U.S. MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES 



25 



The Atlantic and Gulf coasts accounted for over 90 

 percent of ttie total U.S. marine recreational finfish 

 catch by number and for 88 percent of the fishing trips. 



The private/rental boat mode accounted for 

 57 percent of the total U.S. marine recreational finfish 

 catch by number while shore and party /charter modes 

 made up 29 and 14 percent, respectively. 



Atlantic and Gulf . Commonly caught species in 1993 

 were herrings (primarily used for bait), spotted seatrout, 

 summer flounder, Atlantic croaker, spot, pinfish, and 

 blacl< sea bass. Top-ranked non-bait species by 

 subreglon were scup in the North Atlantic, summer 

 flounder In tine MId-Atiantic, spot In the South Atiantic, 

 and spotted seatrout in ttie Gulf of Mexico. By 

 subreglon tine Gulf of Mexico accounted for the 

 highest numbers of fish caught (51%) followed by the 

 Mid-Atlantic (27%). 



Approximately one-third of \he recreational 

 fishing trips were made in Vne Gulf of Mexico and 

 another one-third in the Soutti Atlantic. The MId- 

 Atiantic and North Atiantic combined made up the 

 final one-tt-iird of the total trips taken. Fifty-six percent 

 of all Atiantic and Gulf trips were made from boat 

 modes while 44 percent were shore based trips. 



The most commonly caught non-bait species 

 In 1993 by mode were spot from shore mode, red 

 snapper from chartertooat mode (South Atiantic and 

 Gulf only), black sea bass from party /charterboat 

 mode (North and Mid- Atiantic subregions only), and 

 spotted seatrout from private/rental boat mode. 

 Private/rental boat trips accounted for 58 percent of all 

 fish caught recreationally on the Atiantic and Gulf 

 coasts. 



Seventeen percent of the total marine 

 recreational catch on ttie Atiantic and Gulf coasts 

 came from the EEZ. The most commonly caught 

 species in federally managed waters were red 

 snapper, black sea bass, Atiantic cod, and bluefish. 



Pacific . Commonly caught species in 1993 were 

 Pacific mackerel, kelp bass, white croaker, blue 

 rockfish, and surf smelt. Top-ranked species by 

 subreglon were Pacific mackerel in Soutinem California, 

 surf smelt In Nortinem California, and black rockfish in 

 Oregon. By subreglon Southern California accounted 

 for ti-ie highest numbers of fish caught (63%) followed 

 by Northern California (33%) and Oregon (4%). 



Sixty-ttnree percent of the Pacific coast 

 recreational fishing ti-ips (excluding Washington and 

 salmon ti-|ps) were made In Southern California . Nearly 

 two-tinirds of all Pacific coast trips were token fi-om boat 

 modes while 35 percent were from the shore. 



The top ranked species in 1993 by mode were 

 surf smelt from the shore mode, kelp bass fi'om the 

 party/chGrtert3oat mode, and Pacific mackerel from 

 Vne private/rental boat mode. Private/rental boat ti-ips 

 accounted for 51 percent of all fish caught 

 recreationally on the Pacific coast. 



Eighteen percent of the total marine 

 recreational catch on the Pacific coast came firom the 

 EEZ. The most commonly caught Pacific coast species 

 in federally managed waters for 1993 were Pacific 

 mackerel, kelp bass, and barred sand bass. Two-tinlrds 

 of ttie Pacific coast marine recreational catch came 

 from the ocean within three miles from shore (state 

 waters). 



ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHING 

 BY SUBREGION AND AREA OF RESIDENCE: 

 ATLANTIC. GULF AND PACIFIC COASTS, JANUARY 1993 - DECEMBER 1993 



Note :--Estimates for the Gulf of Mexico exclude Texas. Pacific coast estimates exclude 

 Washington. "Out of State" subreglon and region totals are over-estimates as one 

 angler can be counted as "Out of State" for more than one state. 



