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Recreational Catch and Release: Resource Allocation between Commercial and Recreational Fishermen

2007; Wiley; Volume: 27; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1577/m06-210.1

1548-8675

C. Phillip Goodyear,

Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies

Abstract Maximizing catch rates and maximizing sustainable harvest are competing objectives for fisheries. In recreational fisheries, catch rate maximization may be the desired objective for species that are treasured more for their sporting value than for their harvest. This may be achieved through catch‐and‐release fishing, where there is no harvest. This objective, however, contrasts with management measures that require fish to be released because of size or season limits that constrain harvest to allowable catch levels and is not compatible with the management objective of obtaining maximum sustainable yield (MSY) as envisioned by many management institutions. These two objectives also conflict when commercial and recreational fisheries compete for the same resource. Partially, for this reason, many U.S. fisheries have been allocated entirely to the recreational sector (e.g., Atlantic sailfish Istiophorus platypterus, Atlantic blue marlin Makaira nigricans, white marlin Tetrapturus albidus, bonefish Albula vulpes, and tarpon Megalops atlanticus). Here, I apply a logistic surplus production model to an arbitrary fish stock to explore the potential benefits of recreational catch and release for a stock equally allocated to recreational and commercial sectors. The findings show that the stock will grow because of recreational releases if the commercial harvest is not allowed to increase beyond its MSY allocation. This results in higher sustainable catch rates for recreational anglers and a stable harvest for commercial fishers. This option would benefit both user groups.