Marine Recreational Fisheries in Uruguay: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities for Research and Management

Abstract

[Abstract] Marine Recreational Fisheries (MRF) have significant economic, socio-cultural and ecological value globally, contributing up to 12 % of the world's finfish catch. In South America, participation in MRF is increasing, although research in this area is limited, with only a few countries conducting comprehensive studies. In Uruguay, MRF are defined in national legislation but there are no specific regulations, no scientific literature and no formal registry for recreational fishers. Monitoring has mainly focused on freshwater fisheries. This paper presents the first comprehensive study of MRF in Uruguay, analysing data from 88 on-line respondents and 903 fishing events from a pilot monitoring programme. It estimates that there are about 27,636 marine recreational fishers, including 22,571 shore anglers, 4965 boat anglers and 100 spearfishers, who spend about 26 $M annually on fishing gear, boats and related expenses. The study identified 83 species caught, with Whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) and stripped weakfish (Cynoscion guatucupa) being the most common. In particular, some threatened species of large coastal sharks were also recorded. Annual catch and expenditures estimations highlight the need for a stable data collection framework for future assessments. Overall, the results improve the understanding of the economic, social and ecological aspects of the MRF, and contribute to its regulation for sustainability.