The Future of Fishing for Fun: The Economics and Sustainable Management of Recreational Fisheries

The management of recreational fisheries has received relatively little research attention from economists. Nevertheless, recreational fisheries generate substantial economic benefits and ecological impacts in many freshwater and marine systems, although they frequently face a range of management challenges. In this article we consider the endogenous feedbacks and exogenous stressors within the coupled human-natural system of recreational fisheries that threaten their efficient and sustainable management, and we review the potential role of economics in addressing these challenges. We discuss key similarities and differences between commercial and recreational fisheries and the implications of the differences for the theory and practice of managing recreational fisheries. Finally, we identify important research gaps that must be addressed to enable policy makers to more accurately weigh the costs and benefits of changes to recreational fishery policies.