Abstract

Marine management areas are created with the idea to conserve various species from overharvest and/or preserve an important ecosystem. For highly migratory fish, like billfish, this can be difficult due to the fact that they do not stay in the same place for long periods of time typically, but a number of management areas have been created over the past several decades with varying success. Nearly two decades ago, the Florida East Coast Pelagic Longline Closed Zone (FECPLLCZ) was established due to overfishing of the stock and the region being identified as a nursery ground for swordfish. The spatial analysis of tag and release data of blue marlin, sailfish, and swordfish was conducted with Geographic information systems (GIS) software by looking at management areas off Florida and billfish data reported to The Billfish Foundation (TBF) in order to investigate any correlation between conservation zones and recreational effort. Answering this question would help pave way to future management strategies to help advance billfish conservation as well as the rights of recreational anglers. The use of TBF’s data was most logical seeing as it is widely recognized and used by many in the sportfishing community since 1990. The analysis showed that the FECPLLCZ was particularly effective for swordfish and sailfish species, as shown by the statistics presented in the high low clustering reports. Furthermore, the information found supports the idea that using proper management techniques and implementing marine conservation zones that are able to, at the same time, protect the right of recreational anglers ensures that the links between sportfishing, marine conservation, and both our local and global economy remain strong.

PDF Preview