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1995-06-11
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MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES STATISTICS SURVEY
DATA COLLECTION. While data on commercial fisheries have been
collected for many years, detailed statistical information on
marine recreational fishing is also required to support a variety
of fishery management and development purposes. These include
the objectives of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, Public Law 94-265, as amended. However, prior to
1979, the lack of a continuous or systematic collection of marine
recreational fishery data had prevented the accomplishment of
these goals. Therefore, NMFS began a comprehensive Marine
Recreational Fishery Statistical Survey (MRFSS) in 1979. Surveys
have been conducted in the following areas and years:
Atlantic and Gulf, 1979 through 1992;
Pacific, mid-1979 through 1989;
Western Pacific, 1979 through 1981;
and Caribbean, 1979, 1981.
Preliminary estimates of catch and trips from the MRFSS for the
Atlantic and Gulf for 1992 are presented in the following tables.
Summary graphs for 1981-1992 catch and trips are also shown. The
survey is being conducted in 1993 along the coast of the entire
continental United States except Washington State.
The MRFSS data collection consists of an intercept survey
of recreational anglers in the field and an independent telephone
survey of coastal county households. Each survey component
contributes certain information that is combined to produce
estimates of recreational catch, fishing effort, and
participation. Estimates are calculated by subregion, state,
species, fishing mode, and area of fishing. In addition,
information on catch rates and measurements of fish lengths and
weights are obtained.
The MRFSS is only one of several NMFS efforts to obtain
data on recreational fisheries. Specialized surveys on
particular fisheries or to obtain socio-economic data are also
conducted by NMFS.
DATA TABLES. The total number of fish caught is presented for
twenty commonly caught species groups on the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts. Total number caught includes those fish which were
brought ashore in whole form and were available for
identification, weighing, and measuring as well as those fish
which were not available for identification. This latter
category includes those fish which were used for bait, discarded,
filleted or released alive. Each species group may contain one
or more species, genera, or families.
Total catch is distributed by subregion, fishing area, and
mode. The fishing areas are; ocean 3 miles or less from land,
ocean more than 3 miles from land, and inland (sounds, rivers,
bays). However, ocean data for the Gulf coast of Florida are
reported as 10 miles or less from land and more than 10 miles
from land. Fishing modes are; shore (man-made structures and
beach/bank from previous surveys), party/charter boat, and
private/rental boat. In 1992 partyboats were not sampled by the
MRFSS in the South Atlantic and Gulf subregions; therefore
estimated catches are presented for charterboats only for these
subregions.
Trip estimates are presented for coastal residents
(generally residing within 25 miles of the coast), non-coastal
residents of the subregion, and non-residents, by fishing mode.
The 1992 survey did not include Texas or the January and
February period for Georgia, South Carolina and Atlantic Coast
states north of North Carolina. More detailed information will
be available in a separate MRFSS report to be published later.
PRELIMINARY 1992 MRFSS DATA. The total Atlantic and Gulf Coast
marine recreational finfish catch in 1992 was an estimated 285.5
million fish. These fish were taken on an estimated 52.1 million
fishing trips. The harvest (excluding fish released alive) was
estimated at 144.2 million fish weighing approximately 164.3
million pounds (74,525 metric tons).
Commonly caught species, by number, in 1992 were herrings
(primarily used for bait), spotted seatrout, saltwater catfishes,
summer flounder, pinfish, spot, bluefish, Atlantic croaker, and
black sea bass. Top-ranked species in each subregion in 1992
were scup in the North Atlantic, spot in the Mid-Atlantic, and
herrings in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf (46
percent) and Mid-Atlantic (28 percent) subregions accounted for
the highest numbers of Atlantic and Gulf Coast fishes.
The inland, ocean 3 miles or less from shore, and ocean 10
miles or less from shore areas accounted for approximately 89
percent of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast catch by number. The
remaining 11 percent of the catch from the Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ), the principal area of NMFS management authority.
However, for some species (e.g., red snapper) over 80 percent of
the catch was made in the EEZ.
As in 1991, about sixty-eight percent of the Atlantic and
Gulf Coast catch was taken in the private/rental boat mode in
1992. However, other modes were important for particular species
such as king mackerel from the charter boat mode and kingfishes
and mullets from the shore mode. Overall, shore-mode catches
were 25 percent of the total and party/charter boat catches
(excluding South Atlantic and Gulf partyboats) were 6 percent of
the total.
Coastal residents accounted for 75 percent of the
Atlantic and Gulf trips made in 1992. Non-residents accounted
for an additional 22 percent of the trips. Total trips in the
South Atlantic exceeded all other subregions.