Combining a Diary and On-Site Survey to Estimate Total Landings and Release of Cod in Norway’s Marine Angling Tourism.

Norwegian coastal cod (Gadus morhua), which might presently be overfished, is frequently targeted by marine angling tourists in Norway. Recreational angling has become an increasingly important part of the Norwegian tourism industry and may contribute significantly to the fishing mortality of the Norwegian coastal cod stock. A national probability-based survey was conducted during 2009 to estimate the harvest of cod and eight other species targeted by marine angling tourists in Norway. From a stratified random sample of businesses, angling tourists were recruited systematically over time to record their daily harvest and effort in diaries. Cod dominated the reported landed catches (harvest) north of 62°N, with an estimated total annual harvest of around 530 thousand fish (1613 tons). To date, however, no studies have quantified the degree of catch and release practice in the marine angling tourism in Norway, as it is difficult to collect reliable release data via catch diaries filled out by volunteers in this fishery. Catch diaries to be used by angling tourists from many nationalities would likely become too complicated if both numbers kept and numbers released were to be recorded, thus increasing the non-response rates. We therefore conducted on-site interviews at a representative sample of tourist angling businesses during 2010 to estimate the proportion of cod released by marine angling tourists in Northern Norway, and found that 66.8 % of the captured cod were released. It can be assumed that some of the released cod suffer post-release mortality. Since release mortality in angler fisheries is analogous to bycatch discards in commercial fisheries, further research is required to quantify mortality rates, and to develop strategies that can be used by anglers and managers to minimize post-release mortality.