2022 Saltwater Fishing Statistics - NOAA FUS Report

Scup

In November, NOAA Fisheries released its 2022 Fisheries of the United States (FUS) report.

2022 U.S. Recreational Fishing Highlights

According to the report, U.S. anglers took more than 200 million trips in 2022, catching an estimated 1.1 billion fish and releasing 61 percent of those caught.

In 2022, U.S. anglers harvested approximately 437 million fish with a combined weight of 356.2 million pounds.

By weight, striped bass was the top species harvested, with anglers harvesting 35.9 million pounds (3.5 million fish) in 2022.

By number of fish, scup was the top species harvested, with anglers harvesting 17.7 million fish in 2022.

Spotted seatrout was the top species in terms of total catch (harvested and released fish), with anglers catching 55 million fish.

Fisheries of the United States provides a snapshot of data, primarily at the national level, on U.S. commercial fisheries landings and value and recreational catch.

Produced in various forms for more than 100 years, Fisheries of the United States is the NOAA Fisheries yearbook of fishery statistics for the United States.

Together with Status of the Stocks and Fisheries Economics of the United States, the report provides information related to saltwater fishing and seafood. 

In April, NOAA fisheries released Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2002.

Related Information

2020 Saltwater Fishing Statistics - NOAA FUS Report

Maryland State Record Yellowedge Grouper

Maryland State Record Yellowedge Grouper

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recognized Jian Feng Li of Silver Spring as the first state record holder for yellowedge grouper (Caulolatilus microps) in the Atlantic division.

Li caught the 38.0-pound, 43-inch fish on August 27, 2024 while fishing in Poorman’s Canyon off Ocean City. He was deep-dropping with false albacore strips for bait and was using a hand-cranked conventional reel.

The group of anglers on Captain Chase Eberle’s charter boat Tiderunner started the day fishing offshore for dolphinfish (mahi) and other pelagic fish.

Eventually, the anglers decided to deep drop false albacore strip baits with heavy sinkers into 420 feet of water in Poorman’s Canyon, looking for large bottom fish.

Four anglers hooked up with big fish, and three broke off. Li was the only angler to bring his fish to the surface.

Staff at Sunset Marina in Ocean City weighed the fish on a certified scale. Maryland DNR biologist Gary Tyler confirmed the species.

The traditional range of yellowedge grouper was thought to be from North Carolina to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

With the increased popularity of deep dropping, anglers have reported catching yellowedge groupers in the canyons off of New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia.

Yellowedge groupers are a solitary, deep-water species occurring in rocky areas and on sand or mud bottoms in 290 to 1200 feet of water. On soft bottoms, they are often seen in or near trenches or burrow-like excavations.

Yellowedge grouper feed on a wide variety of invertebrates (mainly brachyuran crabs) and fishes. They are considered very good for eating, among the best of the grouper species when fresh.

Li’s catch is the first state record for this species. It is only 10.6 pounds lighter than the International Game Fish Association world record yellowedge grouper, a 48.6-pound fish caught off Dauphin Island, Alabama in June 2012.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions — Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal, and Invasive.

2024 North Carolina Southern Flounder Season Closed

Southern Flounder | Credit: NOAA Fisheries

To preserve the resource, the North Carolina recreational season for southern flounder will not open in 2024, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Marine Fisheries Commission.

In order to preserve the southern flounder resource, the North Carolina recreational flounder season will not open for harvest in 2024.

Estimates from 2023 indicate the recreational catch exceeded the quota allowed under a stock rebuilding plan that was included in Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan and adopted by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.

The Commission lists the status of southern flounder as overfished and overfishing is occurring. 

Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan, adopted by the Commission in 2022, set quotas for the recreational and commercial fisheries, based on scientific data, to end overfishing and rebuild the stock. There is a pound-for-pound payback if either sector goes over its quota. 

During it's quarterly business meeting, the Marine Fisheries Commission received an update on the recreational quota available for a recreational founder season.

After subtracting the recreational overage from 2023, the recreational quota remaining for 2024 is not large enough to allow for a season opening. The leftover quota will be used to account for the anticipated dead discards that will occur due to incidental catch and release.

The Commission discussed holding a special meeting to consider alternatives to not holding a 2024 recreational season but ultimately did not move forward with that approach.  

Fisheries managers predict that, following Amendment 3 and not opening the 2024 recreational flounder season, combined with the increased recreational quota in 2025, should allow enough quota for a recreational season next year. 

North Carolina’s southern flounder fisheries are managed under the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan Amendment 3.

For more information on the management measures, visit the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission website (www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/marine-fisheries) and see the Southern Flounder Information Page under Hot Topics.

Tuna Facts

Longfin Albacore Tuna

This article contains an assortment of information about tuna species including Atlantic bluefin, skipjack, yellowfin, and longfin albacore.

Western Atlantic bluefin tuna are the largest of the Atlantic tuna species. They can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.

