Lower possession limits and shorter seasons directly reduce for-hire fishing effort in a multispecies marine recreational fishery

Managers of recreational fisheries often rely on implicit and rarely tested assumptions regarding how fishing effort will change in response to regulations. For instance, they assume that reduced seasons directly reduce without producing angler behavioral adaptations maintain opportunities harvest. Vessel trip reports from a multispecies for-hire fishery New Jersey, USA, allowed us empirically evaluate changes as overlapping for four species became shorter possession limits decreased. We conducted focus groups with stakeholders then developed statistical models hypotheses describing anglers aboard vessels adapted Fishing charter boats remained consistent primarily responded the availability “something” harvest, suggesting their customers are willing substitute target species. Party boat anglers, contrast, black sea bass (Centropristis striata) summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus). Because party were less species, vessel operators likely particularly vulnerable reductions opportunity harvest potential.