Evaluating and addressing uncertainty in recreational fishing effort estimates in the southern Strait of Georgia

Recreational fishing is a popular activity worldwide; however, growing concerns regarding its impact on aquatic ecosystems have heightened the need to monitor and manage these fisheries effectively. While the relative impact recreational fisheries have may be comparable to commercial fisheries, the two fisheries are monitored in very different ways. Unlike commercial fisheries, monitoring recreational fisheries presents unique challenges due to their decentralized and heterogeneous nature. This study evaluates the performance of current methods used to estimate recreational fishing effort in the Strait of Georgia, a region with significant recreational fishing activity and multiple fishery sectors competing for the same resources (i.e., First Nations, Recreational, Commercial). A simulation model was developed to assess the accuracy and precision of recreation fishing effort estimates under different conditions and in areas with varying levels of fishing activity. Results indicate that the current estimation methods had highest accuracy and precision in high-effort areas, while estimates in low and medium-effort areas fared much worse. Estimates across all fishing activity levels and parameter variations showed a consistent bias toward underestimating fishing effort. As fisheries change and the management regimes behind them evolve, the methods used to monitor recreational fisheries must adapt to provide relevant data to inform sustainable management. The future success of recreational fisheries will depend on robust monitoring programs that are tailored to the conditions of a fishery and the data requirements of fisheries managers. This study demonstrates how simulation studies can aid in evaluating creel programs and contribute to the sustainable management of recreation fisheries.