WELCOME TO BILL'S CORNER!
September 2004 | (archive)
Dear Constituents,
Recreational fishing is the number one outdoor activity in America. An
estimated seventeen million people go saltwater sportfishing each year in
the United States, making it a socially important activity that is economically
critical to coastal communities. Recreational fishing supports numerous
industries that strengthen our economy, such as boat manufacturing and retail,
marinas, fuel, gear, bait, and tackle. People who travel to our coasts to
charter fishing trips support local hotels, restaurants, shops, and other
recreational industries. It’s no
wonder that recreational fisheries contribute $30 billion annually to
the U.S. economy.
The cornerstone of having strong and healthy recreational fisheries is
effective management of fishery resources, traditionally accomplished through
catch and size limits and seasons. I’m proud of many conservation
initiatives on the recreational fisheries front, including the ethical angler
program, which promotes catch-and-release and new efforts to use circle
hooks, which increase post-release fish survival rates. By and large, our
society is comprised of people who feel responsible for ensuring continued
sportfishing opportunities for future generations through conservation efforts
today.
Effective management relies on quality science. To ensure that our recreational
fisheries science is robust and modernized, this month I have asked the
National Research Council to conduct a thorough review of the agency’s
recreational fishing data collection program. This program collects data
through random sample angler surveys, taken over the telephone and through
dockside interviews. The surveys provide reliable estimates of catch, but
cannot support the real-time data required for in-season quota management.
I am confident that this NRC study will help us identify what changes are
necessary to address the needs and expectations of our constituents and
fisheries managers. During the 19-month study, the NRC will study important
aspects of the program, such as accuracy, timeliness, and adequacy of information
for management needs. I have launched this study as part of our newly developed
strategic plan for recreational fisheries, working collaboratively with
fishery managers who use the data to develop management programs, and sportfishermen,
who provide the data and have a right to feel confident in accuracy and
appropriateness of the information we collect.
While the NRC study is underway, NOAA Fisheries continues to work on addressing
constituent concerns about the existing recreational data program. I have
dedicated additional staff and funding to increase our survey sampling size,
and we are beginning to host regional constituent forums with anglers and
boat captains. During these forums, our regional administrators, regional
staff, and members of our recreational survey team will be on-hand to answer
any questions you may have about how and why we collect certain data and
what we do with it. The goal of these forums is to increase your confidence
in the recreational fishing science that supports management decisions.
The first of these meetings will be held in conjunction with the next Gulf
Council meeting at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City, Florida, at
6:30 on October 12. Please attend this forum and share your ideas and concerns
with us, and don’t forget to bring all your questions!
In closing, I’d like to say I was very disappointed in the recent
study on impacts of recreational fisheries published in Science Magazine.
The study’s conclusion did not add to the existing body of fisheries
science or management, and it falsely accused NOAA Fisheries of not understanding
that recreational anglers are important constituents. We exhaustively count
anglers and monitor their catches. Anglers are subject to a strict set of
regulations that are proven to be effective at managing fish populations.
To imply that we do not fully account for the impacts of recreational anglers
is wrong.
Bill Hogarth
Director, National Marine Fisheries Service
References
National Research Council
NOAA Fisheries’ Recreational
Fisheries Strategic Plan
NOAA Fisheries’ Recreational
Fisheries Service Branch
NOAA Fisheries’ Marine
Fisheries Statistics Program
American
Sportfishing Association’s Fishing Statistics Page
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