ME Fish 2016 PPT - Maine.gov · 2017. 7. 20. · Title: ME Fish 2016 PPT [Compatibility Mode]...

Presented to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheri es and Wildlife

March 1, 2016

Mark Damian Duda, Responsive Management

Presented to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheri es and Wildlife

March 1, 2016

Mark Damian Duda, Responsive Management

Maine Anglers’ Participation in and Opinions on Freshwater Fishing

Maine Anglers’ Participation in and Opinions on Freshwater Fishing

1

Focus of Fish and Wildlife Management

Fish and Wildlife Professionals

Fish and Wildlife Habitats Human Populations

Fish and Wildlife Populations

3

Reach of Responsive Management� 1,000 human dimensions projects� Almost $60 million in research� 50 states – 15 countries� Every state fish and wildlife agency and most federal

resource agencies; most DNRs and NGOs� Industry leaders such as Yamaha, Winchester,

Vista Outdoor (including Bushnell, Primos, Federal Premium, etc.), Trijicon, and many others

� Data collection for the nation’s top universities: Auburn University, Colorado State University,Duke University, George Mason University,Michigan State University, Mississippi StateUniversity, North Carolina State University,Oregon State University, Penn State University,Rutgers University, Stanford University, TexasTech, University of California-Davis, University of Florida, University of Montana,University of New Hampshire, University ofSouthern California, Virginia Tech, and WestVirginia University

5

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

� Methodology

� Open Water Fishing

� Ice Fishing

� General Attitudes Toward Fishing in Maine

� Opinions on Specific Aspects of Fishing Access

� Attitudes Toward Fishing Regulations in Maine

� Credibility of Information Sources

6

Methodology

7

Methodology� Scientific multi-modal survey of Maine

licensed resident and nonresident anglers• n=1,205 (+/- 3.16)

� Data collected by telephone and mail

� Sampling and analysis by region:• Northern• Downeast• Central• Southern

� Survey conducted January–February 2016

8

Maine Survey

Regions

9

Survey Results

10

Open Water Fishing

11

Q13. Did you open water fish on inland ponds, lakes , brooks, streams, or rivers in Maine during the 2015

open water fishing season?

1

24

75

0 20 40 60 80 100

Yes

No

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

12

Q19. What inland freshwater species did you fish fo r during the 2015 open water fishing season? (Asked of those who fished in Maine during the 2015 open wate r

fishing season.)

1

8

1

2

7

11

22

48

58

2

2

1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Trout

Bass

Salmon - landlocked

Perch

Pickerel

Crappie

Northern Pike

Salmon - not landlocked

Sunfish

Char

Anything / no particular species

Don't know which species fished

Percent (n=911)

< 1%:MuskellungeSmeltSplakeWhitefish

*Multiple Responses

Allowed

13

Q189. How would you rate the quality of the open wa ter fishing during the 2015 open water season? Would y ou say excellent, good, fair, or poor? (Asked of those who

fished in Maine during the 2015 open water fishing season.)

2

8

21

48

22

0 20 40 60 80 100

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Don't know

Percent (n=911)

14

15

Percent of the following groups who rated open wate r quality in Maine as excellent or good:

55

65

66

67

67

69

69

72

73

74

74

74

75

71

70

69

0 20 40 60 80 100

Education level is bachelors degree or higher

Lives in a large city or urban area

Lives in Central region

Is female

Household income is $60,000 or more

Younger than the median age (49)

Is a nonresident

Total

Is male

Lives in Downeast region

Lives in a small city/town or rural area

Median age (49) or older

Education level is less than bachelors degree

Lives in Southern region

Household income is less than $60,000

Lives in Northern region

Percent

Percent of each of the following groups who rated o pen water fishing quality in Maine as fair or poor:

23.5

24.2

24.4

25.5

25.5

27.4

27.8

29.0

29.4

29.7

30.0

30.1

31.2

32.9

33.8

42.4

0 20 40 60 80 100






Is male



Total

Is a nonresident






Is female

Percent

16

Ice Fishing

17

18

Q190. Did you ice fish in Maine during the 2015 ice fishing season?

0

77

23

0 20 40 60 80 100

Yes

No

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

Q196. What inland freshwater species did you ice fi sh for during the 2015 ice fishing season? (Asked of those

who ice fished in Maine during the 2015 ice fishing season.)

