In:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 116, No. 49 ( 2019-12-03), p. 24676-24681
Abstract:
Recreational fisheries are valued at $190B globally and constitute the predominant way in which people use wild fish stocks in developed countries, with inland systems contributing the main fraction of recreational fisheries. Although inland recreational fisheries are thought to be highly resilient and self-regulating, the rapid pace of environmental change is increasing the vulnerability of these fisheries to overharvest and collapse. Here we directly evaluate angler harvest relative to the biomass production of individual stocks for a major inland recreational fishery. Using an extensive 28-y dataset of the walleye ( Sander vitreus ) fisheries in northern Wisconsin, United States, we compare empirical biomass harvest (Y) and calculated production (P) and biomass (B) for 390 lake year combinations. Production overharvest occurs when harvest exceeds production in that year. Biomass and biomass turnover (P/B) declined by ∼30 and ∼20%, respectively, over time, while biomass harvest did not change, causing overharvest to increase. Our analysis revealed that ∼40% of populations were production-overharvested, a rate 〉 10× higher than estimates based on population thresholds often used by fisheries managers. Our study highlights the need to adapt harvest to changes in production due to environmental change.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0027-8424
,
1091-6490
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.1913196116
Language:
English
Publisher:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publication Date:
2019
detail.hit.zdb_id:
209104-5
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1461794-8
SSG:
11
SSG:
12
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