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

Not-so-urban Urban and Community Fishing Opportunities

Harold L. Schramm, Jr.

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874042.ch6

Abstract.—Urban and community fishing (UCF) projects are viewed as a way to provide easily accessible fishing opportunities to an increasingly urbanized society, thereby retaining and recruiting anglers and maintaining support for conservation of fisheries resources. Nearby, out-of-city fishery resources provide an option for development of UCF opportunities by municipalities lacking aquatic resources that can support recreational fishing. Examples of out-of-city fishing sites used as part of UCF projects in eight states are summarized. These out-of-city fishery resources not only provide relatively accessible fishing opportunities, but they also provide more diverse and often more natural fishing experiences. This diversity of fishing experiences may be useful for satisfying a broader angler constituency and aiding the transition of anglers from urban to more traditional, rural fisheries. Inclusion of out-of-city fishery resources in UCF programs can benefit from partnerships between state fisheries management agencies and municipal agencies and organizations.