By Abigail J. Lynch, William W. Taylor, and Aaron M. McCright
Decision support tools can aid decision making by systematically incorporating information, accounting for uncertainties, and facilitating evaluation between alternatives. Without user buy-in, however, decision support tools can fail to influence decision making processes. We surveyed fishery researchers, managers, and fishers affiliated with the Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis fishery in the 1836 Treaty Waters of Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior to assess opinions of current and future management needs to identify barriers to, and opportunities for, developing a decision support tool based on Lake Whitefish recruitment projections with climate change. Approximately 64% of 39 respondents were satisfied with current management, and nearly 85% agreed that science was well integrated into management programs. Though decision support tools can facilitate science integration into management, respondents suggest that they face significant implementation barriers, including lack of political will to change management and perceived uncertainty in decision support outputs. Recommendations from this survey can inform development of decision support tools for fishery management in the Great Lakes and other regions.
Members click below for the November 2016 Fisheries magazine’s complete issue. Non-members, join here.
Recent News
- President Cecil Jennings Visits Japanese Society of Fisheries Science April 16, 2024
- AFS Requests Changes to Culvert Removal Grant Program April 16, 2024
- AFS Calls for Improvements to Infrastructure Implementation April 16, 2024
- American Fisheries Society Announces Search for Next Executive Director March 29, 2024
- AFS Urges Passage of Bipartisan Resilient Coasts and Estuaries Act March 27, 2024