Background to the conference theme

Proactive approaches are needed
The recreational fishing world is lost in transformation. Socio-economic conditions faced by fishing communities are constantly altered. Exploited aquatic ecosystems, often irreversibly influenced by Homo sapiens, gradually change and unexpectedly flip from one state to another. Fished populations adapt their vital traits to selection pressures exerted by humans. In addition, the way fish resources “should” be used by human agents, including people seeking recreational benefits by fishing, changes, and the attitude and behaviour of recreational fishers is also everything, but static. Constant research, critical analysis and adaptive management are needed to add and apply new knowledge to new circumstances and better understand and more sustainably manage the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of the world’s recreational fisheries.

Challenges to be overcome
In the past there have been at least three important barriers regarding the generation and application of new knowledge to improve management in recreational fisheries: 1) general lack of data on recreational fisheries in many areas of the world and only local or regional problem solving, which discounts the importance of a more global perspective to defend the interests of the sector; 2) disciplinary thinking among those studying and attempting to solve issues of immediate relevance for recreational fisheries; and 3) pronounced external influences on the development and the quality of recreational fisheries often lying outside the control of fishery managers. To confront these and other challenges faced by the global’s recreational fisheries a radical shift in knowledge generation and application of new knowledge is needed that melds the boundaries between nature and culture, social and ecological science, and between science and management and policy making. This type of new knowledge generation is known as sustainability science and is also sometimes described as social-ecological research. It is particularly relevant for recreational fisheries, which are prime examples of coupled social-ecological systems.

Acknowledging diversity between cultures and nations
On a global scale we can observe great local and regional diversity in management traditions and approaches, fishing cultures, recreational fishing intensity, fishery types, habitat qualities, degree of anthropogenic impacts on fisheries resources, level, quality and severity of influences of non-fisheries stakeholders on recreational fisheries, public appreciation of recreational fisheries and human dimensions of different recreational fisher types. If one generalization can be drawn, then the one that every generalization concerning recreational fisheries management is likely to be incorrect. The great heterogeneity of the world’s recreational fisheries systems simply precludes the derivation of one “best way” on how to manage fisheries resources for the benefits of fish, recreational fishers, and ultimately society. In order to contribute to wise management decisions in recreational fisheries, different nations, communities and local stakeholders have developed their own institutions and decision rules. Most of these rules are based on personal experience and tradition, because of the relatively recent arrival of management supporting science in the arena of recreational fisheries. An international conference provides the forum to learn from diversity to identify suitable strategies and confront common challenges that exist despite diversity.

Towards interdisciplinarity and resiliency
To sustainably develop the world’s recreational fisheries, everything except of interdisciplinary science and application of such knowledge to recreational fisheries coupled with efficient communication between all stakeholders based on values such as mutual respect and understanding is prone to failure. The conference is aimed at providing a forum for discussion and further strengthening of interdisciplinary approaches to build resiliency of recreational fisheries as social-ecological systems. In this context, interdisciplinarity means addressing problems by at least two scientific disciplines, and in an ideal world it means integrating social and natural scientific approaches and thinking. Resiliency is defined as the amount of disturbance a system such as recreational fisheries can absorb without reorganizing into a different state. In many cases high resiliency is a target to avoid undesirable crises, but high resiliency can also be an issue if a system shift is intended but not easily achieved. The conference is aimed at discussing the duality between how to achieve desired changes and avoiding undesired ones.

Knowledge interfaces
The 6th World Recreational Fishing Conference (WRFC) to be held in 2011 in Berlin (Germany) aims at providing a platform for exchange of and discussion on management-orientated recreational fisheries science. In order to facilitate “true” interdisciplinarity and increase the ability of researchers and managers to understand different scientific approaches and appreciate potentially divergent perspectives, it is aimed at attracting delegates from a wide range of scientific disciplines, NGOs and stakeholder groups, including avid anglers. Key concepts and approaches from diverse scientific disciplines and from management practice shall be presented by leading scientists, active managers and representatives of the angling community.