Recreational Pelagic Fishing and Economic Opportunity on Colombia's Caribbean Coast

In many places, recreational fishing is becoming more popular and more influential on local economies.  With a growing economy and tremendous opportunity for a vibrant recreational fishery, Colombia is one such location. Building off work completed in the Northern Caribbean, recreational billfish anglers were surveyed in several locations on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, in order to begin to understand the potential for recreational fisheries here.  Anglers were asked about their fishing attitudes and behaviors, as well as about their annual expenditures. Survey participants spent an average of $2,534 and indicated that they target a wide variety of species, primarily for the sport of catching fish, rather than the harvest. While there is much room for further education, many behaviors such as a preference for catch and release lend themselves to improved conservation practices. Overall, there are many indicators that Colombia is a prime location for further study and encouragement of a sustainable recreational fishery.