Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Characterizing The Biological Impacts And Human Dimensions Of The U.S. East Coast Recreational Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fishery, William Morris Goldsmith

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) are targeted by recreational anglers along the east coast of the United States, and the fishery is thought to be of considerable economic value. However, limited knowledge of the preferences and values of fishery participants impedes the ability of managers to maximize fishery benefits and predict harvest patterns, while an incomplete understanding of post-release mortality hinders efforts to estimate total mortality resulting from the fishery. This dissertation used a multidisciplinary approach that relied heavily on cooperative research with the recreational fishing community to examine these questions. A stated choice survey of private anglers permitted to …