Chestnut- Faull, K. C., M. Mather, Q. Phelps, D. Shoup. 2022. A review of empirical evidence related to the effectiveness of harvest regulation evaluations: a systematic, standardized collaborative approach to data collection. Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10808
Abstract
Abstract
Harvest regulations are important tools that fisheries professionals use to impact fish abundance, alter population size structure, and improve fishing opportunities. Fisheries professionals often assume that specialized harvest regulations will have specific effects on target fish populations, but these predictions are not always realized because theory and practice don’t always match. To identify trends that can improve the future success of harvest regulations, we reviewed a representative sample of harvest regulation evaluations for inland sportfish (i.e., 62 evaluations from 41 studies). Our review revealed gaps related to quantitative predictions, statistical design, evaluation duration, researcher-manager collaboration, and data standardization. We encourage fisheries professionals to join together to systematically evaluate every change in harvest regulations. Shared and thoughtful data collection designs and protocol standardizations, which include the recommendations made in this call-to-action, can transform every regulation application into an empirical evaluation that provides generality across locations and time periods with similar effort and cost.
Harvest regulations are important tools that fisheries professionals use to impact fish abundance, alter population size structure, and improve fishing opportunities. Fisheries professionals often assume that specialized harvest regulations will have specific effects on target fish populations, but these predictions are not always realized because theory and practice don’t always match. To identify trends that can improve the future success of harvest regulations, we reviewed a representative sample of harvest regulation evaluations for inland sportfish (i.e., 62 evaluations from 41 studies). Our review revealed gaps related to quantitative predictions, statistical design, evaluation duration, researcher-manager collaboration, and data standardization. We encourage fisheries professionals to join together to systematically evaluate every change in harvest regulations. Shared and thoughtful data collection designs and protocol standardizations, which include the recommendations made in this call-to-action, can transform every regulation application into an empirical evaluation that provides generality across locations and time periods with similar effort and cost.