In 2006, NOAA Fisheries began a major overhaul of its estimates of fish populations and fishing effort. The result is the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). As part of MRIP, NOAA launched the National Saltwater Angler Registry.
The registry is intended to help estimate the size and economic impact of the nation’s saltwater recreational fishing community. The program monitors how often anglers catch fish, species and size of fish caught, and numbers of fish kept. According to the agency, the data is used by fishery managers to make determinations about fishing regulations.
According to a NOAA survey, recreational saltwater anglers collectively spent $18 billion on boats, tackle, and other equipment in 2006. These purchases contributed $59 billion in benefit to the U.S. economy and supported 384,000 American jobs.
For more information, visit www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov
source: NOAA FishNews
Showing posts with label National Saltwater Angler Registry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Saltwater Angler Registry. Show all posts
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Monday, July 11, 2011
Maine Saltwater Angler Registry
In July, 2011, Maine Governor Paul LePage signed into law LD 210, "An Act Regarding the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry," which simplifies the requirements for both resident and non-resident anglers who wish to fish in the state's coastal waters.
The new registry, effective immediately, replaces Maine's fee-based license program that was implemented on January 1st. The Maine registry meets the standards established by the federal government to exempt anglers from the federal registry.
The bill, sponsored by state Senator David Trahan (R-20), contains several unique provisions. One allows owners of private docks and piers (such as waterfront hotels and restaurants) to obtain a free "umbrella" operator's license that will cover all anglers wishing to fish from that property. Charter and party boat operators, as well as smelt camp owners, can get a similar free permit. Another provision allows anyone who purchases a Maine freshwater fishing license to sign up for the saltwater registry at the same time at no additional charge.
Maine residents can fish in salt water on Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, and Labor Day weekend without registering, and non-residents who are licensed to fish in salt water in any other state, or with the federal registry, will not need to register in Maine.
Pete Moumouras of Saco Bay Tackle in Saco, the state's largest saltwater bait and tackle shop, felt the new registry would be good for his business. "It's a huge relief to get rid of that $15 non-resident fee," he explained. "All that did was discourage visitors from going fishing. Now we can advertise that Maine saltwater fishing is virtually free through the registry, and for folks who are licensed elsewhere. It's a big pull for the state."
Although the $5 resident and $15 non-resident fees to target striped bass and other anadromous fish associated with the previous license program have been eliminated, as have the $50 charter/party operator and smelt camp fees, the minimal $1 or $2 agent fees (depending on how anglers register) must by law remain in effect.
Anglers can register online at: www.maine.gov/saltwater
Registration will also be available through electronic agents of Maine's Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife as well as tackle shops and town offices.
source: RFA
The new registry, effective immediately, replaces Maine's fee-based license program that was implemented on January 1st. The Maine registry meets the standards established by the federal government to exempt anglers from the federal registry.
The bill, sponsored by state Senator David Trahan (R-20), contains several unique provisions. One allows owners of private docks and piers (such as waterfront hotels and restaurants) to obtain a free "umbrella" operator's license that will cover all anglers wishing to fish from that property. Charter and party boat operators, as well as smelt camp owners, can get a similar free permit. Another provision allows anyone who purchases a Maine freshwater fishing license to sign up for the saltwater registry at the same time at no additional charge.
Maine residents can fish in salt water on Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, and Labor Day weekend without registering, and non-residents who are licensed to fish in salt water in any other state, or with the federal registry, will not need to register in Maine.
Pete Moumouras of Saco Bay Tackle in Saco, the state's largest saltwater bait and tackle shop, felt the new registry would be good for his business. "It's a huge relief to get rid of that $15 non-resident fee," he explained. "All that did was discourage visitors from going fishing. Now we can advertise that Maine saltwater fishing is virtually free through the registry, and for folks who are licensed elsewhere. It's a big pull for the state."
Although the $5 resident and $15 non-resident fees to target striped bass and other anadromous fish associated with the previous license program have been eliminated, as have the $50 charter/party operator and smelt camp fees, the minimal $1 or $2 agent fees (depending on how anglers register) must by law remain in effect.
