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

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

NOAA National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy 2023 Update

Striped Bass

In September 2023, NOAA Fisheries released a final revised National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy, along with seven associated regional and national implementation plans.

The updated documents define the agency's approach to, and work on, saltwater recreational fisheries.

In February 2015, NOAA Fisheries released the initial National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy followed by a series of national and regionally tailored implementation and engagement plans.

In March 2022, NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission co-hosted the fourth National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Summit.

Informed by regional conversations leading to the 2022 Summit discussions, NOAA Fisheries pursued updating the Recreational Fisheries Policy.

The 2023 update addresses the changing environment and evolving fishery interests based on extensive public input.

source: NOAA Fisheries

2020 Saltwater Recreational Fishing Statistics

Striped Bass

U.S. anglers took nearly 200 million trips in 2020, according to Fisheries of the United States, 2020, from NOAA Fisheries.

U.S. recreational anglers caught an estimated billion fish in 2020, releasing 65 percent of those caught.

The total recreational harvest was estimated at 344 million fish with a combined weight of more than 353 million pounds.

The top U.S. species ranked by pounds harvested were striped bass, bluefish, red snapper, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, and dolphinfish.

The Atlantic Coast accounted for 68 percent of marine recreational trips and 68 percent of the overall catch. The Gulf Coast accounted for 29 percent of trips and 30 percent of catch. Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Coast collectively accounted for 3 percent of trips and 2 percent of catch.

Fisheries of the United States is the annual National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) yearbook of fishery statistics for the United States for 2020. The report has been produced in its various forms for more than 100 years.

The report provides data on U.S. recreational catch and commercial fisheries landings and value as well as other aspects of U.S. commercial fishing.

source: Fisheries of the United States, 2020

Related Information

2019 USA Marine Recreational Fishing Catch Statistics

2019 USA Marine Recreational Fishing Catch Statistics

Red Drum

The 2019 U.S. marine recreational finfish catch, including fish kept and fish released (discarded) on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts (including Alaska and Hawaii), was an estimated 950 million fish. 

The catch required anglers to take an estimated 187 million fishing trips (Alaska trip data not available for 2019). 

The 2019 total harvest (fish kept or released dead) of saltwater fish by recreational anglers was estimated at 341 million fish weighing 350 million pounds.

Top Recreational and Commercial Finfish Species

Atlantic

1 Striped Bass
2 Bluefish
3 Scup
4 Dolphinfish
5 Black Sea Bass
6 Spotted Sea Trout
7 Summer flounder (fluke)
8 Tautog
9 Catfish
10 King and Cero Mackerel

Gulf Coast

1 Red snapper
2 Spanish Mackerel
3 Red Drum
4 Spotted Sea Trout
5 Sardine
6 Snappers
7 Mullets
8 King and Cero Mackerel
9 Little Tunny
10 Dolphinfish

Mid Atlantic Saltwater Fishing Facts

Fishing Boats

Saltwater fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the Mid Atlantic region.

This article includes a few facts about recreational saltwater fishing in the Mid Atlantic including popular species, statistics, regulations, and other information.

Mid Atlantic Facts - Statistics

According to Fisheries Economics of the United States (FEUS) 2016:

The Mid-Atlantic Region includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. In 2016, there were 2.4 million recreational anglers who fished in the Mid-Atlantic Region, with14 million fishing trips taken.

In the report, recreational fishing refers to fishing for fun rather than to resell fish (commercial fishing) or for subsistence.

Key Mid-Atlantic Region Recreational Species:
• Atlantic croaker
• Black sea bass
• Bluefish
• Scup
• Spot
• Striped bass
• Summer flounder
• Tautog
• Weakfish drum
• Winter flounder

Top Mid Atlantic Catches:
summer flounder (12.2 million fish)
black sea bass (9.3 million fish)
and striped bass (8.6 million fish)

Top Catches by State:
Virginia caught the most Atlantic croaker and spot (5.6 million fish)
New Jersey caught the most summer flounder (6.9 million fish)
Maryland anglers caught the most striped bass (5.1 million fish)

Recreational Fishing Regulations

In the Mid Atlantic region, recreational fishing regulations are set by a combination of federal and state entities.

Federal Fisheries Management

Federal fisheries are generally defined as fishing activities that take place in the U.S.Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, between 3 and 200 nautical miles from the coastline). Generally, individual states retain management authority over fishing activities within three nautical miles of their coasts.

