Paul Caruso, John Boardman, John Chisolm, Bill Hoffman, Matt Ayer, Jennifer Stritzel-Thomson, Scott Elzey, Brant McAfee

A "for hire" fishing vessel

Since 1983, recreational fisheries catch and harvest data has been collected along the United States Atlantic Coast through the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS). The MRFSS is now called the MRIP (Marine Recreational Information Program) administered by contractors to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a branch of the federal government. This survey collects catch and effort data through a two part survey. A random telephone survey of coastal households is used to estimate the number of angler trips within a two month time period (wave) by fishing mode. Fishing modes are shore, private/rental boats, party and charter vessels. The other element of the survey uses field interviewers to intercept fishermen at coastal locations at the completion of their fishing trips. Interviewers obtain actual catch data on species and numbers caught, species and numbers discarded, and obtain a limited number of length and weight measurements of whole harvested fish. Discarded catch is measured only. The catch data in turn is applied to the effort data to estimate the total numbers of fish caught, harvested and released for most recreationally important marine species. All this data is used extensively by fisheries biologists and fisheries managers to assess stock levels as well as to assess regulations and plan future management.

A MarineFisheries biologist measuring an angler's catch

Directed sea sampling of the For Hire mode began in 1995 as an experiment by the state of Maine , to improve the quality of the estimates of catch and effort from that sector of the recreational fishery. The methods used then spread to the Gulf of Mexico , Florida and California based on the success of that survey. In the summer of 2003, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), as well as nine other coastal states became part of the For Hire Survey Program. The new For Hire Survey methods also estimate angling effort through a direct dialing of vessel captains vs. estimating effort through the random digit dialing of coastal households. Both party and charter vessels are contacted for this part of the survey. This new methodology yields increased accuracy and precision of For Hire mode trip numbers, since many patrons of these vessels live outside the bounds of the coastal household survey. In Massachusetts this portion of the For Hire Survey is currently administered by the coast-wide contractor to NMFS, Quantec.

A senior biologist from our New Bedford office coordinates the sampling of over thirty Massachusetts party vessels by eight additional DMF biologists. Vessels and sampling dates are drawn at random from a vessel directory of active vessels by a contractor to the NMFS (MACRO International). Only party vessels are sampled at sea due to vessel space limitations. Sea sampling takes place from March through October with approximately seven vessel trips per month, two interviewers per trip. On average, twelve anglers per trip, per interviewer, are randomly selected for the interview process. Selected anglers are asked a short list of questions concerning their fishing practices and demographics. A small subset of selected anglers is observed during fishing to measure and weight their harvest and discarded catch. At the end of the trip the remaining anglers intercepts are completed and available harvest counted by species, and if possible weighed and measured.