Recreational and non-commercial hook and line fishing is a cornerstone for many coastal communities with an estimated 12.7 million participants in the United States of America in 2022. Non-commercial fishing, as defined in federal regulations, includes, but is not limited to, sustenance, subsistence, traditional indigenous and recreational fishing. As coastal human populations surge and competition for ocean space intensifies, popular recreational and non-commercial fisheries are facing increasing pressure, threats, and challenges. Our proposed session will examine many of these vexing and often interrelated issues to identify new and emerging challenges facing marine recreational and non-commercial hook and line fisheries, including those of great relevance to the Pacific Islands Region. The desired outcome of the session is to have inclusive discussions about knowledge gaps and potential solutions to the emerging challenges in these unique fisheries.
Organizer: Tim Sartwell, NOAA Fisheries, [email protected]
Co-organizers: Andy Danylchuk
Supported by: NOAA Fisheries