The authority to manage federal fisheries in the United States was granted to the Secretary of Commerce by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA).

NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency with delegated authority from the Secretary of Commerce to oversee fishing activities in federal waters.

The MSA has been reauthorized twice since its enactment, in 1996 and again in 2006.

The 2006 MSA reauthorization included a requirement to use annual catch limits (ACLs) to end and prevent overfishing.To limit ACL overages, regional fishing councils implement management measures as necessary.

In 2018, the MSA was amended by the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act, which focused on improvements to recreational fishing data and management of mixed-use fisheries.

Fishery management plans (FMPs) provide a framework for managing the harvest of fish stocks and stock complexes. FMPs are developed by Regional Fishery Management Councils (FMCs).

Federal fisheries in the Mid Atlantic region are managed by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and NOAA Fisheries under seven fishery management plans (FMPs).

Two of these FMPs are developed in conjunction with the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC). The MAFMC is the lead council for the Spiny Dogfish FMP; the NEFMC is the lead for the Monkfish FMP.

In addition, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) (www.asmfc.org) serves as a deliberative body of the Atlantic coastal states, coordinating the conservation and management of 27 nearshore fish species.

Highly migratory species such as tunas, mackerels, sharks, and billfish are managed by NOAA Fisheries. Several HMS species are subject to cooperative management by NOAA and international fishing organizations.

Recent Federal Actions Impacting the Mid Atlantic

In the fall of 2019, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board approved Addendum VI to Amendment 6 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass.

The Addendum reduces all state commercial quotas by 18%, and implements a 1 fish bag limit and a 28”-35” recreational slot limit for ocean fisheries and a 1 fish bag limit and an 18” minimum size limit for Chesapeake Bay recreational fisheries. States may submit alternative regulations through conservation equivalency to achieve an 18% reduction in total removals relative to 2017 levels.

Addendum VI was initiated in response to the 2018 Benchmark Stock Assessment, which indicates the resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing. The Addendum’s measures are designed to reduce harvest, end overfishing, and bring fishing mortality to the target level in 2020.

Since catch and release practices contribute significantly to overall fishing mortality, the Addendum requires the mandatory use of circle hooks when fishing with bait to reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries.

Mid Atlantic Region State Agencies:

New York DEC (www.dec.ny.gov)
New Jersey Fish and Wildlife (www.njfishandwildlife.com)
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (www.dnr.state.md.us)
Delaware DNREC (www.dnrec.delaware.gov)
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (www.mrc.state.va.us)
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (www.ncwildlife.org)

Related Information

2016 NOAA USA Recreational Fishing Statistics (saltwater)

RBFF 2017 Special Report on Fishing

Mid Atlantic Striped Bass EEZ Enforcement

USA Fishing Statistics 2016 (commercial and recreational fisheries)

Commercial and recreational fisheries provide important economic impacts to the U.S economy, according to a recently released NOAA Fisheries report (Fisheries Economics of the United States, 2016).

In 2016, commercial and recreational fisheries throughout the United States generated approximately 1.7 million jobs in the U.S. economy.

In addition, commercial and recreational fishing together generated $212.2 billion in sales impacts, $64.2 billion in income impacts, and $99.5 billion in value-added impacts throughout the economy.

Florida had the largest employment impacts from the combined fishing industry, with approximately 173,000 jobs.

Florida also had the largest sales impacts from the combined fishing industry ($27.8 billion), the largest income impacts ($7.3 billion), and the largest value-added impacts ($12.2 billion).

Fisheries Economics of the United States 2016 is the 11th volume in an annual series designed to give the public accessible economic information on fishing and seafood in the U.S., and is a companion to Fisheries of the United States.

The annual Fisheries Economics of the United States report provides economic information related to U.S. commercial and recreational fishing activities and fishing-related industries on a state, regional, and national basis.

For more information, visit: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/content/fisheries-economics-united-states-2016

source: NOAA Fisheries

Related Information

2016 Saltwater Fishing Statistics (Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation)

2019 New England Recreational Fishing Workshops

Improving New England Recreational Fisheries Management Workshops
January 8, 2019 - January 12, 2019

NOAA Fisheries’ Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office is hosting three workshops to provide an opportunity for stakeholder input on developing both short- and long-term management measures for the recreational fishing community.

