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

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

Greater Amberjack Recreational Fishing Season Closure - Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico Greater Amberjack Recreational Fishing Season will close on September 28, 2015, according to NOAA Fisheries.

The recreational harvest of greater amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 28, 2015, and remain closed until January 1, 2016.

The 2015 landings data indicate the 1,130,000-pound recreational annual catch target will be harvested by September 27, 2015. 

Greater Amberjack Recreational Fishing Closure Highlights:
 - Recreational harvest or possession of greater amberjack is prohibited.

 - The closure applies in both state and federal waters for vessels that have a valid Gulf of Mexico reef fish charter/headboat permit.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Quotas (Recreational)

On April 10, 2015, NOAA Fisheries approved Amendment 40 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources (Amendment 40) of the Gulf of Mexico submitted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). A final rule published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2015 (80 FR 22422), with an effective date of May 22, 2015.

Amendment 40 was approved by the Council to help stabilize the federal for-hire component of the recreational sector fishing for red snapper, provide the basis for increased flexibility in future management of recreational fishing for red snapper, and reduce the chance for recreational quota overruns, which could jeopardize the rebuilding of the red snapper stock.

Amendment 40 establishes two components within the recreational sector that fishes for red snapper.

Amendment 40 components:

A federal for-hire component, which is comprised of all for-hire operators with a valid or renewable federal reef fish charter vessel/headboat permit.

A private angling component, which is comprised of private recreational anglers and other for-hire operators who do not have a federal reef fish charter vessel/headboat permit.

The rule also establishes component sub-quotas and annual catch targets using Amendment 40's allocation of 42.3 percent to the federal for-hire component and 57.7 percent to the private angling component.

The component seasons will start on June 1 and end when the individual component's annual catch target is projected to be caught. A 20 percent buffer is applied to the recreational quota to obtain the annual catch target, which is then allocated between components. Season lengths are anticipated to be announced in late April or early May in a final rule setting the 2015-2017 commercial and recreational quotas.

Amendment 40 management measures will end after three years unless the Council takes additional action. The Council is presently evaluating other measures to manage the recreational sector including regional management.

Electronic copies of the amendment and final rule may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries Web site: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Quotas (Recreational)

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) met recently via webinar to review recommendations made by its scientific advisors regarding the red snapper quotas for 2015 and beyond.

If approved by the Department of Commerce, the action will increase the 2015 total quota by 3.3 million pounds (mp), resulting in a commercial quota of 7.26 million pounds, and a recreational quota of 7.04 million pounds. The total recreational annual catch target will be 5.632 million pounds.

Recreational red snapper quotas (by year):

2015    7.04 mp
2016    6.84 mp
2017+    6.73 mp

The 2017 quota will remain in effect until changed by the Council.

NOAA Fisheries is expected to determine and announce the 2015 Gulf of Mexico red snapper season in the coming weeks.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Reef Fish Amendment 28 Public Hearings

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has scheduled a series of public hearings around the Gulf of Mexico beginning Monday, March 10, 2014 through Monday, March 24, 2014.

The purpose of the meetings is to solicit public comment on Reef Fish Amendment 28 - Red Snapper Allocation. All meetings will begin at 6:00 pm. local time and will conclude no later than 9 p.m. Note, the call in session will begin at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Amendment 28 examines allocating red snapper resources between the commercial and recreational sectors to increase the net benefits from red snapper fishing and improve the stability of the red snapper component of the reef fish fishery, particularly for the recreational sector.

Comments on Reef Fish Amendment 28 will also be accepted online. Meeting locations and copies of the public hearing documents can be obtained by calling 813-348-1630, or by visiting www.gulfcouncil.org.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Reef Fish Amendment 40 - Sector Separation

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) is seeking comments on Amendment 40 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico.

According to GMFMC,Amendment 40 considers alternatives to define private and for-hire components of the recreational red snapper fishery and allocate red snapper resources between these components.

A guide to the amendment can be found at: gulfcouncil.org/docs/SectorSeparationGuide.pdf.

GMFMC will accept comments throughout the amendment process and can be submitted via online comment form:

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/council_meetings/comment_forms/RF%20Amendment%2040%20-%20Sector%20Separation.php.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

2014 Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Season (Recreational)

NOAA Fisheries recently released details of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico red snapper recreational season.

