ANGLER BEHAVIOR IN RESPONSE TO MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ON NEBRASKA RESERVOIRS – PART III

Recreational angling is an influential factor structuring fish populations in inland systems. Given its importance and the reliance in North America on sportspersons to fund conservation activities (i.e., the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation), natural resource agencies invest substantial resources to manage angler-fish interactions to ensure long-term sustainability. Limited information exists about anglers in urban environments and their behaviors locally at smaller waterbodies. It is important for us to understand angler behavior in metropolitan areas because the landscape is becoming more urbanized.

Project goals are to understand 1) the participation patterns of anglers; 2) how participation patterns of anglers’ influence fish populations and associated communities; 3) how management actions influence angler participation patterns and, in turn, fish communities; and 4) interactions and feedback mechanisms between and among angler groups and fish communities.

The project currently has eight study components.
    1. Omaha Angler Survey. 
    2. Omaha Angler Effort. 
    3. Omaha Recreation Survey. 
    4. Understanding Variation of Recreational Angler Effort. 
    5. Recreational Use of Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. 
    6. Lake McConaughy Angler Survey. 
    7. Ogallala. 
    8. Economic valuation of recreational fishing.