Boat U.S. - March 2008 - (Page 30)

Fishing For Statistics for the entire saltwater angling population and use it to make management decisions.” NMFS used “intercept surveys” of anglers at dockside to gather information on catch per trip and fish size, and telephone surveys. Interviewers would land an angler in about one out of every 15 calls and from this, estimate the number of fishing trips. But the phone surveys, restricted to coastal counties, overlooked inland anglers who fish saltwater and the intercept surveys missed key factors like night fishing and fishing from private property. CCA and other sportfishing groups had long questioned the survey’s accuracy. In the January 2007 Magnuson-Stevens Act reauPhoto courtesy of Ventura Sportfishing thorization, Congress required the service to Counting anglers accurately can improve their catch. institute a completely new data collection system — MRIP — with a “national registry” that their favorite fishery is closed because of saltwater anglers as the key tool. Great news, saltwater anglers. Thanks “This will still be a survey, since there to a major change in federal fisheries law, the of what the data showed that the issue gets decades-old MRFSS is being replaced by the their attention,” Venker explains. “And when are too many anglers to count everyone’s they realize that the data could just as easily catch,” Brame explains. “But a registry gives MRIP And if that’s not exciting enough, it . have been wrong as right, they get mad.” us a new phonebook, if you will, a list of means that managers will use ACL, backed MRIP, he says, will yield more accurate people who fish, and only those who fish, no up by AM, to set your TAC! data, moving managers toward better decimatter where they live.” Huh? sions and more equitable allocations of fish The registry must be in place by July Well, to put it another way, the system stocks between sport and commercial fishing. 1, 2009 and Brame is part of the team of of collecting data about recreational fishing Venker is on the bow of a 22-foot experts that NMFS assembled to design and that has kept anglers on the short end of the catch for 30 years or so will soon be history. Blazer Bay, looking for redfish this too-warm implement it. Under the law, a state saltwaNovember morning. The cold front he’d ter fishing license may take the place of the It’s a complicated, arcane work in progress federal registry for data collection purposes. but, thankfully, some sportfishing advocates hoped would pass through and get the reds moving didn’t materialize. But the nine fish- Fourteen states currently have some form of are on top of it. ing magazine writer-editors that he’d invited saltwater licensing that could exempt anglers “The issue is confusing, full of jargon here to the Texas Gulf Coast came on sched- from the federal requirement, and the nine and it doesn’t mean much to the average saltwater angler,” says Ted Venker, communi- ule. They are two to a boat with local fishing that don’t could institute licensing before the deadline. If not, the registry kicks in and cations director for the Coastal Conservation guides in half a dozen Texas-style skinny water skiffs scattered around the bay. NMFS may charge anglers a fee to register Association, a 90,000-member sportfishing after Jan 1, 2011. advocacy organization. “Whether we use state licenses or a fedGiving a live shrimp a quick ride aboard Landing Data Six hours later the same writer-editors eral registry to gather data, this system can a popping jig toward the edge of a grass bed are scattered around the living room at the take away excuses for inaction by managers in Aransas Bay, he adds, “This is the most Redfish Lodge near Port Aransas with a difand make allocation decisions more equiimportant issue the average angler doesn’t ferent team of guides, management gurus table,” explains NMFS’s John Boreman. care about — yet.” from the National Marine Fisheries Service “If we succeed, anglers will believe the The Marine Recreational Information data that management decisions are based Program (MRIP), called for in a congressional (NMFS), CCA and academia, to explain . upon and, maybe more important, they will overhaul of fisheries management last year, is MRIP While kitchen staff readies the day’s want to cooperate with the collection of that all about counting anglers, Venker explains. But why should anyone on the fun end catch for dinner, Richen Brame, CCA’s point data,” he adds. “In the end, management man for this acronym-laden issue, leads the decisions may still be debated, but not the of a fishing rod care? information on which those decisions are Because it will have significant implica- discussion. “The original MRFSS program (he based.” tions for sportfishing for years to come, and pronounces it “Murfs”) was designed in the — By Ryck Lydecker it may prompt states that do not already late 1970s to collect information — where have saltwater fishing licenses to require For a clear, concise primer on federal them as the best means to count anglers and did you fish? how often? what did you catch? — from a small sample of anglers,” he says. fisheries management, complete with jargon track their catch. “From that, managers would extrapolate data translations, visit: joincca.org/TIDE/101.html. “Now, it’s only when anglers find out 30 BoatU.S. Magazine March 2008 http://joincca.org/TIDE/101.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Boat U.S. - March 2008

Boat U.S. - March 2008 Contents Behind the Buoy BoatU.S. Reports Member Forum Cap'n Drew Sailing the Sidewalk Aviators Ahoy Docking and Duffing Waterfront Living: Charleston Waterfront Marketplace Grady Right 2nd Time Around DIY: Keeping the Water Out Hot Tips Boat Smart Ask Chuck Foundation Findings Tangled Line At Your Service Good Foundations BoatU.S. Exchange Behind the Boat Where Our Flags Fly

Boat U.S. - March 2008

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