0

12

1

3

3

6

7

8

16

31

64

4

4

3

0 20 40 60 80 100

TroutSalmon - landlocked

BassNorthern Pike

PerchPickerelCrappie

Salmon - not landlockedCusk

SmeltSplake

WhitefishAnything / no particular species

Don't know which species fished

Percent (n=298)

< 1%:BullheadCharMuskellungeSunfish

*Multiple Responses

Allowed

19

Q357. How would you rate the quality of the ice fis hing during the 2015 ice fishing season? Would you say it was excellent, good, fair, or poor? (Asked of tho se

who ice fished in Maine during the 2015 ice fishing season.)

1

13

25

43

19

0 20 40 60 80 100

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Don't know

Percent (n=298)

20

21

Percent of each of the following groups who rated i ce fishing quality in Maine as excellent or good:

36.0

41.9

55.0

55.5

55.6

59.6

60.0

63.0

63.2

63.9

64.8

72.7

75.9

62.8

62.3

61.4

0 20 40 60 80 100

Is a nonresident


Is male






Total







Is female

Percent

Percent of each of the following groups who rated i ce fishing quality in Maine as fair or poor:

24.1

58.1

56.8

44.5

44.5

41.9

39.2

38.3

37.8

37.7

36.4

36.2

35.9

35.5

35.1

25.8

0 20 40 60 80 100

Is female







Total






Is male


Is a nonresident

Percent

22

General Attitudes Toward Fishing in Maine

23

Q358. Which fishing season do you enjoy the most: the open water fishing season, the ice fishing season, or do you enjoy both seasons equally? (Asked of those who fished open water and ice fished in Maine during th e

2015 fishing season.)

2

42

19

37

0 20 40 60 80 100

Open water fishingseason

Ice fishing season

Both seasons equally

No preference

Percent (n=244)

24

Q465. What is your state of residence? (Asked of th ose with nonresident licenses.)

2

2

2

5

6

6

8

10

34

4

4

3

0 20 40 60 80 100

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

Pennsylvania

Connecticut

Florida

Vermont

New Jersey

New York

Virginia

Maryland

Rhode Island

North Carolina

Percent (n=388)

*26 states with representation < 2% not shown

25

Q360. What was your primary reason for fishing in Maine over the past 5 years?

1

4

8

25

31

31

0

0

0 20 40 60 80 100

To be with family and friends

For relaxation

For the sport

To be close to nature

To catch fresh fish for food

To catch large or trophy fish

None of the above

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

26

Q361. Over the past 5 years, would you say your fis hing activity in Maine has increased, decreased, or rema ined

about the same?

1

24

53

23

0 20 40 60 80 100

Increased

Remained about thesame

Decreased

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

27

Percent of each of the following groups whose fishi ng activity in Maine has increased in past 5 years:

13.5

30.2

27.1

24.3

24.2

23.7

23.5

23.0

22.7

22.7

22.6

21.3

21.0

20.9

20.2

19.3

0 20 40 60 80 100






Is female


Total


Is male




Is a nonresident



Percent

28

Percent of each of the following groups whose fishi ng activity in Maine has decreased in past 5 years:

18.0

29.7

29.0

27.0

27.0

25.3

24.8

24.6

24.0

23.7

23.7

23.3

22.2

21.8

21.6

19.8

0 20 40 60 80 100








Is male


Total


Is female




Is a nonresident

Percent

29

Q364. Do you agree or disagree that Maine's freshwa ter fishery resources are currently well managed by the

Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife?

57

28

4

4

3

5

0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly agree

Moderately agree

Neither agree nordisagree

Moderately disagree

Strongly disagree

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

85%

30

31

Percent of each of the following groups who agree t hat Maine's freshwater fishery resources are currently well

managed by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

81.581.582.983.583.684.284.3

86.086.286.886.987.187.5

85.485.284.9

0 20 40 60 80 100

Is femaleLives in Southern region

Younger than the median age (49)Household income is less than $60,000

Household income is $60,000 or moreEducation level is less than bachelors degree

Lives in a small city/town or rural areaLives in Central region

TotalIs male

Is a nonresidentLives in a large city or urban area

Education level is bachelors degree or higherMedian age (49) or olderLives in Northern region


Percent

32

Percent of each of the following groups who disagre e that Maine's freshwater fishery resources are curre ntly

well managed by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

2.6

13.0

8.47.9

7.7

7.5

7.4

7.17.0

7.0

6.6

6.4

5.85.5

3.5

2.7

0 20 40 60 80 100


Lives in Central regionLives in a small city/town or rural area


Is male


Household income is less than $60,000Education level is less than bachelors degree


