Current status and future needs of economics research of inland fisheries

Abstract

Abstract Inland capture fisheries (ICFs) provide ecosystem services – fish for food, livelihoods and recreation – to people and therefore have an economic value. Economic valuation can inform the sustainable management of ICFs and ensure they are recognised in trade‐off analysis and decision‐making. This study assesses existing ICFs economic research to identify knowledge gaps. Bibliographic databases were searched for suitable peer‐reviewed articles. The selected studies ( n = 75) were analysed for coverage, valuation methodologies and value metrics. A majority of existing studies value recreational ICFs in developed countries. Studies have employed a wide range of valuation methodologies and therefore provide a variety of economic values measured at different units and scales. This study highlights the need for a greater quantity of ICFs economic research that covers a representative sample of ecosystems and fishery types globally. Best practice recommendations are made for a standardised framework to ensure ICFs research generates economically credible and comparable values.