Recreational Fisheries Data Collection Shoreline, Private/Rental Boats, & For-hire Fishing


Through the Recreational Technical Committee, ACCSP works with its state and federal Partners to coordinate recreational fisheries data collection and identify opportunities for  future integration across jurisdictions.

Regional Planning to Improve Recreational Data Collection

In its 2017 Atlantic Coast Recreational Implementation Plan, the Recreational Technical Committee identified six priorities for improving recreational data collection on the Atlantic coast over the next 5 years:

  • 1. Improve precision (PSE) of MRIP catch estimates

  • 2. Comprehensive for-hire data collection and monitoring

  • 2. Improved recreational fishery discard and release data

  • 4. Biological sampling for recreational fisheries separate from MRIP APAIS

  • 5. Improved spatial resolution and technical guidance for post-stratification of MRIP estimates

  • 6. Improved timeliness of recreational catch and harvest estimates

MRIP-State Coordination: the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey

In 2016, ACCSP began coordinating state conduct of the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) from Maine to Georgia.

The APAIS is the catch component of the NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program : the state-regional-federal partnership responsible for developing, improving, and implementing surveys that measure how many trips recreational anglers take and how many fish they catch.

It collects marine recreational fishing catch data via in-person angler intercepts at specified public fishing access points. The ACCSP provides the central administration, coordination, and data processing capabilities for Maine through Georgia, and the states conduct the survey for their own waters while interacting with local fishermen.

For APAIS Staff

ACCSP and State survey personnel use the Assignment Tracking Application to accomplish survey activities. Staff can access the ATA via the link provided below:

 For-Hire Data Support

For-hire catch & effort data are collected via a combination of:

MRIP Surveys

  • APAIS
  • For-Hire Telephone Survey
  • Large Pelagic Survey

Federal VTRs/eVTRs

  • Greater Atlantic Region
  • SouthEast Region
  • Highly Migratory Species Division

 

State Logbooks

Several Atlantic states have instituted logbook programs to collect catch and effort data from for-hire fishing trips.

Between state and federal agencies along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastline, more than 20 individual programs collect data from the for-hire sector. While many of these programs have been created to fill a specific management need, the collected data often overlaps. 

In 2016, ACCSP brought together representatives of these for-hire data collection programs to explore opportunities for data sharing and convergence in order to reduce duplicate reporting in the Atlantic and Gulf for-hire sector. 

Percent Standard Error Project

In 2012, ACCSP initiated a project to establish recreational data PSE (precision) standards applicable to the various management needs of state and federal stakeholders.

With funding support through MRIP, the project developed a management strategy evaluation (MSE) model to evaluate how different levels of PSE affect the stock assessment and management of fisheries.

The project helped improve  understanding of how recreational data precision impacts scientific uncertainty in stock assessments. Findings are summarized in its Final Report.