Visions for Future Management Scenarios: Marine Recreational Fisheries Management

Federal and state agencies have identified the need for real-time information in order to manage progressively more complicated marine recreational fisheries.  Marine recreational fishermen increasingly desire up-to-date regulatory and fishery information, including fishing hotspots, ocean conditions, and quota status updates.  The future needs of these two groups are complimentary.  The future of recreational fisheries management will likely incorporate two-way communication methods as a means of collecting data and transmitting information to a broad audience.  Over the next decade, advanced tablets, smartphones, and other state-of-the-art technologies will enable recreational fishermen and fisheries managers to share data with ease.  Incentives to participate will likely change in order to encourage widespread use of the technology, gain trust, and develop improved management and science.  This presentation will explore current and future technological developments and incentives for data sharing as a means for facilitating two-way information sharing within recreational fisheries.