Exploring New Ways to Predict Angling Pressure and Catch Rates For Canadian Waters

Two major challenges faced by many fisheries biologists are estimating angler catch rate and estimating angling pressure. Conventional methods, such as creel surveys and aerial flights, are very expensive and limit the number of waters that can be surveyed effectively. As a result, many waters go unmonitored. This project explores an alternative method using Bayesian Belief Networks to estimate angling pressure and catch rates on individual waterbodies with sparse or missing data.

To carry out this project, Angler’s Atlas teamed up with researchers at University of Alberta (Mark Lewis, Mark Poesch) and Brock University (Pouria Ramazi) to explore if Bayesian Belief Networks can predict local angler pressure and catch rates with sufficient accuracy that can provide managers with an alternative method of monitoring angling pressure.

This project launched in 2022 and has recruited postdoc Julia Schmid to lead this project. It is still early in the process and as results are published, we will be posting them here, so stay tuned. If anyone has any questions about this project, please contact Sean Simmons by email ([email protected]).

_{Header image by Angler’s Atlas member Mackinthefort}