Bluefin have a lifespan of 20 years or more, and generally don’t spawn until they are 8 years old.

On May 27, 2011, NOAA announced that Atlantic bluefin tuna currently do not warrant species protection under the Endangered Species Act.

In 2011, an angler set a North Carolina state record for Atlantic bluefin tuna by catching an 805 pound, 8 ounce fish off Oregon Inlet.

Also in 2011, a North Carolina state record blackfin tuna was caught off Wrightsville Beach.

A bluefin tuna tagged by Captain Al Anderson was recaptured after 16 years.

Pacific bluefin tuna are the largest species of tuna in the Pacific. Adults can reach nearly 10 feet in length and 990 pounds, with an average lifespan of 15 years.

Yellowfin tuna are distinguishable from other tunas by their long, yellow dorsal fin and a yellow stripe along their sides.

Yellowfin tuna are fast-growing and can weigh up to 400 pounds.

Skipjack tuna are identified by stripes along their lower body, and a faint lateral line running lengthwise down each side. Their back is dark purplish blue.

Skipjack tuna grow fast and can weigh up to 40 pounds. They have a relatively short life span of around 7 years.

2022 Saltwater Fishing Statistics - NOAA FEUS Report

In April, NOAA fisheries released Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2002.

The report is the 17th volume in this annual series, and the first in this shorter format, and covers the years 2013 to 2022.

The annual Fisheries Economics of the United States (FEUS) report provides details regarding contributions of U.S. fisheries to the nation's economy.

The report contains a variety of information related to recreational saltwater fishing in the USA, including economic impacts of recreational fishing, saltwater angler expenditures, recreational fishing catch, effort, and participation rates, regional management, and other topics.

The annual FEUS report is one of three produced each year on the status of national marine fisheries. The other two reports are: Status of Stocks and Fisheries of the United States.

The short format FEUS report is accompanied by a new NOAA Fisheries new data tool - Fisheries One Stop Shop (FOSS).

The following are a few details from the report.

Recreational Economic Impacts

Economic impacts from recreational fishing activities supported 691,613 jobs across the United States in 2022, an increase of 8 percent relative to 2021.

Recreational fishing also generated about $138 billion in sales impacts, $45.1 billion in income impacts, and $74.9 billion in value added impacts.

Across the United States, impacts from durable equipment expenditures (e.g., rods and reels, fishing-related equipment, boats, and vehicles) accounted for 80 percent of total job impacts, 81 percent of sales impacts, 83 percent of income impacts, and 81 percent of value added impacts.

In 2022, recreational anglers in West Florida had the highest total expenditures on trips ($3.4 billion) and took the most trips (40.3 million trips).

East Florida anglers had the second highest expenditures on trips ($1.6 billion) and took 35.3 million trips.

The impacts from trip expenditures were highest in West Florida with 29 thousand jobs and $3.9 billion in sales.

North Carolina had the second-most jobs and sales (12 thousand and $1.6 billion, respectively), followed by East Florida with 9 thousand jobs and $1.4 billion in sales.

The Gulf of Mexico Region had the highest recreational trip expenditures in the United States, $5.1 billion, and the most recreational trip activity, 55.2 million trips.

Recreational Harvest and Release Statistics

In 2022, seatrout (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (70.1 million fish), striped bass (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (33.5 million fish), and summer flounder (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (29 million fish) were the most frequently caught key species by recreational fishermen in the United States.

From 2013 to 2022, red snapper (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (37%), striped bass (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (4%), and tunas (Pacific and Western Pacific) (2%) had the largest increases.

Dolphinfish (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Western Pacific) (-58%), Pacific salmon (North Pacific and Pacific) (-38%), and summer flounder (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (-35%) had the largest decreases.

From 2021 to 2022, red snapper (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (32%), summer flounder (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (28%), and seatrout (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico) (14%) had the largest increases.

Dolphinfish (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Western Pacific) (-29%), tunas (Pacific and Western Pacific) (-25%), and Pacific salmon (North Pacific and Pacific) (-17%) had the largest decreases.

New Jersey caught the most summer flounder (13.5 million fish) and striped bass (7.8 million fish).

West Florida caught the most seatrout (22.8 million fish) and red snapper (5.4 million fish).

Alaska caught the most Pacific halibut (540,297 fish) and Pacific salmon (926,775 fish).

Key Recreational Species

• Dolphinfish (Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Western Pacific)

• Pacific halibut (North Pacific)

• Pacific salmon (North Pacific and Pacific)

• Red snapper (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico)

• Rockfishes and scorpionfishes (Pacific and North Pacific)

• Seatrout (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico)

• Striped bass (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico)

• Summer flounder (Atlantic and Gulf of  Mexico)

• Tunas (Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico)

• Tunas (Pacific and Western Pacific)

source: National Marine Fisheries Service. 2024. Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2022.

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/SPO-248, 28 p.

Related Information

2020 U.S. Saltwater Fishing Statistics