Recreational fishermen are being asked about their fishing habits as part of a Government effort to better manage local fish stock.The Department of Environmental Protection is mailing out surveys to all registered boat owners on the Island to learn how often people fish, how they fish, what they catch and how much they catch.The anonymous survey is also hoped to determine if the public is aware of recent changes to Fisheries regulations, and their thoughts about the changes.Some of the questions included in the survey are:l How often have you participated in any form of fishing activity during the past 12 months?l Are you aware that there are areas that are closed to fishing on a seasonal basis?l Would you support a blanket seasonal ban on catching certain fish species in order to protect them when they are breeding?The mail survey is the second part of a wide-ranging study; a survey of shoreline fishermen was conducted this summer.Senior marine resources officer Tammy Trott said that 91 shoreline surveys were carried out during August and September.That number is expected to increase as more surveys are carried out, she added.“Now we are mailing out the surveys to boat owners to find out how many people use their boats for fishing, and would like to solicit their assistance in returning the surveys as quickly as possible,” she said.“We’d ideally like people to get the surveys back in the post by the end of October via the return addressed envelope provided, but expect that some people will not get them posted until November.”A Government spokeswoman yesterday stressed that the results of the survey are completely anonymous, but individuals who choose to give their name and contact details on a separate piece of paper included will receive a recreational fishing logbook.Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy Minister Walter Roban said: “It is hoped that the survey will open the lines of communication between the Marine Resources Section and the fishing public.“That greater interaction and consultation will enhance management of fisheries resources to ensure enjoyable and sustainable fishing into the future.”Those interested in completing a survey on shoreline fishing can download a copy from www.gov.bm.