Wednesday January 7, 2026
USGS —
Recreational fisheries (non-commercial fishing activities) are complex and adaptive systems shaped by ongoing interactions between people and the natural environment. Multiple CASC authors and other experts from a range of social-science disciplines contributed to a new open access book that explores how social-ecological science can be integrated into the management of these interconnected systems.
The book, titled Understanding Recreational Fishers: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Approaches for Fisheries Management, focuses on the human side of fisheries management, exploring how people, fish, and ecosystems interact in recreational fishing. The authors examine how different fields understand fishers’ behavior, emphasize engaging directly with fishing communities, and encourage interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration. The book, which is freely available to anyone, offers a valuable resource for practitioners and students looking to integrate both social and ecological science to support more sustainable fisheries management.