

Without a coordinated state effort, recreational catch totals remain virtually invisible because problems and findings in one state do not always align with those in other states.

From local surveys to national statistics

Our new study, a collaboration between me and four colleagues from the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Missouri, and Louisiana State University, aims to improve the quality of recreational fishing data. Over the past few years, our team has worked to compile angler surveys from across the country into one database.

We haven’t received data on every river, lake, pond, and reservoir; in fact, we haven’t even collected data on every state yet. But we’ve collected more than 15,000 surveys from 40 states and are collecting more every day.

To calculate our estimate, we combine three main factors:

Number of fish caught nationwide and fishing times.

How many lakes, ponds, and reservoirs people fished were hypothetically based on the relationship between the size of the water body and known fishing locations.

The proportion of fish caught is not thrown back.

We estimate that we caught between 2 billion and 6 billion fish.

Rethinking recreational fisheries

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Even our most conservative assumption for the catch – 236,000 tonnes – is well above the previous UN estimate of 13,388 tonnes. We hope these new numbers will serve as preliminary estimates that will continue to improve as we and other researchers collect more data and better understand where and how people fish.

Obtaining this initial estimate provides fisheries managers with a baseline to ensure that fisheries policies are consistent with the actual effects of recreational fishing.

We also noticed that recreational freshwater fishing is practiced around the world. If actual recreational fish production in the United States is significantly higher than previous estimates, the same may be true globally. Automated management system

This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.