Through a collaborative process, the agency hopes to develop management measures for the recreational groundfish fishery that balance the need to prevent overfishing with enabling profitability in the for-hire fleet and worthwhile fishing opportunities for anglers.

Stakeholders can attend either January 8 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; January 10 in Narragansett, Rhode Island; or January 12 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.


Objectives

Short-term: Develop potential new management measures to achieve, but not exceed, recreational catch limits in Fishing Year 2019, including Gulf of Maine cod/haddock.

Long-term: Think creatively about how to meaningfully use new Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data in management of groundfish stocks with a recreational catch component in the long-term (defined as Fishing Year 2020 and beyond).

Assess and evaluate available research around: methods for avoidance and reduction of bycatch mortality, calculation methods for dead discards, and release methods. NOAA will also identify gaps for future research.

Develop methods to regularly engage with captains and anglers throughout the season to get feedback on catch and trends, and develop ideas on how to enhance coordination between NOAA Fisheries, state partners, scientists, and the recreational fishing community.


Event Details

Space will be limited, and NOAA encourages registering in advance. Once registered, meeting materials and updates will be emailed directly to attendees, when available. Additional meeting materials, including the agenda, will be posted mid-December.

The workshops will be held on the dates listed. Exact timing will be posted on the agenda, and will be approximately from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Each workshop will have the same agenda, and while the discussions may vary depending on the state and local target species. NOAA requests that attendees only register for one workshop so that as many people as possible may attend.

Summaries of recommendations from the workshops will be presented to the New England Fishery Management Council’s Recreational Advisory Panel and the full Council in January.

More Information

For more information, contact Moira Kelly , Recreational Fisheries Coordinator, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office or Jessica Joyce , Meeting Planner and Facilitator, Tidal Bay Consulting, LLC.

Register online:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-england-recreational-fishing-workshop-nh-tickets-52541276372

source: Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

2016 NOAA USA Recreational Fishing Statistics (saltwater)

striped bass

According to this year's NOAA Fisheries' Fisheries of the United States report, U.S. recreational saltwater anglers caught an estimated 371.6 million fish in 2016.

The total catch includes fish kept and fish released (discarded) on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts (including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico).

The harvest (fish kept or released dead) was estimated at 144.6 million fish weighing 181.6 million pounds.

2016 Top Saltwater Fish Species by Pounds Harvested

Striped bass: 20 million pounds - 1.6 million fish
Dolphinfish 11 million pounds - 1.2 million fish
Bluefish 10 million pounds - 4.6 million fish
Yellowfin tuna 9 million pounds - 0.3 million fish
Sharks 3 million pounds - 0.2 million fish

Saltwater anglers took approximately 63.1 million fishing trips, according to the report.

Fisheries of the United States is an annual yearbook of U.S. fisheries statistics.

For more information, visit:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/fisheries-united-states-2016-report


source: NOAA Fisheries

Are Barbless Circle Hooks Effective?

The effectiveness of barbless circle hooks was a popular topic during the 2016 Tokunaga Ulua Challenge Fishing Tournament in Hawaii.

A leader in the effort to learn more about circle hooks is Kurt Kawamoto, a fisheries biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.

Each time a fish caught with a barbless circle hook was weighed in, Kawamoto stepped forward to slap a special sticker on it, and hopefully to see a new record.

Kawamoto's work is part of a NOAA and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Barbless Circle Hook Project.

The Tokunaga tournament has grown from 136 entrants in 2003 to 637 this year. It’s estimated more than 50% of the contestants catch their fish using barbless circle hooks.

In 2015, the winning ulua was caught with a barbless hook. This year, the winning omilu was caught by a woman fishing barbless.

Making a barbless hook is really simple. You use a pair of pliers to smash down the barb. Kawamoto explains, “Once you smash down the barbs on these hooks they become self-shedding, so that was the main idea behind it. It’s easy for a fish, or a seal or a turtle to get rid of the hook themselves.”

Researchers have witnessed a monk seal actually shed a barbless circle hook and anglers have relayed stories about sea turtles also easily expelling barbless hooks.

Although it’s easier for animals to rid themselves of the hooks, research, angler reports, and actual catches with barbless circle hooks have proved their efficacy when it comes to catching target fish.

