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U.S. MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES 



DATA COLLECTION . While data on commercial fisheries 

 have been collected for many years, detailed 

 statistical information on marine recreational fishing is 

 also required to support a variety of fishery 

 management and development purposes. These 

 include the objectives of the Magnuson Fishery 

 Conservation and Management Act. Public Law 94- 

 265, as amended. However, prior to 1979, the lack of 

 a continuous or systematic collection of marine 

 recreational fishery data had prevented the 

 accomplishment of these goals. Therefore, NMFS 

 began a comprehensive Marine Recreational Fishery 

 Statistical Survey (MRFSS) in 1979. Surveys have been 

 conducted in the following areas and years: 



Atlantic and Gulf. 1979 through 1992; 

 Pacific, mid- 1979 through 1989; 

 Western Pacific, 1979 through 1981; 

 and Caribbean. 1979, 1981. 



Preliminary estimates of catch and trips from the MRFSS 

 for the Atlantic and Gulf for 1992 are presented in the 

 following tables. Summary graphs for 1981-1992 catch 

 and trips are also shown. The survey is being 

 conducted in 1993 along the coast of the entire 

 continental United States except Washington State. 



The MRFSS data collection consists of an 

 intercept survey of recreational anglers in the field and 

 an independent telephone survey of coastal county 

 households. Each survey component contributes 

 certain information that is combined to produce 

 estimates of recreational catch, fishing effort, and 

 participation. Estimates are calculated by subregion, 

 state, species, fishing mode, and area of fishing. In 

 addition, information on catch rates and 

 measurements of fish lengths and weights are 

 obtained. 



The MRFSS is only one of several NMFS efforts to 

 obtain data on recreational fisheries. Specialized 

 surveys on particular fisheries or to obtain socio- 

 economic data are also conducted by NMFS. 



DATA TABLES . The total number of fish caught is 

 presented for twenty commonly caught species groups 

 on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Total number caught 

 Includes those fish which were brought ashore in whole 

 form and were available for identification, weighing, 

 and measuring as well as those fish which were not 



available for identification. This latter category includes 

 those fish which were used for bait, disarded, filleted or 

 released alive. Each species group may contain one 

 or more species, genera, or families. 



Total catch is distributed by subregion, fishing 

 area, and mode. The fishing areas are; ocean 3 miles 

 or less from land, ocean more than 3 miles from land, 

 and inland (sounds, rivers, bays). However, ocean 

 data for the Gulf coast of Florida are reported as 10 

 miles or less from land and more than 10 miles from 

 land. Fishing modes are; shore (man-made structures 

 and beach/bank from previous surveys), party/charter 

 boat, and private/rental boat. In 1 992 partyboats were 

 not sampled by the MRFSS in the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf subreglons; therefore estimated catches are 

 presented for charterboats only for these subreglons. 



Trip estimates are presented for coastal 

 residents (generally residing within 25 miles of the 

 coast), non-coastal residents of the subregion, and 

 non-residents, by fishing mode. 



The 1992 survey did not Include Texas or the 

 January and February period for Georgia, South 

 Carolina and Atlantic Coast states north of North 

 Carolina. More detailed information will be available 

 in a separate MRFSS report to be published later. 



PRELIMINARY 1992 MRFSS DATA . The total Atlantic and 

 Gulf Coast marine recreational finfish catch in 1992 was 

 an estimated 285.5 million fish. These fish were taken 

 on an estimated 52.1 million fishing trips. The harvest 

 (excluding fish released alive) was estimated at 144.2 

 million fish weighing approximately 1 64.3 million pounds 

 (74,525 metric tons). 



Commonly caught species, by number, in 1992 were 

 herrings (primarily used for bait), spotted seatrout, 

 saltwater catflshes, summer flounder, pinfish, spot, 

 bluefish, Atlantic croaker, and black sea bass. Top- 

 ranked species in each subregion In 1 992 were scup in 

 the North Atlantic, spot in the Mid-Atlantic, and herrings 

 in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf (46 

 percent) and Mid-Atlantic (28 percent) subregions 

 accounted for the highest numbers of Atlantic and Gulf 

 Coast fishes. 



