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Abstract |
Recreational fishing activities have been facing a decline in participation rates throughout industrialized countries in recent years (Arlinghaus et al., 2015). However, many countries are now seeing a considerable increase in recreational fishing license sales as a response to the restrictions on many indoor sports and leisure activities caused by the Covid-19 pandemic (Cooke et al., 2021). Recreational fishing activities have the potential to affect fish populations worldwide, but data about actual fishing pressure is lacking in many countries. Despite the European Commissions recent call for monitoring all fishing activities (including recreational efforts), the development of monitoring programs is still moving slowly. Increased understanding of potential ecological impacts of recreational fishing, combined with the current positive participation rates, emphasize a demand for monitoring recreational fishing catches and effort. |
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