Total


Education level is bachelors degree or higherYounger than the median age (49)

Is a nonresident

Is female


Percent

Q368-Q374. Percent of respondents who strongly or moderately support each of the following regulation s:

62

63

65

66

73

77

60

0 20 40 60 80 100

Waters that are catch-and-release only

Low bag limits

Slot limits

Waters that are flyfishing only

Waters that areartificial lures only

High length limits

Waters where live baitfish are prohibited

Percent

33

34

Respondents' mean rating of how much each of the following should be a priority for the Department o f

Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

7.3

7.4

7.4

7.7

8.0

8.7

7.3

6.3

0 2 4 6 8 10

Managing waters for the health of native fish popul ations wherepossible

Managing waters for the health of threatened and en dangered fishand wildlife species, even if it impacts recreation al fishing

opportunities

Providing as many recreational fishing opportunitie s as possible tohelp boost the state's economy

Working with landowners to allow more fishing acces s via privateproperties

Setting aside more land in Maine for conservation p urposes

Providing a diversity of fishing opportunities to s atisfy a widevariety of recreational angler interests

Acquiring more land for public fishing access

Managing waters for the health of non-sport fish sp ecies, even if itimpacts recreational fishing opportunities

Mean

Respondents' mean rating of the importance of each of the following to them personally in deciding where to

fish in Maine:

6.7

6.9

7.0

7.1

7.7

7.9

6.7

6.6

0 2 4 6 8 10

That the area offers solitude and pristine views ofnature

That the water body offers the type of fishing that Iprefer

That the water body has easy access

That the water body allows the type of tackle that Iprefer

That the water body offers a variety of fish specie s to becaught there

That the water body is managed for a large quantity ofthe fish

That the water body is managed for high quality fis h, butless quantity

That my camp, cabin, or home is on or near the body ofwater

Mean

35

Opinions on Specific Aspects of Fishing

Access

36

37

Q413. Did you have any problems accessing waters yo u fished or wished to fish during the last season in which

you went fishing in Maine? If yes, what were they?

0

2

1

1

1

1

4

91

1

0

0

0 20 40 60 80 100

No, did not experience any access problems

Land closed / posted

Poor maintenance of access areas

Lack of areas to fish in general

Crowded access areas

Unable to find place to launch a boat

Not sure where to go

No parking

Had to travel too far to fish

Other

Don’t know

Percent (n=1175)

*Multiple Responses

Allowed

Q420. Overall, in the past 5 years, would you say f ishing access in Maine has gotten better, gotten worse, or

stayed about the same?

10

9

69

13

0 20 40 60 80 100

Gotten better

Stayed about the same

Gotten worse

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

38

Q421. Do you agree or disagree that there are an adequate number of state owned boat ramps in Maine?

5

6

7

4

36

32

11

0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly agree

Moderately agree


Moderately disagree

Strongly disagree

Not applicable / neverneeds them

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

39

Attitudes Toward Fishing Regulations in Maine

40

41

Q423. How often do you look for information about fishing regulations in Maine?

0

7

16

25

22

30

0 20 40 60 80 100

Always

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

Don't know

Percent (n=1205)

Q433. Do you think the fishing regulations in Maine are too strict, not strict enough, or about right?

3

3

85

10

0 20 40 60 80 100

Too strict

About right

Not strict enough

Don't know

Percent (n=616)

42

Q444. Do you agree or disagree that the fish consumption guidelines for various fish species iss ued

by the Department are clear and easy to understand?

1

3

5

1

26

63

0 20 40 60 80 100

Strongly agree

Moderately agree


Moderately disagree

Strongly disagree

Don't know

Percent (n=403)

43

Credibility of Information Sources

44

Q447-Q454. Percent of respondents who rated each of the following as an extremely or very credible sour ce of

information on fisheries management in Maine:

29

32

84

79

66

59

37

34

0 20 40 60 80 100

A game warden with the Maine Department of InlandFisheries and Wildlife

A biologist with the Maine Department of InlandFisheries and Wildlife

A biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

A professor of biology or natural resources at theUniversity of Maine

A local angler organization

A local environmental organization

The American Sportfishing Association

Trout Unlimited

Percent

45

ME Fish 2016 PPT - Maine.gov · 2017. 7. 20. · Title: ME Fish 2016 PPT [Compatibility Mode]...

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