Potential effects of management options on marine recreational fisheries - the example of the western Baltic cod fishery

Globally, marine recreational fishing is a popular activity that contributes substantially to fishing mortality for some stocks and therefore should be considered in stock assessments and fisheries management. Using the example of the German western Baltic Sea recreational cod fishery, this study examines the effects of the first-time introduction of a bag limit on a previously largely unregulated marine recreational fishery. Furthermore, the study simulates and compares effects of different bag limits, seasonal closures, minimum length, and harvest slot limits to inform scientists, stakeholders, and managers about alternative management strategies and their potential effects on the fishery. After the first-time introduction of the bag limit, recreational removals decreased more than expected and the fishing participation slightly declined. The simulations showed that management measures adapted to the fishing methods reduced recreational removals but with different effects on cod length distributions and angler welfare. A combination of a high bag limit, seasonal closure and size/slot limits were most suitable for limiting cod removals with minimal impacts on angler welfare. This study demonstrates that recreational fisheries management measures need to be evaluated considering fishing methods and angler preferences before their implementation to avoid unexpected biological, social, and economic consequences.