COVID-19 restrictions and recreational fisheries in Ontario, Canada: preliminary insights from an online angler survey

This is a Preprint and has not been peer reviewed. The published version of this Preprint is available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2021.105961. This is version 3 of this Preprint.

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Authors

Andrew Howarth, Amanda L Jeanson, Alice E. I. Abrams, Christine Beaudoin, Isha Mistry, Albana Berberi, Nathan Young, Vivian Nguyen, Sean J. Landsman, Andrew N. Kadykalo

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding public health mitigation strategies have altered many facets of human life. And yet, little is known about how public health measures have impacted complex socio-ecological systems such as recreational fisheries. Using a web-based online snowball survey, we targeted resident anglers in Ontario, Canada, to obtain preliminary insight on how the pandemic has impacted recreational fishing and related activity. We also explored angler perspectives on pandemic-related restrictions and other aspects of fisheries management. Our results point to the value of recreational fisheries for the mental and physical well-being of participants, as well as the value and popularity of outdoor recreation during a pandemic. Although angling effort and fish consumption appeared to decline during the early phases of the pandemic, approximately 20% of the anglers who responded to our survey self-identified as new entrants who had begun or resumed fishing in that time. Self-reported motivations to fish during the pandemic suggest that free time, importance to mental and physical health, and desires for self-sufficiency caused some anglers to fish more, whereas a lack of free time, poor or uncertain accessibility, and perceived risks caused some anglers to fish less. Respondents also expressed their desires for more clear and consistent communication about COVID-19 fishing restrictions from governments, and viewed angling as a safe pandemic activity. Information on recreational angler behaviours, motivations, and perspectives during the pandemic may prove valuable to fisheries managers and policy makers looking to optimize their strategies for facing this and other similar crises.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32942/osf.io/87qh9

Subjects

Biology, Environmental Studies, Life Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

angling, communications, COVID-19 pandemic, fisheries management, lockdown, Recreational fisheries

Dates

Published: 2020-12-18 21:01

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License

CC-By Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International