During a shoreline research project, fishers used two poles; one with a barbed hook, the other with a barbless one. Kawamoto said, “We caught over 300 shoreline fish, of many different kinds. We looked at the catches, losses and misses and statistically we couldn’t tell the difference. Essentially you could catch just as many fish with a barbless circle hook.”

Angler Carlo Russo who fishes from the shoreline said "My experience with them has been 100% positive. I caught three papio’s, nice size papio’s on them, and didn’t lose any fish. Popped them right out; all perfectly caught in the corner of their mouths.

The outreach team from the Barbless Circle Hook Project regularly attends fishing tournaments around the state to provide information, encouragement, and free barbless circle hooks.

Kawamoto concluded, “Since starting the project I only use barbless hooks in my personal shoreline fishing and I’ve caught all the same species. I couldn’t in good conscience ask fisherman to try something that I don’t use or believe in myself. I have guys on every island who are only using barbless hooks and they’ve seen it doesn’t make a difference…and allows the big one that got away…to reproduce, to grow and possibly to be caught another day. This helps enhance the reputation of fishermen and women as practicing conservationists.”

source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

Mid Atlantic EEZ Striped Bass Enforcement

NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) recently announced that the agency will be enforcing federal regulations governing striped bass in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Mid Atlantic region.

During the months of November through February, NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is expected to join state and federal marine law enforcement organizations in supporting a focused enforcement effort, targeting vessels retaining and fishing for striped bass in the EEZ. Officers will be conducting at-sea, aerial, and dock-side inspections.

In the Mid-Atlantic region, marine OLE officers and the U.S. Coast Guard will be ticketing fishermen who violate striped bass regulations within the EEZ.

source: NOAA Fisheries

Striped Bass Most Popular Saltwater Fish

Recreational anglers caught 24 million pounds of striped bass in 2014, according to the 2014 Fisheries of the US report from NOAA Fisheries.

U.S Recreational Fishing Statistics:

Striped bass, bluefish, yellowfin tuna, dolphin fish, and summer flounder were the top five recreational species ranked by pounds landed.

Overall, an estimated 157 million fish were kept, weighing 186 million pounds.

10.4 million anglers took 68 million trips and caught nearly 392 million fish in 2014.

The report also shows that the average American ate 14.6 pounds of fish and shellfish in 2014.

The 2014 Fisheries of the US report is available at  http://st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercial-fisheries/fus/fus14/index.

NOAA National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy

NOAA Fisheries recently released its National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy.

The policy serves as a guide for NOAA Fisheries' actions and responsibilities under the law.

According to NOAA, the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy outlines the agency's commitment to:

1) promote recreational fisheries through science-based conservation and management;

2) provide for sustainable saltwater recreational fisheries resources;

3) support participation in recreational fishing today and for future generations.




National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy is available at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/management/recreational/policy/index.html.

NOAA Fisheries is developing a complementary new national recreational fishing implementation plan. 

source: NOAA HMS News

2013 Top Recreational Fishing Saltwater Species

U.S. recreational anglers took 71 million trips and caught nearly 430 million fish in 2013. Over 61 percent of these fish were released alive. Spotted seatrout was the top catch for recreational anglers in 2013, with 38 million fish caught.

Top 5 Recreational Fishing Saltwater Species (2013):

1. spotted seatrout
2. Atlantic croaker
3. black sea bass
4. summer flounder
5. red drum

source: Fisheries of the United States, 2013 (NOAA Fisheries)

NOAA Recreational Bait and Tackle Economic Survey

NOAA Fisheries is conducting the Recreational Bait and Tackle Economic Survey to better understand the economic contributions of saltwater bait and tackle stores.

The study will focus on retail stores that sell bait and tackle to marine recreational anglers in coastal communities located in 23 U.S. states on the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific coasts, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Over the course of the summer of 2014, selected stores will receive mail surveys asking about their business’ costs and revenues, employment, and structure.

source: NOAA Fisheries

NOAA FishAlerts Mobile App

NOAA's FishAlerts Mobile App allows anglers to accurately view their location on a map in relation to MPA boundaries. The app pulls in NOAA weather and tide data to improve trip planning. It also features Facebook and Twitter integration, which makes it easy to upload pictures of catches to the most widely used social networks. The FishAlerts! app is available as a free download for all iOS and Android devices.

