Working with, not against recreational anglers: Evaluating a pro-environmental behavioural strategy for improving catch-and-release behaviour

Catch-and-release (C&R) is increasingly popular in recreational fisheries as it is thought to protect target species while still allowing anglers to continue recreational fishing activities. Several studies have highlighted high rates of mortality and many sub-lethal effects which ultimately have a negative impact on fish population viability. With poorly developed handling practices, the fish that are released suffer the consequences of physical and physiological stress and do not always survive, thus making the ethics of catch-and-release fishing questionable. Many studies have contributed to our understanding of the factors that influence the fate of fish released by anglers. Despite this, the few interventions which have relied on the knowledge-attitude-behavioural strategy have had little success in improving angler C&R behaviour. The broader pro-environmental behavioural strategies however hold some potential for improving angler C&R behaviour. To test their potential, we partnered with the South African Rock and Surf Super Pro League (RASSPL Africa), the biggest exclusively C&R competitive shore-based angling league in South Africa. The first two years (2013 and 2014) of the partnership were purely focused on building trust and relationships and making observations on angler behaviour. In 2015, we collected baseline data on angler behaviour and fish health during the RASSPL national fishing competition. This was followed by comparable data collection at the following two national competitions in 2016 and 2017 after the introduction of a combination of pro-environmental behaviour interventions, including rule changes, improving angler knowledge, behavioural modelling, rewards, penalties and feedback to improve C&R behaviour. There was a significant decline in the time taken by an angler to place their fish into a C&R bucket and reduction in total air exposure of the fish during a C&R event. There were also improvements in the health of the fish, with a decline in the blood lactate concentration and mean reflex action mortality predictors (RAMP's) scores for the dominant elasmobranch and teleost species. The findings of this study suggest that pro-environmental strategies hold potential for improving the C&R behaviour of anglers and the health of released fishes. It is suggested that interventions to improve C&R behaviour should aim to develop long-term relationships, and implement a broad range of well communicated strategies based on reliable data and sound rationality.