Goodbye to “Rough Fish”: Paradigm Shift in the Conservation of Native Fishes

Abstract

Perspectives of white males have overwhelmingly dominated fisheries science and management in the USA. This dynamic is exemplified by bias against "rough fish"-a pejorative ascribing low-to-zero value for countless native fishes. One product of this bias is that biologists have ironically worked against conservation of diverse fishes for over a century, and these problems persist today. Nearly all U.S. states retain bag limits and other policies that are regressive and encourage overfishing and decline of native species. Multiple lines of evidence point towards the need for a paradigm shift. These include: (1) native species deliver critical ecosystem services; (2) little demonstration that native fish removals deliver intended benefits; (3) many native fishes are long-lived and vulnerable to overfishing and decline; and (4) fisher values and demographics shifting towards native fish conservation. Overall, existing native fish policies are unacceptable and run counter to the public trust doctrine where government agencies manage natural resources for public use. We encourage agencies to revisit their policies regarding native fishes and provide suggestions for developing more holistic, protective, and inclusive conservation policy.

Oklahoma Bowfishing Values and Perspectives toward Nongame Fishes and Their Management

“…Native species taken continue to be held in low social regard, subjected to wanton waste, and deemed undeserving of protections on take (e.g., bag limits or size limits: Orth 2017; Scarnecchia and Schooley 2020; Schooley and Scarnecchia 2021) that are routinely afforded to sport fish species as necessary for their long‐term conservation (Rypel et al. 2021; Scarnecchia et al. 2021).…”

What’s in a Fish Species Name and When to Change It?

“…Specifically, these discussions have centered around honorific common names, Caucasiancentric locality and common names, genus and specific epithet names named after dishonorable people, and culturally inappropriate and offensive common names (Shiffman 2019;Evans 2020;Gillman and Wright 2020;Knapp et al 2020;Davis 2021;Doubek 2021;Driver 2021;Fears 2021;Rominiecki 2021). Fishes have not been immune to this name-changing attention (e.g., Nelson et al 1998Nelson et al , 2001Kočovský et al 2018;Rypel et al 2021), but change has come slowly-it is now time for AFS and the American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology (ASIH) to dive into the deep end of this controversial topic.…”

Towards Building a more Diverse and Inclusive Culture in the Fisheries Classroom

“…In North America, a large majority of studies feature fishes with European relatives that are more popular among white anglers (e.g. salmonids and bass), while studies of cyprinids, panfish, and catfish—fishes popular among Asian and Black anglers—are less prominent in the literature (Pullis 2000; Rypel et al 2021). Raising awareness and developing a conservation ethic surrounding the full suite of inland fishes, for example, should create more opportunities for students to connect with culturally important fishes and grow interest in the fisheries field.…”