Identifying Potential Anglers and Customer Segments of Texas Catfish Anglers to Guide Management Actions

Abstract

In this paper, we demonstrate how one can combine angler survey data with Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Tapestry data to assist in developing a statewide plan for catfish recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) and management. In 2010, Mississippi State University surveyed 1,078 Texas freshwater catfish anglers to examine their catch‐related attitudes and trip preferences by using a stated choice experiment. The study showed that the responding freshwater catfish anglers could be grouped into five clusters based on their catch‐related attitudes. We used ESRI’s Business Analyst extension to define the primary customer segments (also called “Tapestries”) within these five catch‐related clusters. We used principal components analysis followed by a similarity profile analysis to help us identify differences among the customer segments for the five catch‐related clusters. We found that the Rooted Rural Tapestry, located outside urban areas, was significantly more likely to be associated with catfish anglers whose answers suggested that they had higher trophy motivation compared to the other angler clusters. We also found that anglers in the urban areas were more likely to have a variety of motivations. The Southwestern Families Tapestry was identified as an underserved group exhibiting high growth potential and should be considered for targeted R3 efforts using insight gathered from that tapestry on its preferred media channels. We plotted areas with high populations and proportions of individual tapestries that were the greatest in discriminating among the catch‐related angler clusters. Our ESRI predictive maps for 2024 showed areas throughout Texas where managers could focus different R3 advertising and catfish management strategies based on the underlying customer segments.

Two Decades of Advancement in Flathead Catfish Research

“…However, catfish anglers in Texas were more interested in having adequate catch rates than in catching trophy‐sized fish (Schlechte et al. 2021), and the smaller group of Texas anglers that were trophy oriented were from distinctly rural areas, whereas more harvest‐oriented anglers were urban.…”

“…Some managers are focusing on developing statewide “R3” (recruitment, retention, and reactivation) management plans to bolster catfish angling (Schlechte et al. 2021).…”

“…Most Flathead Catfish anglers prefer management for trophy sizes even though the majority of them are also harvest oriented (Dames et al 2003;Reitz and Travnichek 2006;Hunt et al 2012;Stewart et al 2012;Hutt et al 2013), and active Flathead Catfish anglers are more likely to be trophy oriented than lapsed anglers or anglers that do not specifically target the species (Krogman and Stubbs 2021). However, catfish anglers in Texas were more interested in having adequate catch rates than in catching trophy-sized fish (Schlechte et al 2021), and the smaller group of Texas anglers that were trophy oriented were from distinctly rural areas, whereas more harvest-oriented anglers were urban.…”

“…Quality fishing locations are important for recruiting and retaining catfish anglers, so fisheries managers should focus on providing anglers with convenient fishing access areas and education about where and how to catch fish (Krogman and Stubbs 2021). Some managers are focusing on developing statewide "R3" (recruitment, retention, and reactivation) management plans to bolster catfish angling (Schlechte et al 2021).…”

Catfish 2020, A Clear Vision of the Future

“…2021, this special issue), evaluations of the effects of different otolith preparation methods on precision of age estimates (Sakaris and Bonvechio 2021, this special issue), and an approach combining angler creel data with ESRI Tapestry information to develop angler recruitment, retention, and reactivation management plans (Schlechte et al. 2021, this special issue). The addition of new technologies may allow us to better detect rare and less‐ studied species.…”