301-427-8003 December 6, 2011
NOAA releases regional saltwater recreational fishing plans designed to improve fishing, stewardship and science
NOAA
today released the first regional saltwater recreational fishing action
plans designed to help improve fishing opportunities and address
recreational fishing priorities in each of the nation’s six coastal
regions and for the angling community that fishes for tunas and other
highly migratory species.
Saltwater
angling is a treasured national pastime that provides significant
benefits – jobs, income and sales - to our nation’s economy. In 2010,
saltwater recreational fishing contributed $50 billion in sales to the
U.S. economy and supported 326,000 jobs in fishing and across the
broader economy.
The
new action agendas mark the first time NOAA has both national and
regional strategies in place to address the priorities of the nation’s
estimated 11 million saltwater anglers who took approximately 73 million
fishing trips in 2010. The plans are based on goals and objectives
identified by participants at the 2010 Saltwater Recreational Fishing
Summit.
“We
worked closely with saltwater anglers and their supporters on plans
designed to improve stewardship and fishing today and for future
generations,” said Eric Schwaab, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA’s
Fisheries Service. “We’ll revisit the regional action plans regularly
to ensure we continue to address our shared goals.”
A few examples of top priorities in the six regions include:
· Hawaii
and the Pacific Islands: A project to increase the number of fish
available in the future by improving the survival of fish caught and
released by anglers.
· Alaska:
A project to identify and restore important fish spawning habitat by
opening up fish passages on rivers and streams and removing marine
debris.
· Northwest:
A project to develop and evaluate a new, more flexible management
approach for Chinook salmon that may allow for increased recreational
fishing.
· Southwest:
Multiple cooperative scientific research projects with anglers to
improve survival of fish caught and released by anglers and improve
information on recreational catch and effort.
· Northeast:
A project to work with the regional fishery management councils to
ensure that Atlantic herring, mackerel, squid and butterfish populations
are maintained at healthy levels. This project would also focus on
reducing the unintended catch of forage fish such as river herring,
which are important food for striped bass and other fish prized by
saltwater anglers.
· Southeast:
A project to investigate more flexible management strategies to provide
greater fishing opportunities to the charter boats and other
recreational “for-hire” boats.
Each of the regional action agendas includes projects that address the five national recreational fishing action goals:
- Improving recreational fishing opportunities
- Improving recreational catch, effort and stock status data
- Improving social and economic data on recreational fisheries
- Improving communications
- Improving institutional orientation to promote greater understanding of saltwater angling issues.
The
new action agendas include ongoing projects or projects expected to be
completed in the next 12 to 24 months. The projects improve science and
stewardship and help build stronger partnerships with the saltwater
angling community through a more visible and responsive regional NOAA
presence. To read the action regional saltwater angler action agendas go
to http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
NOAA’s
mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's
environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and
to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Facebook , Twitter and our other social media channels.
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