Integrating diverse stakeholder knowledge in recreational fisheries decision making

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Abstract

Scientists and policymakers increasingly recognize that recreational fisheries decision making should in some way involve the knowledge of affected stakeholders. There are myriad studies about integrating stakeholder knowledge, but they span broad disciplines and topics. Lacking is (i) simple taxonomies that organize general approaches for integrating knowledge, and (ii) a review and examples of their application to specifically recreational fisheries and specifically diverse stakeholders. This chapter first defines the terms “stakeholders” and “recreational” and recognizes that globally, the decision making for non-commercial fisheries often occurs outside of the North American concept of management agencies and even purely leisure-based fisheries. Most of the chapter reviews common approaches for integrating stakeholder knowledge, from near-complete external governance with minimal input from stakeholders (top-down, command-and-control) to self-governance by stakeholders. Organizationally, we adapt the existing cooperative management continuum to first separate non-participatory from participatory approaches and then separate participatory approaches into those aimed at creating knowledge (to eventually inform future decisions) and those focused on decision making itself. The approaches we consider include observing stakeholders (e.g., via survey), incorporating multiple types of knowing (e.g., local traditional knowledge), collaborative data collection (e.g., citizen science), collaborative modelling (e.g., mental models and quantitative modelling), participatory decision making (co-management proper and the special cases of structured decision making and adaptive management), and finally self-governance (including private management of recreational fisheries). We define each according to a broader literature beyond recreational fisheries, describe the recognized advantages and disadvantages, describe or summarize applications to recreational fisheries, and finally mention relevance for integrating specifically diverse stakeholder knowledge. We then provide advice for how to select different approaches, including situations in which certain approaches are more likely to produce intended consequences. We conclude by describing potential challenges to the more useful integration of diverse stakeholder knowledge and needs in recreational fisheries decision making.

Suggested Citation

Camp, E.V., van Poorten, B.T., Robinson, K.F., Harrison, H., Nguyen, V., Crandall, C., Lorenzen, K., Casola, W., Dedual, M., and Klizentyte, K., 2026, Integrating diverse stakeholder knowledge in recreational fisheries decision making, chap. 20 of Understanding recreational fishers: Disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches for fisheries management, p. 607-660, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-99739-6_20.

Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Integrating diverse stakeholder knowledge in recreational fisheries decision making
Chapter 20
DOI 10.1007/978-3-031-99739-6_20
Publication Date December 15, 2025
Year Published 2026
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description 54 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title Understanding recreational fishers: Disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches for fisheries management
First page 607
Last page 660
Additional publication details