Urban and Community Fisheries Programs: Development, Management, and Evaluation

The Role of Law Enforcement in Urban Fisheries

Richard T. Eades, Larry D. Pape, and Kevin M. Hunt

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874042.ch5

Abstract.—One of the primary goals of many urban fisheries programs is to increase fishing participation among urban residents. While many programs target youth in particular, there is still an underlying desire to increase the number of fishing licenses sold in urban areas to offset program costs. Unfortunately, an increase in urban fishing participation may not translate into increased license sales because many anglers do not purchase a license due to a lack of law enforcement presence. Results from the national status survey of fisheries administrators revealed that insufficient law enforcement is not unique to individual states. More than one-half of the administrators indicated that law enforcement efforts in urban areas were inadequate, and one-fourth believed this had a negative impact on meeting program objectives. An additional survey was used with urban program managers and regional fisheries biologists to determine whether local concerns were consistent with administration concerns, and most believed that insufficient law enforcement in their state was a problem and was detrimental to urban fish populations. States looking to develop or expand an urban fisheries program need to be cognizant that without the support of local game wardens, conservation officers, and/or other local-level municipal law enforcement officers, efforts to maintain fishing opportunities or increase license sales may not be possible or cost-effective. Urban program managers are encouraged to seek law enforcement and public buy-in early in the development of their fisheries as a way to mitigate against potential problems caused by illegal fishing and harvest.