Converting Kansas' Fisheries Data into Angler Consumable Communication

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Fisheries Section strives to meaningfully communicate with Kansas anglers.  To effectively communicate with a diverse public the Fisheries Section employs a variety of media and strategies. Outreach communications include both the traditional print (magazines, press releases, news articles, brochures, regulations, etc.) and electronic (blogs, website, social media, videos, email, etc.) media. Some efforts are mainly promotional in nature and are aimed at the general public, for instance we partnered with KDOT to hang “Welcome Anglers” banners on overpasses and have wrapped Fisheries Section truck tailgates with messaging. Other efforts are aimed at strengthening bonds with our constituents, for instance all District Fisheries Biologists write two newsletters a year that are distributed to anglers via email. The Section strives to inform the public on where they can fish through our annual “Fishing Atlas” publication, how to increase success through our education efforts, and where the best fishing for certain species is each year through the “Fishing Forecast.” The Fishing Forecast ranks the best waters for each species, for different water types, based upon our fisheries sampling data. An important part of the communication process is having a means for the public to respond back to the agency. The opportunity for the public to respond to KDWPT occurs in person at many public events, online through submitting “contact us” emails, by posting on agency blogs or the public fishing reports “dock squawk” page, by calling KDWPT offices, posting comments on Facebook, or in the comments section of KDWPT YouTube videos. In the end, people support people not nameless faceless regulatory agencies. KDWPT’s Fisheries Section has embraced the importance of people in fisheries management and strives to stay fully engaged with the public.