For generations, management practices prioritizing game fisheries have been detrimental to native, traditionally-nongame fishes in the United States. The expansion of new fishing techniques such as bowfishing and others in addition to new life history research on native fishes warrants a reappraisal for sustainability. Fundamental challenges to sustainability include lack of harvest protection for many species targeted, lack of funding, and archaic attitudes on the social value of native species historically regarded as “other” to game species. This symposium will aggregate new research and review perspectives on topics relevant to appreciation and management of native, historically-nongame fishes: 1) life history, 2) species social value, 3) fisheries pressuring these species (i.e., bowfishing, commercial, microfishing, etc.), 4) funding challenges and solutions, 5) stakeholder perspectives or collaborations, and 6) novel approaches incorporating these topics for sustainable management of native fisheries.
Organizers:
- Jason D. Schooley, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, j[email protected]
- Dennis Scarnecchia, University of Idaho
- Alec Lackmann, University of Minnesota
- Solomon David, Nicholls State University