Since a vessel-based survey is used for the for-hire industry, would it be possible to register private boats in the same way and use that in place of an angler registry?
It’s theoretically possible, but problematic for several reasons. First, the National Research Council made it clear in its recommendations that the best option is for anglers to be registered directly, instead of trying to get catch and effort information indirectly through a boat registry. Secondly, the sheer number of private recreational boats makes this option difficult. There are an easily manageable number of for-hire vessels compared to the millions of private recreational boats. Lastly, using registered boaters would require the design of a specialized survey different from both the for-hire and angler surveys. This would increase the complexity of managing the surveys and data and would significantly raise survey administration costs.
Related Questions
- Since a vessel-based survey is used for the for-hire industry, would it be possible to register private boats in the same way and use that in place of an angler registry?
- Can ratings given by private industry employers be used as equivalent ratings of record for crediting performance in a reduction in force?
- Are the definitions used in the register(s) compatible with survey or census definitions?
