Improving the Accuracy of Recreational Catch Estimates with Complementary Surveys and Auxiliary Data on Human Dimensions

The accuracy of estimates of recreational catch and predictions of future catches can be improved by employing data from complementary surveys and adjusting for human dimensions and spatial factors. Data on the recreational component of the Western Australian fishery for western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus) have been collected annually for 28 consecutive years using a mail survey of randomly-selected licence holders. During the 2000s, the mail survey was complemented by phone-diary surveys of licence holders selected from the same database using probability-based sampling. Research has focused on expanding the recreational catch data collected in these surveys to a whole-of-fishery level.The auxiliary data relating to human dimensions and spatial aspects of fishing, which were also collected in the surveys, have also provided a valuable time series on fishers’ avidity, experience, age, residence, fishing method (e.g. trap, diving), fishing gear and technology, depth and location of fishing. The extent of which these characteristics of both fishers and fishing activity can improve the estimates and predictions of recreational catch for this fishery is now being explored. The use of complementary surveys, in combination with continued collection, refinement, and application of human dimensions data, are strongly recommended for this and other recreational fisheries.