Scientists Need Your Help!
When most people think of fisheries science, they think of studying the fish—growth, behavior, movements. But equally critical to understanding a fishery are the anglers and captains who participate—what affects their decisions and ultimately drives fishing effort and harvest? For the U.S. Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery, which is subject to strict, internationally-mandated harvest limits (1,059 tons in 2016), these questions are especially important. With recreational bluefin tuna anglers allocated about 20% of the total U.S. bluefin tuna quota, managers need to understand how factors such as regulations and fish availability affect fishing behavior.
To better understand bluefin anglers’ behavior, preferences, and values, Willy Goldsmith, PhD student at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and OTW contributor, and his advisor, marine resource economist Dr. Andrew Scheld, are conducting surveys of Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit-holders this spring. A paper survey will be sent to a subset of HMS Angling category permit-holders (private anglers) from Maine to North Carolina, while Charter/Headboat category permit-holders will be mailed a letter or sent an email directing them to an online survey. In both surveys, fishermen will be asked to make choices regarding different bluefin tuna fishing scenarios, as well as general questions about their fishing behavior. The study, supported by a NOAA Fisheries Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant, is vital for improving the understanding of value provided by the recreational bluefin tuna fishery and for informing the development of management strategies that will maximize angler well-being while keeping catches within necessary limits.
So, if you receive a letter or email this spring asking you to participate in this research, consider taking the time to complete the survey. You’ll be contributing to valuable research that aims to enhance the recreational fishery for bluefin tuna here on the east coast of the United States.
If you have any questions about the project or would like to learn more, please email Willy Goldsmith: wmgoldsmith@vims.edu.
Photo: Captain Bobby Rice, Reel Deal Fishing Charters
[…] http://www.onthewater.com/get-involv…n-tuna-survey/ On the water article about it; couldn't find anything negative about the Professor who is sponsoring him i.e. no direct links to our NGO friends but who knows… googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-14'); }); […]