Recreational Fisheries Data in the Atlantic States
Through the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), NOAA Fisheries and its state, regional, and federal partners use in-person, telephone, and mail surveys to measure the number of trips saltwater anglers take and the number of fish they catch. The large-scale surveys administered through MRIP provide one of the only sources of regionally consistent recreational data and long-term trend information covering many species. When combined with other information such as commercial catch data, biological research, and observer data, recreational catch and effort estimates help fisheries scientists and managers keep our stocks sustainable.
Marine Recreational Information Program
MRIP employs several survey methods to collect information on the number of trips recreational anglers take and the species and quantity of fish caught. From in-person interviews to telephone and mail surveys, different modes of data collection help NOAA Fisheries gather information from private anglers and for-hire owners and operators. Together, these surveys provide regionally consistent data to support fisheries management.
Modes of Recreational Data Collection
Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS)
APAIS is an in-person survey, or intercept, conducted at marinas, boat ramps, beaches, fishing piers, and other publicly accessible fishing sites, used to estimate catch rate and area effort by private anglers and for-hire captains. Trained samplers from state agencies interview anglers as they complete their fishing trips and collect information about the location, mode (e.g., shore, private or rental boat, or for-hire vessel), and general area fished, as well as number, size, weight, and species of fish caught (kept or released).
Fishing Effort Survey (FES)
The FES is a mail survey that collects information about fishing activity, or effort, from households in coastal states to estimate recreational catch and effort from private anglers. The FES replaced the Coastal Household Telephone Survey in 2018.
For-Hire Survey (FHS)
The FHS is a telephone survey that gathers effort data from representatives of for-hire vessels, such as charter and party boats. The data is used to produce effort estimates for fishing trips taken on for-hire vessels that do not submit federal electronic Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs).
Large Pelagics Survey (LPS)
The LPS is a suite of surveys, including an intercept, telephone and biological survey, that produce catch and effort estimates for recreational trips that target large pelagic or highly migratory species such as tuna, sharks, and other offshore species. The survey is administered in the Greater Atlantic, in Maine through Virginia, from June through October, which is when most fishing trips targeting large pelagic species occur.
Estimating Total Recreational Catch with MRIP
The data collected through MRIP surveys is processed to generate recreational catch and effort estimates. These estimates combine catch rate (average number of fish caught per trip) and effort (total number of fishing trips) to produce a picture of total recreational fishing activity. APAIS data is also used to apportion effort between areas (inland, ocean near-shore, ocean beyond 3 miles) and account for out-of-state fishing activity. This information is combined to generate total catch estimates.
Fisheries managers and scientists use this information to assess fish stock health and develop regulations that balance resource access with conservation efforts.
How Data is Used
- Stock Assessments: Data from MRIP is combined with commercial catch data, biological research, and observer data to assess fish stock health and inform regulatory decisions.
- Management Plans: State and federal fisheries managers use the catch estimates to set quotas, size limits, and other regulations that aim to maintain sustainable fish populations.
- Quality Assurance: NOAA Fisheries ensures data accuracy through extensive quality control checks, including investigation of trends in catch data for sensitive or rare species.
How to Access Recreational Data
There are several ways to access the information used to estimate recreational fishing activity. Options include downloading full datasets or using the MRIP query tool to filter catch, effort, and participation data by time series, geographic area, species, mode, and other characteristics.
Where to access recreational data
- Recreational Fishing Data and Statistics Queries Landing Page: A searchable database of catch, effort, and fishing participation statistics.
- Recreational Fisheries Query Tool: Use this link to open the query tool directly.
- Recreational Fishing Data Downloads: Full datasets for more advanced data queries/analysis.
- Recreational Fishing Data Glossary: Read about the terms used in MRIP’s query tool.
- ACCSP Data Warehouse: an online database populated with Atlantic coast fishery-dependent data supplied by the 23 program partners of ACCSP, harmonized into a single, unified set of standards making it possible to combine multiple datasets from different sources for use in larger scale analyses.
