Assessing Recreational Fishing Compliance before, during and after Implementation of a Network of Conservation Areas: Rockfish Conservation Areas in British Columbia

Compliance with spatial fishing regulations is one of the most important determinants of ecological recovery, yet is rarely measured. We used aerial creel survey observations of recreational fishing events to measure fishing effort in and around 77 Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) in British Columbia before, during and after the RCAs in the Strait of Georgia were established. There was no evidence of a change in fishing effort in 83% of the RCAs and effort in 5 RCAs increased after establishment. Fishing effort in open areas adjacent to the RCAs declined with time and was higher than effort in the RCA in all three years. We also studied the drivers of compliance using a Generalized Additive Model and compliance data for 105 RCAs around Vancouver Island. Compliance was influenced by the level of fishing effort around the RCA, the size and perimeter to area ratio of RCAs, proximity to fishing lodges and the level of enforcement. Non-compliance in RCAs may be hampering the effectiveness of RCAs and impeding the recovery of rockfish populations. Our results indicate that efforts at reducing fishing effort inside protected areas in Canadian waters through education and enforcement are critical to the recovery of depleted fish stocks.