The American Sportfishing Association reports Iowa’s 781,530 recreational anglers contribute $530 million to the state’s economy, supporting 3,716 jobs. In addition to its tremendous economic impacts, recreational fishing is a strong part of Iowa’s culture. With 71,665 miles of river and streams, Iowa is certainly water rich. Unfortunately, 61% of Iowa’s waterways are currently impaired according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR); in fact, in its 2020 list of impaired waters, 67% of Iowa’s lakes reportedly do not meet designated water quality standards.
With recreational fishing contributing more than $500 million to the state’s economy, one would think Iowa might want to be more proactive about freshwater restoration and protection. This includes fish preservation, as fish not only provide angling opportunities, but are important to an ecosystem’s food web, nutrient balance, carbon flux, sediment processes, and are bioindicators and an active link between various ecosystems.
Accepted regional practices for fish preservation, such as short-term fishing access, spot fixes for erosion, or hatchery stocking, are at best a band aid for what is broken. The long-term solution is sustainable stream, river, and wetland restoration.
True restoration requires taking the long view to improve water quality and to create real ecological benefit for the freshwater resources we all share. Reducing point-source and non-point source agricultural pollution, and restoring the health of streamside, or riparian, vegetation, can provide long-term benefits, including significant improvements for angling opportunities.
If Iowa focuses only on recreation without sustainable ecology driving it, Iowa’s angling culture and economy will increasingly be at risk.
Iowa DNR has described its mission in this regard: “Many Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects (HREP) are designed to increase sportfish populations important to Iowa anglers.”
New priorities need to describe a mission broader than simply anglers hooking fish. These efforts should include prioritization of non-catchable fish, restoration of other aquatic system fauna, like the endangered Higgins Eye mussel, and nutrient management for aquatic flora.
Aligning angling objectives with long-term conservation and restoration goals would mean creating fishing stories for Iowa’s anglers, their children, and their children’s children for generations to come.