Anglers can register online at: www.maine.gov/saltwater
Registration will also be available through electronic agents of Maine's Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife as well as tackle shops and town offices.
source: RFA
Friday, December 10, 2010
NOAA Sets $15 Fee for the National Saltwater Angler Registry
NOAA will be charging a $15 fee for anglers registering with the National Saltwater Angler Registry as of Jan. 1, 2011.
In some cases, fishermen are exempt from the new fee. Anglers in 22 of 24 coastal states do not need to register or pay a fee since those states have agreements to share fishing license or registry information with NOAA for data collection purposes.
For recreational fishermen in Hawaii, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who are required to register, there's still time to register for free. Registration is free for those who sign up or renew their registrations before the end of the year.
For more information or to register, go online at www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov or call toll-free at (888) 674-7411.
In some cases, fishermen are exempt from the new fee. Anglers in 22 of 24 coastal states do not need to register or pay a fee since those states have agreements to share fishing license or registry information with NOAA for data collection purposes.
For recreational fishermen in Hawaii, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands who are required to register, there's still time to register for free. Registration is free for those who sign up or renew their registrations before the end of the year.
For more information or to register, go online at www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov or call toll-free at (888) 674-7411.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
NOAA Seeks Public Comments on Re-opening of Gulf of Mexico Recreational Red Snapper Season
NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comments on a proposed emergency action to authorize the re-opening of the recreational red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico
The agency has published a proposed emergency rule that, if approved and implemented, would authorize the Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NOAA Fisheries Service to re-open the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season after the September 30, 2010, end of the fishing season.
A re-opening could occur if NOAA determines that the recreational red snapper quota was not met by the 12:01 a.m., local time, July 24, 2010, closure date.
More information on the issue is available in the NOAA Fisheries Service's Southeast Region's Fishery Bulletin.
The agency has published a proposed emergency rule that, if approved and implemented, would authorize the Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, NOAA Fisheries Service to re-open the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season after the September 30, 2010, end of the fishing season.
A re-opening could occur if NOAA determines that the recreational red snapper quota was not met by the 12:01 a.m., local time, July 24, 2010, closure date.
More information on the issue is available in the NOAA Fisheries Service's Southeast Region's Fishery Bulletin.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The National Saltwater Angler Registry
Saltwater recreational fishermen have long expressed concerns about the data used to estimate the effects of recreational fishing on ocean resources and the nation’s economy. The National Saltwater Angler Registry was designed to help address that concern by providing a comprehensive list of the nation’s saltwater anglers that will be used to improve surveys of fishermen. These surveys are used by NOAA scientists to assess the health of fish stocks and to estimate the economic contributions of anglers.
Many saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register before fishing in 2010. The registry is open for registrations starting Friday, January 1. But if you have a state saltwater fishing license, you may already be part of the registry.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
“Recreational fishers need the registry,” says Capt. Monty Hawkins, a party boat operator and recreational fishing advocate based in Ocean City, Md. “People’s lives depend on the quality of the government’s information. It’s the basis for management decisions on everything from creel limits to whether to shut down whole sections of the coast. I’ve been harshly critical of recreational fishing data in the past, but I welcome the registry as a way to improve upon the current system.”
Gordon Colvin, a biologist with NOAA’s Fisheries Service and interim senior policy advisor on recreational fishing to Balsiger, who has spearheaded the registry implementation, said that many anglers will not need to take any action to register, because their coastal states already have agreements in place with NOAA to share state saltwater fishing license information.
Who Needs to Register:
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water, OR
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Who Doesn’t Need to Register
Some anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration — Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington;
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military;
• Are under age 16;
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats;
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit;
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register beginning Friday, anglers can visit http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call the toll-free registration line at 1-888-MRIP411 (1-888-674-7411) from 4:00 am to 12 midnight EST daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number that will allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
Steve Medeiros, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and a leading advocate for a saltwater fishing license in his state, said the registry is an important step. “While it’s true that some fishermen don’t like the idea of having to register to participate in a sport they’ve taken for granted their whole lives, anyone fishing today knows that increasing pressures on the ocean are having a real effect,” he said. “If we’re going to pass the sport down to our children and grandchildren, we’re going to need sound management based on good data.”
