PREFACE 



The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) initiated a series of surveys in 1979 

 to obtain estimates of participation, catch, and effort by recreational fishermen in the 

 marine waters of the United States. This effort implements the first priority of the 

 NMFS Marine Recreational Fisheries Policy which was established in 1981, namely, the 

 development on a regular and continuing basis of a comprehensive marine recreational 

 fisheries data acquisition and analysis system. The Marine Recreational Fishery 

 Statistics Surveys (MRFSS) have included the use of commercial contractors to perform 

 data collection and processing tasks. This report covers the MRFSS activities on the 

 Atlantic and Gulf coasts from January through December 1986. The results of the 1979- 

 85 surveys were previously published in the Current Fisheries Statistics publications 8322 

 (Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, 1979 (revised) - 1980) , 8324 ( Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, 1981- 

 1982 ), 8326 ( Atlantic and Gulf Coast 1983-1984) 8327 and ( Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, 

 I 985 ). 



This publication was prepared under the supervision of Mark C. Holliday. Past and 

 present MRFSS personnel involved in the survey design, survey implementation, and 

 analysis of data include David G. Deuel, Ronald J. Essig, Mark C. Holliday, W. Malon 

 Scogin, and John F. Witzig. 



The NMFS would appreciate comments on the information presented in this 

 report, as well as suggestions for improvement or changes in the tabular presentation. 

 Please address comments to: U.S. Department of Commerce, NMFS, National Fishery 

 Statistics Program - F/REI, Washington, D.C., 20235. 



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