Since 2013 nearly all commercial fishing in Lithuanian lakes has been banned. This is great news for recreational anglers, as stocks are beginning to improve. However, recreational fishing can also have large impacts on lakes and this impact can be especially strong on predatory fishes like perch, pike and pikeperch. 

If we want to enjoy good fishing for years to come, we need to keep fish stocks healthy. This can be done by encouraging careful catch and release fishing, modifying rules to ensure good long-term fishing opportunities and stocking lakes with new fish. 

However, to implement these measures efficiently we first need to better understand how much fish is being caught where. Assessing recreational fishing is extremely hard, but many countries around the world are making progress. And the key to this progress is you, the anglers!

If we want to ensure great fishing for years to come - we need your help.

Let us know how much you fish and what you catch. If at least 5-10% of fishers shared their information, we would be able to estimate how many fish are caught and whether any action is needed. 

1. Help us test the smart phone application we are developing, where you can share your anonymous data with us and keep your private fishing diary to yourself. If you would like to participate in testing please contact us.

2. Become a sustainable fishing champion and help us learn about catch rates by filling a survey. Our champions will be rewarded with prices and recognition. If you would like to participate please contact us.

3. Learn about existing recreational fishing rules. These help ensure everyone can enjoy fishing. Coming soon

4. Carefully release undersized fish, and also the largest fish. Why do we need to release big fish? Does released fish survive? 

Data from anglers is very important, but hard to get! While we are counting on you to help us out, we are also using other methods to assess recreational fishing:

1. We do visual surveys and talk to fishers, asking them how much they fished and how much they caught. This is an important way to collect information on angling. If Nature Research Centre staff come to talk to you, please share your catch information. Coming soon.

2. We also collaborate with Aerodiagnostika and use aerial footage to count the number of anglers. Currently we are running a pilot project in Kaunas water reservoir. You can read more about it here. Coming soon.

3. We collaborate with the Lithuanian startup DeeperSonar. Following strict privacy protection rules we can get anonymous information about the frequency of DeeperSonar use in different places through time, to gauge recreational fishing intensity. If you are a DeeperSonar user we would love to hear from you. Coming soon.

As scientists, our goal is to understand how much fishing occurs in Lithuanian lakes and reservoirs; how that might affect future fishing opportunities; and what could be done to achieve healthy lakes and great fishing.

We use various scientific methods and models to convert your data into knowledge. You can learn more about our models and methods here.

We provide advice to managers, but we do not make rules and cannot enforce them. So, as everywhere in the world, science and good knowledge does not guarantee good management, but without good knowledge management is even more difficult. Without good knowledge management is likely to be either too strict or too relaxed.

The more knowledge we have, the better we can tailor rules and regulations to real needs. As we learn more we will let you know what we find!