The 2014 Gulf of Mexico red snapper recreational season will be 40 days, opening at 12:01 a.m., June 1, 2014, and closing at 12:01 a.m., July 11, 2014.

For information about how the season was projected, please see the NOAA Fisheries 2014 Red Snapper Recreational Season Length Report.

NOAA Fisheries reminds all federally permitted for-hire vessels that after the federal water closure, they may not harvest and retain recreationally caught red snapper if state waters remain open.

A list of frequently asked questions about the red snapper recreational season can be found at the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Web site.

source: NOAA Fisheries

Gulf of Mexico Habitat Restoration Projects

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) recently announced that the agency will fund a number of habitat restoration projects in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana.

In addition, this funding is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional contributions for this work from project partners.

The money slated for the restoration projects is separate, but complementary, to restoration projects funded through the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment court settlements or the RESTORE Act.

Restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico include:

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana ($7 million): for engineering and design to restore 1370 acres of marsh in western coastal Louisiana. This funding is awarded through the Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration Act and covers 3 projects.

St. Johns Water Management District ($250,000): to launch restoration of over 2000 acres of marsh, oyster reef and shoreline forage and nursery habitat along the northeast coast of Florida.  The project will benefit a variety of marine life including fish in the snapper-grouper complex, snook, red drum, and tarpon, spiny lobsters and shrimp.  In addition, this project may benefit endangered species such as sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish.

Coral Restoration Foundation ($200,000): to begin planting thousands of elkhorn and staghorn corals in the Florida Keys, both of which are currently listed as "threatened" and proposed for listing as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act

Coastal Cleanup Corporation ($17,000): to remove marine debris at eight turtle nesting beaches along Elliot Key in Biscayne Bay, FL.

Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium/Dauphin Island Sea Lab ($100,000): to remove 36 vessels or other large debris from Mobile Bay, AL.

In addition to projects in the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA Fisheries will be providing funds for projects in North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

source: NOAA Fisheries

2013 Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Supplemental Season

Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishermen will benefit from a 14-day supplemental recreational season beginning October 1, 2013.

Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico will open for red snapper recreational fishing beginning on October 1, 2013, at 12:01 a.m. (one minute after midnight), local time. The season will close on October 15, 2013, at 12:01 a.m., local time.

Commercial fishermen will also get increased quotas, with individual fishing quota shareholders set to receive quotas on or shortly after October 1.

The increases are the result of a NOAA rule which increases the allowable catch for red snapper from 8.46 million pounds (mp) to 11 mp. The recreational quota will increase from 4.145 mp to 5.39 mp and the commercial quota will increase from 4.315 mp to 5.61 mp.

source: NOAA Fisheries

Gulf of Mexico Fall Red Snapper Season (Recreational)

In July the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted to increase the 2013 red snapper recreational quota to 5.390 million pounds (mp).

The Council also agreed that, if NMFS determines that unused recreational quota is available, a supplemental season will open October 1 and run continuously until the quota is met.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the supplemental season will be approximately 21 days long. The estimate will be reevaluated when the June recreational landings data become available in mid-August.

The Framework Action will be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce and, if approved, will be implemented in time for the fall season.

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

2013 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Red Snapper Season

A new temporary emergency rule gives NOAA Fisheries the authority to set separate closure dates for the recreational red snapper season in federal waters off individual Gulf of Mexico states.

Closure dates will depend on whether state regulations are consistent with federal regulations for the recreational red snapper season length or bag limit.

The rule was requested by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council at their February meeting to provide a fairer and more equitable distribution of recreational red snapper fishing opportunities among anglers in all the Gulf of Mexico states.

The federal recreational season for Gulf of Mexico red snapper begins June 1 each year with a 2-fish bag limit. The length of the season is determined by the amount of the quota, the average weight of fish landed, and the estimated catch rates over time.

NOAA Fisheries is responsible for ensuring the entire recreational harvest, including harvest in state waters, does not exceed the recreational quota.

Therefore, if states establish a longer season or a larger bag limit for state waters than the federal regulations allow in federal waters, the federal season must be adjusted to account for the additional harvest expected in state waters.

If all states were to implement consistent regulations, the 2013 recreational season would be 28 days, assuming the recreational quota is increased to 4.145 million pounds through separate rule-making. However, Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have indicated they will implement inconsistent red snapper regulations for their state waters.