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s. The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties.
While the registry is among the most visible aspects of NOAA’s Marine Recreational Information Program, it is only one component of this rigorous multi-year, multi-phased overhaul of the system NOAA uses to collect and report recreational fishing data. Each piece of its design and implementation has been guided by close working relationships among NOAA personnel, fisheries managers, state partners, independent scientists and the recreational fishing community.
source: NOAA press release
Many saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register before fishing in 2010. The registry is open for registrations starting Friday, January 1. But if you have a state saltwater fishing license, you may already be part of the registry.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
“Recreational fishers need the registry,” says Capt. Monty Hawkins, a party boat operator and recreational fishing advocate based in Ocean City, Md. “People’s lives depend on the quality of the government’s information. It’s the basis for management decisions on everything from creel limits to whether to shut down whole sections of the coast. I’ve been harshly critical of recreational fishing data in the past, but I welcome the registry as a way to improve upon the current system.”
Gordon Colvin, a biologist with NOAA’s Fisheries Service and interim senior policy advisor on recreational fishing to Balsiger, who has spearheaded the registry implementation, said that many anglers will not need to take any action to register, because their coastal states already have agreements in place with NOAA to share state saltwater fishing license information.
Who Needs to Register:
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water, OR
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Who Doesn’t Need to Register
Some anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration — Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington;
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military;
• Are under age 16;
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats;
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit;
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register beginning Friday, anglers can visit http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call the toll-free registration line at 1-888-MRIP411 (1-888-674-7411) from 4:00 am to 12 midnight EST daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number that will allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
Steve Medeiros, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and a leading advocate for a saltwater fishing license in his state, said the registry is an important step. “While it’s true that some fishermen don’t like the idea of having to register to participate in a sport they’ve taken for granted their whole lives, anyone fishing today knows that increasing pressures on the ocean are having a real effect,” he said. “If we’re going to pass the sport down to our children and grandchildren, we’re going to need sound management based on good data.”
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s. The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties.
While the registry is among the most visible aspects of NOAA’s Marine Recreational Information Program, it is only one component of this rigorous multi-year, multi-phased overhaul of the system NOAA uses to collect and report recreational fishing data. Each piece of its design and implementation has been guided by close working relationships among NOAA personnel, fisheries managers, state partners, independent scientists and the recreational fishing community.
source: NOAA press release
Saturday, February 13, 2010
USA National Saltwater Angler Registry
Saltwater recreational fishermen have long expressed concerns about the data used to estimate the effects of recreational fishing on ocean resources and the nation’s economy. The National Saltwater Angler Registry will help address that concern by providing a comprehensive list of the nation’s saltwater anglers that will be used to improve surveys of fishermen. These surveys are used by NOAA scientists to assess the health of fish stocks and to estimate the economic contributions of anglers.
Many saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register before fishing in 2010. The registry is open for registrations starting Friday, January 1. But if you have a state saltwater fishing license, you may already be part of the registry.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
“Recreational fishers need the registry,” says Capt. Monty Hawkins, a party boat operator and recreational fishing advocate based in Ocean City, Md. “People’s lives depend on the quality of the government’s information. It’s the basis for management decisions on everything from creel limits to whether to shut down whole sections of the coast. I’ve been harshly critical of recreational fishing data in the past, but I welcome the registry as a way to improve upon the current system.”
Gordon Colvin, a biologist with NOAA’s Fisheries Service and interim senior policy advisor on recreational fishing to Balsiger, who has spearheaded the registry implementation, said that many anglers will not need to take any action to register, because their coastal states already have agreements in place with NOAA to share state saltwater fishing license information.
Who Needs to Register:
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water, OR
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Who Doesn’t Need to Register
Some anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration — Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington;
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military;
• Are under age 16;
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats;
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit;
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register beginning Friday, anglers can visit http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call the toll-free registration line at 1-888-MRIP411 (1-888-674-7411) from 4:00 am to 12 midnight EST daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number that will allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
Steve Medeiros, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and a leading advocate for a saltwater fishing license in his state, said the registry is an important step. “While it’s true that some fishermen don’t like the idea of having to register to participate in a sport they’ve taken for granted their whole lives, anyone fishing today knows that increasing pressures on the ocean are having a real effect,” he said. “If we’re going to pass the sport down to our children and grandchildren, we’re going to need sound management based on good data.”
