Data and code from: Recreational fisheries selectively capture and harvest large predators

Size and species selective harvest, inevitably alters the composition of
targeted populations and communities. This can potentially harm fish
stocks, ecosystem functionality, and related services, as evidenced in
numerous commercial fisheries. The high popularity of rod-and-reel
recreational fishing, practiced by hundreds of millions globally, raises
concerns about similar deteriorating effects. Despite its prevalence, the
species and size selectivity of recreational fisheries remain largely
unquantified due to a lack of combined catch data and
fisheries-independent surveys. This study addresses this gap by using
standardised monitoring data and over 60,000 digital angling catch reports
from 62 distinct fisheries. The findings demonstrate a pronounced
selectivity in recreational fisheries, targeting top-predators and large
individuals. Catch-and-release practices reduced the overall harvest by 60
% but did not substantially alter this selectivity. The strong species-
and size-specific selectivity mirror patterns observed in other fisheries,
emphasising the importance of managing the potential adverse effects of
recreational fisheries selective mortality and overfishing.