For researchers and managers to work together for greatest mutual benefit, researchers must understand
what issues fisheries managers consider most important. To assess management priorities, we conducted a
mail survey asking U.S. state fisheries agencies to identify the priority, based on personnel time, they place
on 12 fisheries management issues. Based on an 88% response rate, we determined relative emphases across (1) management issues, (2) geographic regions, and (3) freshwater or marine orientations. Issues
directly linked to sport and commercial fishers, i.e., stocking, harvest regulations, fishing pressure, and
exploring recruitment, were of paramount importance in all agency time budgets. The issue that included
conflict, policy, and human dimensions concerns also was identified as "high priority." Six other issueshabitat
restoration, hydropower licensing, instream flow, contaminants, introduced species, and nongame
species-were of "moderate priority" nationwide. Approximately 50% of the issues varied in emphases
across geographic region, and five issues were differentially emphasized in agencies with freshwater and
marine responsibilities. To solve persistent problems that plague fisheries management, agencies must
clearly identify high-priority management concerns and communicate their specific problem-solving
needs to researchers. Results of this survey should provide a first step in identifying these management
priorities and research needs
