Angling for Collaborative Conservation

Abundant freshwater resources, mild climate, and unique Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) genetics make Florida the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.” Recognizing the high recreational and economic value of... [ view full abstract ]

Abundant freshwater resources, mild climate, and unique Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) genetics make Florida the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.” Recognizing the high recreational and economic value of Largemouth Bass within Florida, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) adopted a new Black Bass Management Plan in 2011, which emphasized a commitment to research and management practices that would enhance opportunities for anglers to catch trophy Largemouth Bass. In October 2012, FWC launched TrophyCatch, an incentive-based, citizen-science program that relies on anglers to document the catch-and-release of trophy bass (≥ 3.63 kg) caught within Florida. One of the program’s primary goals is to establish a long-term record of spatial and temporal characteristics of trophy bass catches in Florida. To provide incentives for angler participation, TrophyCatch partners with national retailers in the recreational fishing industry such as Bass Pro Shops, Rapala, SpiderWire, and Shimano that reward anglers with prizes for participating in the program and providing critical data to FWC. Since the program’s inception, anglers have documented over 6,000 trophy bass within TrophyCatch, and program participation and awareness has continuously grown to over 13,000 registered anglers. To achieve this growth, TrophyCatch utilizes an adaptive management approach, altering participation guidelines, incentives, and marketing strategies based on the feedback from anglers and corporate sponsors. The TrophyCatch program has quickly become a great example of how making management goals transparent and relevant to the public benefits our agency and how collaboration with large-scale corporations can further management and conservation goals to the benefit of stakeholders.