An ad hoc recreational fishing advisory is to be put in place to find the best approach to generating better information on the pastime.The Marine Resources Section of the Department of Environmental Protection invited recreational fishers to town hall meetings Island-wide last week to discuss the results of the 2011 Recreational Fishing Activity Survey.The survey was done in two parts; a shoreline survey and a mailing to owners of private vessels, with several meetings scheduled to take place on various dates throughout the Island for residents’ convenience.“The staff at the Department of Environmental Protection are grateful for the show of interest from those in attendance at the recent town hall meetings, which were held to discuss the results of the survey,” said a spokesperson for the department.“The 2011 Recreational Fishing Activity Survey has provided a good starting point for evaluating the impact of recreational fishing on Bermuda’s marine resources, and with those results an ad hoc recreational fishing advisory body will be formed.“Furthermore, there appeared to be little support from those surveyed as well as those attending the town hall meetings for licensing of recreational fishing activities.“It was discovered from the survey that awareness of key fisheries regulations was good and individuals were supportive of them.”Meetings were held in St George’s and the Botanical Gardens, while the third in Sandys was postponed due to Tropical Storm Raphael.The new date set for the meeting in the west end is scheduled for October 30, at Somers Isle Lodge, Hog Bay Level, in Sandys.Recreational fishers are also encouraged to sign up for the volunteer logbook reporting programme by e-mailing fisheries@gov.bm with their mailing address.