Environ Biol Fish (2019) 102:105–115 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-018-0840-1 A multi-methods approach supports the effective management and conservation of coastal marine recreational flats fisheries Aaron J. Adams & Jennifer S. Rehage & Steven J. Cooke Received: 19 July 2018 /Accepted: 27 December 2018 /Published online: 19 January 2019 # Springer Nature B.V. 2019 Abstract The recreational, catch and release fishery for in other regions. Conservation and management of flats fishes that inhabit shallow-water, coastal marine habitats in fisheries present a challenge because the fisheries are typ- tropical and sub-tropical regions (called the flats fishery) is ically data poor; they occur in locations that lack resources economically valuable and increasingly perceived as a and there are scant data on the target species and their sustainable ecotourism pursuit. However, knowledge of habitats. Since earlier symposia, much has been accom- many aspects of target species (such as bonefish, tarpon plished to fill knowledge gaps and contribute actionable and permit) ecology is incomplete, and fishery- and non- knowledge to conservation. Studies are being replicated fishery-related threats to the fish and habitats are numerous across a wider geographic range, and connectivity is being and often poorly understood. The International Bonefish studied at local and regional scales. Citizen science and and Tarpon Symposium is convened every three years to local ecological knowledge have contributed to a better share new knowledge and to chart directions for future understanding of historical trends and ongoing processes. research, with a focus on research that informs conserva- In some instances, data have been applied to proactive tion and management. Most of the articles in this Special habitat protections, as in the Bahamas, and to habitat Issue focus on the flats fishery in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf restoration, as in Florida. In other instances, though much of Mexico, and western North Atlantic ocean, but the data have been gathered, additional information is needed findings presented here provide guidance for similar work before a comprehensive conservation strategy is possible, as in the Florida Keys. As the articles contained in this Special Issue demonstrate, a mixed-methods approach that A. J. Adams (*) uses complementary sources of information to construct a Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, 135 San Lorenzo Avenue, Suite 860, broad understanding of the flats fishery is necessary to Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA e-mail: [email protected] guide research and inform conservation and management. A. J. Adams . Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic Keywords Marine fish conservation Habitat Albula University, 5600 US-1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA vulpes . Megalops atlanticus . Trachinotus falcatus . Connectivity J. S. Rehage Earth & Environment Department, Institute of Water and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA Introduction S. J. Cooke Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, The coastal habitat mosaic of marine tropical and sub- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By tropical regions is comprised of seagrass, mangroves, Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada coral reefs, sand and mud bottom, limestone hardbottom, 106 Environ Biol Fish (2019) 102:105–115 and benthic algae that support a diverse community of to lacking data on the present-day fishery, historical data resident and transient fishes and invertebrates, as well as are lacking entirely, thus assessment of trends in the juveniles that use these habitats as nurseries. These hab- fishery or fish population size and demographics depend itats are typically shallow (<2 m) and are collectively solely upon mostly qualitative reports from fishers and referred to as flats. In the Caribbean Sea and western guides which are rarely codified (but see Santos et al. North Atlantic Ocean, bonefish (Albula vulpes), Atlantic 2017; Black et al. 2015). Thus, it is unlikely the ‘data tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), permit (Trachinotus poor’ status of the flats fishery is going to improve falcatus) and numerous other species that depend upon substantially. It is therefore essential to develop fisheries flats habitats support economically and culturally impor- and habitat management strategies that allow conserva- tant fisheries that are primarily the focus of recreational tion despite limited data (Johannes 1998; Pilling et al. fishers that practice catch and release – called the flats 2008). A multi-methods approach toward obtaining ac- fishery. The economic and cultural value of the fishery tionable knowledge [actionable knowledge is defined as provides leverage for conservation and management, and Bthe creative intersection between what we know and since bonefish, tarpon, and permit use the entire coastal putting what we know into everyday practice^ (Blood habitat mosaic during their life cycles, they are valuable 2006)] is therefore required to provide sufficient guidance umbrella species for broad-scale conservation. This man- to ensure ecosystems and species are able to function uscript summarizes the challenges posed by a chronic sustainably. In this context, multi-methods means data-poor situation to conservation and management, the using research from multiple approaches – including progress in filling knowledge gaps for these species that oceanography, telemetry, economics, genetics, habitat will improve conservation and management efforts, and mapping, sociology – to obtain sufficient information outlines future needs to continue progress. to inform management, conservation, and in some in- stances restoration. This manuscript summarizes recent Science to support conservation and management progress. One of the great challenges to conservation and man- Fishery characteristics agement of bonefish, tarpon, permit and other tropical fish species that aggregate to spawn is that most exist in The recreational flats fishery is primarily catch and data poor situations. These species are either part of release, and fishing effort is frequently via a method recreational catch and release fisheries or inhabit regions known as sight fishing. For sight fishing, a recreational that lack resources for management; in both cases, data fisher, alone or with a professional fishing guide, wades to inform standard fisheries management are not avail- or uses a pole to push a small skiff across the flats able. Indeed, there has never been a proper stock assess- searching for fish. Once a bonefish, tarpon, or permit ment of bonefish, tarpon, or permit, and for bonefish is sighted, the angler casts a lure or bait to the fish. (the most well-studied species) only recently have data Because this method requires large areas of flats to on age and growth (Crabtree et al. 1996; Rennert et al. search for fish, overfishing can occur even though it is 2019), and movements (e.g., Humston et al. 2005; a catch and release fishery by exceeding the fishing Murchie et al. 2013) been reported. Indeed, the first capacity, where fishing capacity is defined as the scientific documentation of a bonefish pre-spawning amount of fishing effort that a catch and release fishery aggregation was published less than a decade ago can support while maintaining a high-quality fishery (Danylchuk et al. 2011) and only recently have these (high catch rates, large fish size, intact habitats) telemetric observations been extended to other regions (Adams 2017). Mortality arising from catch-and- (Brownscombe et al. 2017; Perez et al. 2019)andsup- release is often not considered fully in estimates of plemented with behavioral observations (Danylchuk fishing mortality, and as such mortality is often cryptic et al. 2011; Danylchuk et al. 2019). Moreover, most (Coggins et al. 2007). research has occurred in a small portion of the spe- The recreational flats fishery is economically valu- cies’ geographic range: The Bahamas and Florida able in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and western Keys for bonefish; Florida and Belize for permit; North Atlantic Ocean. For example, the estimated an- the geographic coverage of tarpon research is more nual economic impact of the recreational fishery for widespread but most has been in Florida. In addition bonefish in the Bahamas, exceeds $141 million USD Environ Biol Fish (2019) 102:105–115 107 (Fedler 2010). The flats fishery generates an annual and age at maturity and dimorphic growth patterns economic impact of approximately $465 million in the appear to differ among regions. For example, bonefish Florida Keys (Fedler 2013) and $50 million in Belize in the Bahamas, Central America and insular Caribbean (Fedler 2014). The economic importance of the fishery (Adams et al. 2008; C. Haak, UMass, unpubl. data) may has led to the creation of strict regulations in some grow three times slower than in the Florida Keys countries: bonefish, tarpon and permit are catch and (Crabtree et al. 1996), and growth may vary even at release only in Belize; bonefish and tarpon are catch the scale of the Bahamas archipelago (C. Haak, pers. and release only in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. comm.). An International Union for the Conservation of Virgin Islands. In other locations, the flats fishery coex- Nature assessment classified bonefish as Near Threat- ists with consumptive fisheries that are subject to vary- ened due to habitat loss and fragmentation (particularly ing levels of management. For example, in the Baha- mangroves and seagrasses),