The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for collecting information on marine recreational angling. It does so principally through the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), a survey program that consists of an in-person survey at fishing access sites and a mail survey, in addition to other complementary or alternative surveys. Data collected from anglers through MRIP supply fisheries managers with essential information for assessing fish stocks. In 2006, the National Research Council provided an evaluation of MRIP's predecessor, the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS). That review, Review of Recreational Fisheries Survey Methods, presented conclusions and recommendations in six categories: sampling issues; statistical estimation issues; human dimensions; program management and support; communication and outreach; and general recommendations. After spending nearly a decade addressing the recommendations, NMFS requested another evaluation of its modified survey program (MRIP). This report, the result of that evaluation, serves as a 10-year progress report. It recognizes the progress that NMFS has made, including major improvements in the statistical soundness of its survey designs, and also highlights some remaining challenges and provides recommendations for addressing them.

Marine recreational fishing is a popular activity enjoyed by more than 9 million Americans annually and is a driver of the American ocean-or blue-economy. To ensure that fish populations are not overexploited, the NOAA Fisheries' Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) monitors recreational catch through a variety of in-person, telephone, mail-in, and other surveys. NOAA Fisheries' management of recreational catch also must take into account annual catch limits (ACLs) established to prevent overfishing for all managed species in federal waters. While MRIP has worked to improve recreational catch surveys over the past decade, the surveys were never designed to meet the demands of in-season management of ACLs. In some cases, estimates of harvest have triggered accountability measures such as early season closures and reductions in future recreational ACLs, which have been a source of contention with the recreational fishing community. This report presents approaches for optimizing MRIP data and complementary data for in-season management and considers alternatives for managing recreational fisheries with ACLs to better serve both social and economic management objectives.

"Hawaii is the only U.S.-associated island area (state) in the NOAA Pacific Islands Region that currently participates in recreational fishing surveys under the NOAA Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP), formerly known as Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS). The on-site interviews (for catch rate) of the Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey (HMRFS) are conducted by the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources while the telephone survey for fishing effort in Hawaii is currently conducted by a Hawaii contractor and is managed by a mainland company. For a MRIP project in 2010, the HMRFS protocol and data were evaluated to determine whether the new MRIP methods for catch-rate estimation could be directly applied to HMRFS. More recently, MRIP statistical consultants were contracted to review the current HMRFS sampling design and evaluate alternative survey options. After the review, the same consultants worked with the Hawaii project team to design and test alternative shore-fishing surveys for HMRFS. Several recent MRIP project reports included key findings and recommendations for HMRFS. In addition to discussing the major recommendations from previous/ongoing MRIP projects, this manuscript covers HMRFS sampling, estimation algorithm, catch/effort estimates, and data analyses. At the beginning of this contribution, the sampling design and expansion procedures were described. Major pelagic species were used to demonstrate how catch-and-effort estimates are calculated from HMRFS data. The authors then presented Hawaii-specific information from HMRFS data and provided comparisons and analyses. To conclude, the caveats in HMRFS catch estimates were discussed and recent efforts to improve HMRFS sampling procedures were highlighted"--Executive Summary. [doi:10.7289/V5/TM-PIFSC-55 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5/TM-PIFSC-55)]

The importance of recreational fisheries is increasing in many transitional economies. These guidelines focus on recreational fisheries and describe strategies to promote environmentally sustainable and socially responsible management of such fisheries. To this end, the document details policy, managerial and behavioural recommendations for sustainable recreational fisheries.

Ocean harvests have plateaued worldwide and many important commercial stocks have been depleted. This has caused great concern among scientists, fishery managers, the fishing community, and the public. This book evaluates the major models used for estimating the size and structure of marine fish populations (stock assessments) and changes in populations over time. It demonstrates how problems that may occur in fisheries dataâ€"for example underreporting or changes in the likelihood that fish can be caught with a given type of gearâ€"can seriously degrade the quality of stock assessments. The volume makes recommendations for means to improve stock assessments and their use in fishery management.

"The Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey (HMRFS, which is part of Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey, MRFSS) is conducted by the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources. Alternative estimation procedures for MRFSS intercept data developed by Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) nationally did not include HMRFS. The main objective of this project study was to evaluate the HMRFS protocol and data to determine whether the new national MRIP methods for catch rate estimation could be directly applied to HMRFS. This pilot project was used to contract a data analyst mainly for data/program review, and it was anticipated that results from this project would benefit future and other ongoing studies"--Executive summary. [doi:10.7289/V5XG9P4S (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5XG9P4S)]

Recreational or sport fishing is important for three major reasons: economic (it is a multi-billion dollar world industry); social (it is embedded in the cultures of many nations; ecological (it affects the environment and food webs in many ways). Recreational Fisheries covers a range of methods, case studies and perspectives on the multidisciplinary evaluation of the benefits and costs of sports fisheries. Tony Pitcher and Charles Hollingworth, the editors of this landmark publication, have drawn together chapters from more than 30 contributors from North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa, providing a truly international perspective on a global industry. Contents include detailed assessments, evaluations and survey mthods of sport fisheries in many countries. This book is an essential reference for anyone active in the management, assessment, policy making or development of sport and recreational fisheries worldwide. All fisheries scientists and managers will require a copy of this important publication. Environmental and aquatic scientists, ecologists and oceanographers will also find this book of great value in their work. Libraries in research establishments, laboratories and universities where fisheries and biological sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this book. Covers a worldwide industry of great commercial importance. Internationally known editors and contributors from four continents. Uses case studies from around the globe to illustrate the subject. A core subject essential to fisheries scientists.

Recreational or sports fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide and in many countries represents an important social and cultural activity. In some regions, it also contributes significant income to tourism and tackle businesses. In addition to its importance from a social and economic standpoint, the impact of recreational fishing on the environment and on food webs can often be substantial. This important book represents the major output from the 4th World Recreational Fishing Conference held in Norway in June 2005. The conference focused on several topics and targeted all stakeholders in the recreational fishing sector, including researchers, managers, NGO representatives and businesses. This book reflects that diversity, encompassing a variety of approaches within its carefully selected and fully peer-reviewed chapters. Global Challenges in Recreational Fisheries is an essential purchase for fisheries managers, multidisciplinary fisheries scientists, marine and freshwater biologists, ecologists and environmental scientists. The book is highly relevant for graduate university courses in fisheries management and fisheries sciences. Libraries in all universities, government fish and wildlife agencies and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught will need copies of this important publication.

Fluctuations and declines in marine fish populations have caused growing concern among marine scientists, fisheries managers, commercial and recreational fishers, and the public. Sustaining Marine Fisheries explores the nature of marine ecosystems and the complex interacting factors that shape their productivity. The book documents the condition of marine fisheries today, highlighting species and geographic areas that are under particular stress. Challenges to achieving sustainability are discussed, and shortcomings of existing fisheries management and regulation are examined. The volume calls for fisheries management to adopt a broader ecosystem perspective that encompasses all relevant environmental and human influences. Sustaining Marine Fisheries offers new approaches to building workable fisheries management institutions, improving scientific data, and developing management tools. The book recommends ways to change current practices that encourage overexploitation of fish resources. It will be of special interest to marine policymakers and ecologists, fisheries regulators and managers, fisheries scientists and marine ecologists, fishers, and concerned individuals.