Sportfishing
Picture courtesy of NOAA.
In recent years, many countries, especially small island states, have seen an increase in sport fishing as an important tourist activity. Game fishing is an important economic component of tourism. This type of fishing generates substantial revenues, is selective and mainly confined to offshore areas where likelihood of capture of large pelagic fish (e.g. sailfish) is greatest. For many reef-dependent species, localised fishing sanctuaries can help reduce conflict between user groups. However, sanctuaries do not work for highly mobile resources such as those targeted by offshore sport fishing. If and when well-managed sports fisheries can provide direct and indirect employment opportunities for islanders, are unlikely to have substantial adverse resource and environmental impacts, and pose few interaction problems with inshore small- scale or offshore commercial industrial fisheries. However, regular monitoring programs should be put in place as sportfishing activities could potentially lead to the decline of certain species especially id these are already heavily targeted by the commercial fishing fleets.
In the US sport fishing creates nearly 1.2 million jobs nationwide and amounts to US$37.8 billion (35.2 million adult anglers). More recently, as use of public waters, especially in nearshore ocean areas, has grown, competition for space has increased, leading to conflicts between sport fishing, more traditional fishing and other coastal activities. Though today's menhaden fleet is very much reduced in the number of vessels when compared to the past. Most of the vessels, which are quite large, operate during the peak tourist and sport fishing seasons in areas where marine sportfishing is concentrated. Most conflicts have occurred in North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York.
In Italy and Greece conflicts between recreational and professional fishermen are frequent. In Greece, the most serious source of conflict is competition for space (mooring places and valuable fishing sites). Another major issue of debate concerns the legislative provision for the use of nets and long- lines by recreational fishermen. Whilst professional fishermen object to the use of such gears, recreational fishermen on the other hand say their use should be encouraged. In Italy, competition for space seems to be the most important source of conflict, followed closely by market competition. In addition conflicts also arise from the vagueness of the legislative provisions regarding allowed recreational fishing gears.Picture courtesy of NOAA.