Why is NOAA Fisheries redesigning its recreational angler surveys?
As the science of fisheries management has evolved, so has the need for more thorough and detailed data about who is fishing, when they fish, and what species and how many fish they catch. In addition, managers need information that is timely and can be parsed by relatively small areas as opposed to broad swaths of ocean. Simultaneously, recognition has grown in recent years of the economic and marine stewardship contributions made by recreational anglers. Capturing and sharing data that more precisely reflects these contributions is important in empowering anglers and other stakeholders to have a voice in decisions that affect them, and the oceans. The Marine Recreational Information Program, or MRIP, is currently being phased in to address these issues and provide a reliable, transparent, collaborative set of tools that managers, anglers and others can use to ensure sustainable fisheries and healthy oceans for generations to come.
