The Role of Law Enforcement in Urban Fishing

Authors: Rick Eades, Larry Pape, and Kevin Hunt

One of the primary goals of most urban fisheries programs is to increase the number of urban residents participating in fishing. While many programs target youth in particular, there is still generally an underlying desire to increase the number of fishing licenses sold in urban areas to offset program costs. Unfortunately, in some urban areas, an increase in fishing participation does not translate into an increase in license sales, because many anglers may not purchase a license due to a lack of law enforcement in these areas. Results from the national survey of urban fisheries program managers revealed that the lack of law enforcement is not unique to Nebraska. Many state program managers indicated that the lack of law enforcement in urban areas resulted in lower angler compliance with regulations and had a negative impact on meeting the objectives of their program. States looking to launch or expand an urban fisheries program need to be cognizant of the fact that without the support of local game wardens, conservation officers and/or other law enforcement officers, their efforts to maintain fishing opportunities or increase license sales may not be possible or cost-effective.