The new emergency rule is intended to address the issue; otherwise the 2013 federal season would be reduced to 22 days to compensate for that additional expected harvest.

The emergency rule allows NOAA Fisheries to calculate the recreational red snapper fishing season separately in the EEZ off each state to account for any inconsistency of regulations in state waters.

Based on the expected regulations for Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, the preliminary season lengths would be as follows: Texas, 12 days; Louisiana, 9 days; Mississippi and Alabama, 28 days; and Florida, 21 days.

NOAA Fisheries is expected to announce the closure dates through a Southeast Fishery Bulletin.

According to NOAA, all other federal regulations for recreational red snapper are still in effect.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and other information concerning the emergency rule is available here:
sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/2013/rs_er/index.html

source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Season Extension Requested by Congressmen

Seventeen members of the House of Representatives recently signed off on a letter to Dr. Roy Crabtree, the Southeast regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries in Saint Petersburg, FL, asking that the 40-day red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico be extended due to the recent weather emergencies.

The members of Congress representing Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, and Arkansas call the 40-day red snapper season "a window that is too short to make a living and being made shorter by the devastating summer weather."

"We have heard from charter boat operators and private anglers in our districts who are concerned that the extensive damage caused by Tropical Storm Debby, along with the summer storms that could occur in the days ahead, will leave them with far too few days to fish," the letter states. "With this crippling blow to our local economies, however, comes a timely opportunity for the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council to build good will with our fishermen."

"For these reasons, we strongly request that you consider extending this year's 40-day red snapper season until the end of July, which coincides with the peak of our tourism season," the Representatives wrote. "We believe that this decisive action is reasonable and will go a long way toward relieving the crippling economic burden facing our fishermen and the ancillary businesses that rely on the season for increased tourism and revenue."

The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) praised the 17 bipartisan members of Congress who signed on to the letter to NOAA Fisheries, calling the request an emergency action well worth considering. "NOAA's fisheries service will often shut down recreational fishing in an emergency when their marine recreational

fishing statistical surveys show some drastic uptick in participation, is it too much to ask for an emergency opening considering what the NOAA weather service must admit has been a devastating week in the Gulf," asked RFA executive director Jim Donofrio.

Anglers have already lost nearly a third of its allowable season to unfishable conditions, and RFA is hopeful that the Commerce Department will act swiftly on behalf of coastal fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Congressional letter formally requests that the red snapper season be extended through the end of July, a period which coincides with the peak of the regional tourism season in the Gulf of Mexico. "We believe that this decisive action is reasonable and will go a long way toward relieving the crippling economic burden facing our fishermen and the ancillary businesses that rely on the season for increased tourism and revenue," the Representatives noted.

To read the full letter in support of a red snapper extension in the Gulf of Mexico, go to www.joinrfa.org/Press/RedSnapperExtensionRequest.pdf

2012 Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Regulations

Following an updated population assessment that shows overfishing of Gulf of Mexico red snapper has ended and the population is rebounding, NOAA is increasing the 2012 commercial and recreational fishing catch limits for the species from 7.53 million pounds to 8.08 million pounds. The new rule takes effect June 1.

However, as the population of red snapper grows and the fish get bigger, recreational fishermen catch their quota faster, resulting in a shorter season. The 2012 recreational season will last 40 days, from June 1 through July 10.

In 2007, strict commercial and recreational management measures were used to end overfishing of red snapper and rebuild this depleted population. According to NOAA, Fishermen are now seeing the benefits of these measures, and these actions are leading to increased catches.

NOAA begins work on a new population assessment for red snapper in August. The assessment involves three workshops to gather data, assess the fish population and review the results. The workshops include fishermen as well as state, federal and academic scientists. After the review, scientists will present the results to fishery managers on the Gulf Council.

source: NOAA FishNews

GMFMC Extends Recruitment for Ad Hoc Head Boat Advisory Panel

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is extending the recruitment period for an Ad Hoc Head Boat Advisory Panel. The new deadline to submit resumes and letters of interest is August 8, 2011.

The charge of the Ad Hoc Head Boat Advisory Panel is to explore management issues, including current regulations and business practices, options for reducing discards, data collection improvements, and any other management considerations or practices that may be addressed by the Council.

