Christine Patrick
Editor’s
note: Eric Schwaab, acting assistant secretary of commerce for
conservation and management, will host a media call today at 2 p.m. to
discuss the improved method to estimate saltwater recreational fishing.
Please contact Monica Allen or Christine Patrick for call-in information
at 301-427-8003.
NOAA unveils improved way to estimate saltwater recreational fishing
Method improves accuracy of recreational fishing catch statistics
NOAA
today announced it has begun to use an improved method to estimate the
amount of fish caught by saltwater anglers, which will allow rules that
fishermen follow to be based on more accurate information.
The
method is part of an overall effort to improve the accuracy of
recreational catch data collected by the Marine Recreational Information
Program, and was developed by a team of NOAA scientists and outside
experts.
“The
new estimation method is a fundamental change that better reflects what
is happening on the water and within the recreational fishing
community,” said Eric Schwaab, NOAA’s acting assistant secretary of
commerce for conservation and management. “Better, more accurate
estimates can only be a plus for the saltwater recreational fishing
industry, which provides jobs for many Americans and contributes to the
economic vitality of our coastal communities.”
The
agency today released recalculated estimates going back to 2004 using
the new method. There were no overall trends in terms of size or
direction of the new estimates; catch estimates for some species go up,
some go down, and some remain about the same. To view comparisons of
recreational catch estimates using the previous method and the revised
method, go to: http://www.CountMyFish.noaa.
“The
recreational fishing community has a shared interest in scientifically
sound, accurate data and a shared responsibility in making it
available,” said Bruce Freeman, a New Jersey recreational fisherman,
scientist and member of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association. “With this
new estimation method, NOAA is taking an important first step toward
the high-quality catch data that many of us have been calling for.”
Using these new estimates, NOAA will now work with the regional fishery
management councils, the states, and other stakeholders to integrate
these results into fisheries science and management.
Beginning this year, NOAA will use the new method to calculate
estimates for the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico for use in fishery
management and stock assessment by NOAA, regional fishery management
councils and states. Other areas of the country, such as the West Coast,
Hawaii, and Alaska, use different survey and estimation methods for
saltwater recreational catch. NOAA is working with these regional
partners to conduct similar evaluations and, as necessary, implement
improvements to their estimation methods.
The
improved methodology addresses a key issue identified in the 2006
report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of
Sciences. The study, commissioned by NOAA, identified a series of
untested assumptions the agency was using to generate estimates based on
information gathered from anglers. Some of those assumptions included
the average amount of fish anglers were catching at different locations
and the amount of fishing anglers were doing during different times of
day.
By
reviewing past data, the team of NOAA scientists and outside experts
developed corrections as needed, resulting in more accurate estimates. Improving
catch estimates was a major focus of the Magnuson-Stevens
Reauthorization Act, passed by Congress and signed by the President in
2007.
Another
important part of the Marine Recreational Information Program is the
National Saltwater Angler Registry, which will help NOAA improve the
accuracy of fishing effort estimates by increasing the proportion of
fishing households that are surveyed. Additional improvements that will
increase the accuracy of the estimates are being developed, including
revised dockside survey methods, testing of approaches to improving data
timeliness, and use of electronic logbooks in the for-hire vessel
sector. To learn more about MRIP, go to: http://www.CountMyFish.noaa.
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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