Abstract
Recreational fisheries are characterized by complex interactions between the biological processes governing fish production, and the social processes influencing angler behavior. For the most part, social and ecological components of recreational fisheries are studied independently and the outcomes of the research are rarely integrated in developing management strategies. This thesis attempts to integrate social and ecological processes operating in spatially structured fisheries. In order to understand the dynamic interactions across many sampling units, I developed a method to estimate fish density and demonstrate that gillnet catchability varies as a function of lake-basin characteristics and water temperature. Using this information, I conducted an analysis of angler characteristics to determine how anglers interact with the fishery. The results suggest a diverse group of anglers that varied in their spatial behaviour, harvest behaviour and catchability. The impact of heterogeneity in angler characteristics on fish populations was further explored by examining mechanisms resulting in hyperstability. Angler characteristics had strong interactions with the fishery: anglers who fished at low density lakes were more experienced than anglers at high density lakes. This segregation of angler experience across lakes appeared to explain the observed hyperstability. In spatially structured fisheries, it is also important to understand how the tradeoffs between environmental productivity and competition influence somatic growth rates and plasticity in life-history traits. Using experimental populations of Rainbow Trout to empirically test predictions from life-history theory, immature growth rates were best explained by climatic and density dependent competition effects, and age at maturity and the proportion of surplus energy invested into reproduction are dependent on juvenile growth conditions. Finally, integrating social and ecological processes operating in spatially structured fisheries requires understanding how feedbacks between anglers, fish populations and fisheries managers influence system outcomes. Using a conceptual analysis, I demonstrate that understanding behavioural-mediated interactions and the scale at which these processes operate is critical for managing for the sustainability of recreational fisheries. Together, this research suggests a way to improve the management of spatially-structured fisheries by integrating the dynamic interaction between social and ecological processes.