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s. The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties.
While the registry is among the most visible aspects of NOAA’s Marine Recreational Information Program, it is only one component of this rigorous multi-year, multi-phased overhaul of the system NOAA uses to collect and report recreational fishing data. Each piece of its design and implementation has been guided by close working relationships among NOAA personnel, fisheries managers, state partners, independent scientists and the recreational fishing community.
source: NOAA press release
Many saltwater recreational fishermen will be required to register before fishing in 2010. The registry is open for registrations starting Friday, January 1. But if you have a state saltwater fishing license, you may already be part of the registry.
“By registering, recreational anglers will make their catch count,” said Jim Balsiger, acting NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The National Saltwater Angler Registry is an important tool that will enable us to better estimate the health of marine fisheries so that we’re able to preserve the pastime of recreational saltwater fishing for generations to come.”
“Recreational fishers need the registry,” says Capt. Monty Hawkins, a party boat operator and recreational fishing advocate based in Ocean City, Md. “People’s lives depend on the quality of the government’s information. It’s the basis for management decisions on everything from creel limits to whether to shut down whole sections of the coast. I’ve been harshly critical of recreational fishing data in the past, but I welcome the registry as a way to improve upon the current system.”
Gordon Colvin, a biologist with NOAA’s Fisheries Service and interim senior policy advisor on recreational fishing to Balsiger, who has spearheaded the registry implementation, said that many anglers will not need to take any action to register, because their coastal states already have agreements in place with NOAA to share state saltwater fishing license information.
Who Needs to Register:
Recreational saltwater fishermen will need to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 10 coastal states or territories which do not currently have comprehensive saltwater angler license or registration requirements—Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Fish for or are likely to catch anadromous species in tidal and salt waters; these are fish like river herring, shad, smelt and striped bass that live in the oceans but spawn in fresh water, OR
• Fish in the federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore or from the mouths of rivers or bays
Who Doesn’t Need to Register
Some anglers don’t have to register if they:
• Hold a license from one of 15 coastal states with comprehensive licensing or registration — Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington;
• Are not required under state law in one of these 15 states to hold a fishing license as is sometimes the case with seniors or active-duty military;
• Are under age 16;
• Pay to fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats;
• Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit or subsistence fishing permit;
• Fish commercially under a valid license.
National Saltwater Angler registration is free in 2010. To register beginning Friday, anglers can visit http://www.countmyfish.noaa.gov and click on the Angler Registry link, or call the toll-free registration line at 1-888-MRIP411 (1-888-674-7411) from 4:00 am to 12 midnight EST daily.
Anglers will need to provide their name, date of birth, address and telephone number, and will receive a registration number that will allow them to begin fishing immediately. They will receive a registration card in the mail in about 30 days.
Steve Medeiros, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and a leading advocate for a saltwater fishing license in his state, said the registry is an important step. “While it’s true that some fishermen don’t like the idea of having to register to participate in a sport they’ve taken for granted their whole lives, anyone fishing today knows that increasing pressures on the ocean are having a real effect,” he said. “If we’re going to pass the sport down to our children and grandchildren, we’re going to need sound management based on good data.”
The registry will be used as the basis for conducting surveys of saltwater recreational fishermen to find out how often they fish. It will eventually replace the use of random-digit dialing to coastal households, a system NOAA has had in place since the 1970s. The goal is to improve survey efficiency and reduce bias by making calls only to homes where people fish, and reaching saltwater anglers who live outside coastal counties.
While the registry is among the most visible aspects of NOAA’s Marine Recreational Information Program, it is only one component of this rigorous multi-year, multi-phased overhaul of the system NOAA uses to collect and report recreational fishing data. Each piece of its design and implementation has been guided by close working relationships among NOAA personnel, fisheries managers, state partners, independent scientists and the recreational fishing community.
source: NOAA press release
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