ROBERT B. DITTON, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences,
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2258, USA

Human dimensions of natural resources management has been defined as "an area of investigation which attempts to describe, predict, understand, and affect human thought and action toward natural environments and to acquire such understanding for the primary purpose of improving stewardship of natural resources." Besides the research component, there is also an application component where managers make effective use of human dimensions data and understanding in their day-to-day decision making. The objective of this paper is to increase awareness of human dimensions as an integrated part of fisheries management. First, six categories of human dimensions research are described to demonstrate the diversity of work in this area. Second, the most commonly used arguments for and against human dimensions research are reviewed and discussed. Third, some important human dimensions topics that have not received much attention at previous AFS meetings are featured to provide additional definition and focus for this research/ management area. Fourth, the work of the AFS Committee on the Human Dimensions of Recreational Fisheries is described and an invitation to participate extended. Finally, each of the papers in the session is introduced and categorized in terms of the research categories presented earlier.