Making It Our Plan: Collaborating with Stakeholders to Revise North Carolina's Trout Management Plan

Between 2010 and 2011, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (Commission) collaborated with trout anglers and resource management partners to revise the 1989 Trout Management Plan.  Diverse groups of anglers utilize commission-managed trout waters and contribute approximately $174 million to North Carolina’s economy each year.  The Commission recognizes the importance of understanding trout angler activities and views in order to develop appropriate management strategies.  Thus, the Commission held five focus groups with trout anglers to receive their thoughts regarding trout management.  Focus group participants represented anglers affiliated with organized angling groups (Trout Unlimited, Federation of Fly Fishers, or private fishing clubs), anglers not identified with organized angling groups, and trout angling guides.  Selected participants from each of the five focus groups were recruited to serve on an angler advisory committee whose charge was to provide input as the Commission refined program areas and goals.  During advisory committee meetings information exchange was aided by presenting background information, clarifying Commission and participants’ roles, and explaining the goals and limitations of the process.  In addition to stakeholder involvement, the Commission sought to include a variety of management partners throughout the revision process.  Input meetings were held with staff representing multiple Commission divisions and other state, federal, and non-governmental resource management partners.  Through this collaborative revision process the Commission was able to obtain a suite of qualitative data that provided rich, in-depth information that would not have been captured otherwise, and as a result, five critical program areas and specific goals for each area were identified and incorporated into the Commission’s new trout management plan.