Recreational angling encounters with sharks

What is it about?

We asked 590 recreational saltwater anglers in the US about their experiences with sharks while fishing, their fishing techniques, and their attitudes toward shark conservation and management. We found that sharks are caught regularly, even by anglers not targeting sharks, and they sharks that are caught are released 88% of the time. Although anglers had positive attitudes towards shark conservation and supported fishing techniques to increase health and survival, fishing methods were often species and situation specific.

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Why is it important?

Based on their positive attitudes toward sharks, avid recreational anglers may be strong allies for the development, dissemination, and adoption of species and situational-specific best practice catch-and-release guidelines for this group of fishes within the wider recreational saltwater angling community.