Source: NOAA Fisheries

2014 Marine Recreational Fishing Expenditure Survey

NOAA and the saltwater angling community need timely economic data to help evaluate the economic importance of the recreational fishing industry and the economic impacts of fishing regulations and changes in the ecosystem caused by natural or manmade events.

Starting May 15, NOAA will begin conducting a periodic survey of saltwater anglers across the nation designed to estimate the amount of money spent by anglers on saltwater fishing trips and fishing-related equipment.

The information gathered in the survey will provide a better understanding of the economic impacts generated from saltwater recreational fishing across the U.S. and contribute to more informed decisions on recreational fishing issues.

The National Marine Recreational Fishing Expenditure Survey is updated every 3 to 5 years.  The last survey was conducted in 2011 and found that anglers spent over $23 billion on saltwater fishing trips and equipment.  These expenditures contributed over $56 billion to the U.S. economy in 2011.

The upcoming survey will be conducted in two parts.  In May 2014 NOAA will begin part one and survey randomly selected anglers in coastal states with saltwater fishing licenses.  The anglers will be sent a survey in the mail that asks questions about their expenditures on durable goods used for saltwater fishing (such as fishing rods, boats, and vehicles) for the previous 2 months.

 In 2016, NOAA will conduct the second part of the survey that will focus on trip-related expenditures.  Once the economic data is collected, it will be analyzed and released as a NOAA report.

In addition to collecting expenditure data from general saltwater anglers, the expenditure survey will also include a targeted survey of approximately 3,000 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling permit holders.  The purpose of the targeted survey is to collect expenditure data on a unique group of avid anglers that are typically under-represented in national surveys.

 A survey conducted in 2011 found HMS anglers living from Maine to North Carolina spent $217 million on saltwater fishing trips and equipment which contributed $358 million to the U.S. economy.

For information on NOAA angler expenditure surveys, visit: https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/economics/fisheries/recreational/angler-expenditures-economic-impacts/index

source: NOAA Fisheries

NOAA National Recreational Fishing Policy

NOAA Fisheries recently announced plans to develop a national recreational fishing policy during its second national Saltwater Recreational Fishing Summit.

More than 100 leaders from the saltwater recreational fishing community met with NOAA Fisheries leadership at the summit, held April 1-2 in Alexandria, Va., to provide an opportunity to assess recent progress, identify future directions and further strengthen the relationship between the two groups.

With nearly 11 million saltwater anglers in the United States, recreational and non-commercial fishermen represent one of NOAA's largest organized constituencies.

The meeting provided a forum for identifying important issues and collaborative solutions, including discussing the quality of the data used to count and characterize the recreational catch and fishing effort, on-the-water fishing experiences, sharing management priorities, and discussing the importance of healthy habitats.

NOAA Fisheries held the first national saltwater recreational fishing summit in 2010 to kick-off the agency's recreational fishing engagement initiative. The event resulted in development of both national and regional action plans to guide agency activities.

source: NOAA Fisheries

New York - New Jersey Fishermen to Receive Hurricane Sandy Relief

Commercial and recreational fisheries in New Jersey and New York will receive just over $3 million for relief effort to address the impacts following Hurricane/post-tropical cyclone Sandy.

NOAA Fisheries has already been working with the states of New York and New Jersey to distribute $5 million in economic assistance that was previously appropriated by Congress. It is expected that new funds will be used to augment existing efforts to assist impacted businesses in these two states.

According to NOAA Fisheries, recipients of the funding will have broad latitude to determine the best use of the funds to meet the unique needs of their local businesses and communities.

Funds can be used for activities that, “restore the fishery or prevent a similar failure in the future, and to assist a fishing community affected by such failure.”

There are a number of steps that have to take place before the money can be distributed. Funds are allocated out through the federal grant process. Once a spend plan is developed and the grant application is complete, there is generally a 2-3 month review process before the funds are made available to the recipient.

source: NOAA Fisheries

2013 HMS SAFE Report

NOAA Fisheries recently released its 2013 HMS Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report. The report includes a review of the current status of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) stocks (tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks), describes the year's accomplishments in managing Atlantic HMS fisheries, and provides an assessment of short-term future management of Atlantic HMS fisheries.

The annual SAFE Report is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The 2013 HMS SAFE Report is available on the HMS Management Division website at:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocument_files/SAFEreports.htm.

source:  NOAA Fisheries