Panel members are not paid, but are compensated for travel and per diem expenses for attendance at all meetings.

Anyone interested in serving on the Ad Hoc Head Boat Advisory Panel should submit a letter and resume to:

Phyllis Miranda
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
2203 N. Lois Avenue
Suite 1100
Tampa, FL  33607

Materials may also be e-mailed to: Phyllis.miranda@gulfcouncil.org;  or faxed to: 813-348-1711.



source: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

June - July Closed Season for Gulf of Mexico Amberjack

NOAA Fisheries Service has published a final rule to establish a June 1 through July 31 seasonal closure for recreational harvest of greater amberjack in or from the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) federal waters.

The intended effect of the rule is to maintain the rebuilding plan targets for the overfished greater amberjack resource, reduce the likelihood of exceeding the recreational quota for greater amberjack, minimize the length of in-season quota closures for greater amberjack during peak recreational fishing months, and increase social and economic benefits for Gulf recreational fishers by maximizing the number of fishing days available to the recreational sector.

In response to this quota closure, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council (Council) developed a regulatory amendment to establish a fixed closed season to the harvest of greater amberjack by the recreational sector. Based on public input, the Council selected to have a seasonal closure during June and July.

These are peak recreational harvesting months of greater amberjack; closing federal waters during this time frame is expected to allow recreational fishing for greater amberjack to occur in all other months of the year, without exceeding the quota before year’s end.

This two month closure coincides with the open recreational seasons for other managed reef fish species, including red snapper, and provides recreational fishers the opportunity to fish for at least one of the targeted species year round (provided the recreational quota for greater amberjack is not exceeded).

A closed season for Gulf greater amberjack that overlaps with an open season for Gulf red snapper is intended to minimize the social and economic impacts to recreational fishers in the Gulf.

Copies of the final rule are available by contacting NOAA Fisheries Service’s Southeast Regional Office at 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701.

The final rule can be obtained in electronic form from the Federal Register Web site:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html (use advanced search for final rules using “BA48” as a keyword).

source: NOAA

2011Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Regulations - Update

NOAA Fisheries Service recently published a final rule implementing increases in the commercial and recreational red snapper quotas in the Gulf of Mexico from 3.542 and 3.403 million pounds (MP) to 3.66 and 3.525 MP in 2011, respectively.

The recreational red snapper season opens June 1, 2011. NOAA Fisheries Service has projected the red snapper recreational quota will be harvested by July 18, 2011.

For more information on how the red snapper season length was calculated, refer to a document titled “2011 Recreational Red Snapper Quota Closure Analysis” located on the Southeast Regional Office’s Web Page (see below).

Copies of the final rule are available by contacting NOAA Fisheries Service’s Southeast Regional Office at 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701.

The final rule can be obtained in electronic form from the Federal Register Web site: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html (use advanced search for final rules using “BA54” as a keyword).

source: NOAA press release

2011 Gulf of Mexico Recreational Red Snapper Regulations

According to NOAA Fisheries Service, the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper season opens June 1, 2011. Regulators are predicting the red snapper recreational quota will be harvested by July 18, 2011. The fishing season will close at 12:01 a.m. July 19, 2011.

The 48-day season is the shortest season to date since the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council chose to begin the season on June 1, and is, in part, the result of the increasing size of the fish being landed. 

For more information on how the red snapper season length was calculated, refer to a document titled “2011 Recreational Red Snapper Quota Closure Analysis” located on the Southeast Regional Office’s Web Page.

The final red snapper rule published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2011 and can be obtained in electronic form from the Federal Register Web site: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html (use advanced search for final rules using “BA54” as a keyword).

Gulf of Mexico Fishing Regulations Smart Phone App

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC) has released a fishing regulations iPhone/iPad App which is available for download.

The free App provides access to updated commercial and recreational federal fishing regulations for species managed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council via an iPhone or iPad.

The gulf fishing App also provides information on fish identification, measurement guidelines, sanctuaries and closures, and important telephone numbers.

Once downloaded, no internet connection is needed to access the App while out fishing. The Council hopes to develop a similar App compatible with other smart phones.

To download the new App, visit the App store from your iPhone or iPad, search for “Gulf Council,” and click on the Council logo.

source: Gulf Council