Understanding Recreational Fishers

This open access book unites experts from a range of social-science disciplines. It provides a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary overview of how to study recreational fishers as coupled social-ecological system, presenting unique methodological insights for an improved understanding and management of recreational fisheries. The book informs readers about state-of-the art methods for engaging fishers, for quantifying and predicting fisher behaviors, for understanding outcomes of fisher behaviors, and for fully integrating social-science data into recreational-fisheries management—all in the hopes to support sustainable management of complex social-ecological fisheries systems.

The content appeals to social scientists and ecologists alike. It is a key resource for students, fisheries managers and fisheries biologists, especially those without formal training in social sciences, and for research scientists and educators developing programs and courses in the field of human dimensions of fish and wildlife. While focused on recreational fisheries, the toolsets and integrative concepts summarized in this book will be of interest to many other natural resource and biodiversity management contexts where humans and the environment interact.

Kevin L. Pope is deputy chief of the U.S. Geological Survey's Cooperative Research Units Program. Dr. Pope's research concentrates on understanding complex social-ecological systems, especially inland recreational fisheries. He received the Award of Excellence from the Fisheries Management Section of the American Fisheries Society for inspirational leadership in the fishery profession.

Robert Arlinghaus is professor of integrative fisheries management at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Dr. Arlinghaus leads a globally visible research program on the integration of social and ecological sciences in recreational fisheries. He is recipient of the German Communicator Award by the German Science Foundation. He is editor of the leading journal in fisheries, Fish and Fisheries.

Len M. Hunt is a senior human dimensions research scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Dr. Hunt’s program focuses on understanding the behaviours of anglers and hunters to estimate the benefits that these individuals obtain from their recreation and the impacts associated with their behaviours. He is a co-editor of the Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.

Abigail J. Lynch is a research fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey's National Climate Adaptation Science Center. Dr. Lynch conducts science and science synthesis on the impacts of global change to inland fishes at local, national, and global scales. She is an associate editor of Fisheries Management and Ecology.

Brett T. van Poorten is assistant professor of recreational fisheries management and science at Simon Fraser University. Dr. van Poorten’s research focuses on integrating available information to promote informed decision making aimed at improving social and ecological outcomes from fisheries management actions.