title: Shark recreational fisheries: Status, challenges, and research needs.
abstract: For centuries, the primary manner in which humans have interacted with sharks has been fishing. A combination of their slow-growing nature and high use-values have resulted in population declines for many species around the world, and to date the vast majority of fisheries-related work on sharks has focused on the commercial sector. Shark recreational fishing remains an overlooked area of research despite the fact that these practices are popular globally and could present challenges to their populations. Here we provide a topical overview of shark recreational fisheries, highlighting their history and current status. While recreational fishing can provide conservation benefits under certain circumstances, we focus our discourse on the relatively understudied, potentially detrimental impacts these activities may have on shark physiology, behavior, and fitness. We took this angle given the realized but potentially underestimated significance of recreational fishing for shark conservation management plans and stock assessments, in hopes of creating a dialogue around sustainability. We also present a series of broad and focused research questions and underpin areas of future research need to assist with the development of this emergent area of research.
authors.affiliation: Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada. agallagher@rsmas.miami.edu.|Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL, 33149, USA. agallagher@rsmas.miami.edu.|Beneath the Waves, Inc., Miami, FL, 33133, USA. agallagher@rsmas.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Austin J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1515-3440
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL, 33149, USA.|Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hammerschlag
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Room 311, Amherst, MA, 01003-9485, USA.
authors.forename: Andy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Danylchuk
authors.affiliation: Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cooke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000639:trends; D005398:Fisheries; D011998:Recreation; D012754:Sharks
keywords: Fishing; Marine; Recreational; Resource; Sharks