Monitoring of Belgian recreational fishing (RECVIS2020)

How does recreational fishing evolve from year to year? What is the biological, economic and technical state of recreational fisheries? The aim is to use data collection techniques, specifically aimed at recreational fisheries, to make a good estimate of the size of recreational fisheries in Belgium, the possible consequences of fisheries management on fish stocks, the social and economic impact on the coast and the surroundings. This ILVO study is part of the European fisheries policy, monitoring for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the OSPAR Directive. At the same time, recreational fishing itself also has an interest in objective figures: the sector wants to be (more) recognized as a fully-fledged user of space at sea and within policy processes. There is a desire for tailor-made legislation that is geared to reality, and communication about the amount of fish caught could be more unambiguous.

A reliable data collection on the recreational fishing sector requires a combination of techniques and careful calculations and assessments. On the one hand, we make a sample of counts/observations on the beach and at the picket fences. On the other hand, we conduct surveys at sea with the research vessel Simon Stevin. And we monitor from the air with an airplane. Based on all this data, we map the evolution of recreational fishing. Transparency is central to the data collection process. That is why everyone is given the opportunity to consult the monitoring activities and the resulting data in real time on the basis of interactive graphs and maps. https://www.recreatievezeevisserij.be/.

The collected scientific data and trends are first, useful for the recreational sector itself, and also for the (correct) communication it wishes to conduct to society and policy. In addition, with this project the researchers comply with an EU obligation: Both the advice of the Common Fisheries Policy and the follow-up of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for all EU Member States and fisheries are done mainly through ICES (biological advice) and through STECF (advisory body to the European Commission with regard to fisheries). Recreational fishing has to be monitored in three different areas: fisheries, marine spatial management and OSPAR. That is why the monitoring is done as a collaboration between ILVO, FPS Environment and VLIZ. The data collected are therefore used - through this collaboration - in both national and international reports (e.g. ICES, OSPAR). We expect that our results will offer more support for a well-founded management of the Belgian Fisheries Sector and for a well-considered marine spatial management.