Abstract
Our project studies biological and socio-economical aspects of two management methods for sustainable recreational fisheries use of lake fish and ecosystem functions. The management methods are "catch and release" for minimization of the effects of fisheries on piscivore stock composition and biodiversity, and fish stocking for restoration of threatened species, focusing on the eel ecology in lakes. Our project includes investigations of both fish and fishers' behaviour, aiming to enhance the integration of both into the sustainable-use management. Indirect behavioural effects of catch and release can affect fish foraging and growth, and thereby the fish stock and trophic effects in lakes. Eel stocking for restoration needs furthered knowledge on eel biology in its lake phase in order to optimize the conservation measures. In order for the conservation and sustainable-use methods to be successfully implemented and allow for a productive development of the economically, socially and ecologically important recreational lake fisheries, the fishing behaviour of recreational fishers and their views on management, sustainable use, biodiversity and values of ecosystem functions also have to be surveyed. We therefore combine biological investigations on fish individuals and populations with observational and questionnaire surveys of fisher behaviours and attitudes to enhance the development of sustainable-use programmes where resources, stakeholders and authorities work in concert.
Sweden