Discover How Tagging Research Enhances Fish Tracking and Sustainability
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Fishing Effort Survey Path Forward
NOAA Fisheries is currently refining the Fishing Effort Survey (FES) to improve data accuracy, reduce biases, and enhance its contribution to fisheries management and stock assessments. This effort has been triggered by the results of a 2023 pilot study that highlighted differences in respondent recall and resulting effort estimates. For stocks assessed to date, this increase in effort from the FES in historical catch estimates has generally resulted in a retrospective increase in estimates of fish stock abundance, especially for those fisheries with large recreational components. This pilot study is one of several studies NOAA Fisheries has conducted to evaluate potential sources of bias in the FES as part of the agency’s continuous improvement process. This ongoing improvement process is essential as FES findings influence stock assessments and fisheries policies, with updated methods potentially enhancing data precision and decision-making. The timeline for integrating revised methods depends on current study outcomes, with 2026 being the earliest a new survey design could be implemented, and historical data recalibrated.
Key Ongoing Efforts and Findings
Revised Survey Design
- A revised FES format is being tested throughout 2024. Changes include adjusting the order of fishing recall questions and increasing the survey frequency from bi-monthly to monthly.
- Initial results indicate improved data quality, reduced reporting errors, and fewer illogical responses, aligning with earlier pilot study findings.
2023 Pilot Study
- Changing the question order (asking about 12-month fishing activity before the 2-month period) led to fewer errors and lower effort estimates in some modes.
- Sample size limitations noted, with results varying by region and fishing type.
Current Guidance and Progress
- Managers are advised to continue using existing FES data until new methods are peer-reviewed and historical data is recalibrated if necessary.
- The final report of the 2024 study is planned for 2025, with potential implementation of a revised design in 2026. A detailed anticipated timeline is available on the NOAA Fisheries website.
Role of ACCSP in Recreational Fisheries Data
The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) works with its partners to coordinate recreational fisheries data collection and management on the Atlantic coast from Maine to Georgia, including regional coordination of MRIP’s Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) and For-Hire Survey (FHS). Through standardized guidelines and tools like the Data Warehouse and SciFish, ACCSP streamlines data collection and accessibility for recreational, for-hire, and commercial fisheries. It also promotes citizen science and innovation by funding projects that enhance fisheries data quality coastwide.
Regional Planning to Improve Recreational Data Collection
In its Atlantic Regional Implementation Plan, ACCSP outlined six key priorities for improving data collection on the Atlantic coast over the next five years.
- Improved precision (PSE) and presentations of MRIP estimates
- Comprehensive for-hire data collection and monitoring
- Improved recreational fishery discard and release data
- Improved timeliness of MRIP recreational catch and harvest estimates
- Expanded biological sampling for recreational fisheries
- Improved in-season monitoring
These priorities aim to enhance the quality and timeliness of data, helping to guide MRIP in allocating resources to further improve and address data needs for fishery assessors and managers on the Atlantic Coast.
Fishermen-Driven Data Collection
SciFish is a citizen science initiative created by the ACCSP to enhance data collection for Atlantic coast fisheries. It provides a mobile platform for recreational and commercial fishers to contribute essential data on fish stocks, aiding in sustainable fisheries management. The vision for SciFish is to empower citizens to gather and share data, supporting stock assessments and the management of key fisheries.
Through SciFish, users can create or participate in data collection projects, using features like a project builder to customize data fields and capture specific fisheries information. The platform aims to streamline data collection, making it more accessible and reducing the resources typically required to build a mobile application for fisheries data. Projects like “SAFMC Release” and “NC Catch-U-Later” show how SciFish collaborates with local and regional fishers to gather data on released fish.
Contacts
- Toni Kerns, Fisheries Policy Director (tkerns@asmfc.org)
- Pat Campfield, Fisheries Science Director (pcampfield@asmfc.org)
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