WELCOME TO BILL'S CORNER!

Dear Constituents,

Recreational fishing is the number one outdoor activity in America. An estimated seventeen million people go saltwater sportfishing each year in the United States, making it a socially important activity that is economically critical to coastal communities. Recreational fishing supports numerous industries that strengthen our economy, such as boat manufacturing and retail, marinas, fuel, gear, bait, and tackle. People who travel to our coasts to charter fishing trips support local hotels, restaurants, shops, and other recreational industries. It’s no wonder that recreational fisheries contribute $30 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

The cornerstone of having strong and healthy recreational fisheries is effective management of fishery resources, traditionally accomplished through catch and size limits and seasons. I’m proud of many conservation initiatives on the recreational fisheries front, including the ethical angler program, which promotes catch-and-release and new efforts to use circle hooks, which increase post-release fish survival rates. By and large, our society is comprised of people who feel responsible for ensuring continued sportfishing opportunities for future generations through conservation efforts today.

Effective management relies on quality science. To ensure that our recreational fisheries science is robust and modernized, this month I have asked the National Research Council to conduct a thorough review of the agency’s recreational fishing data collection program. This program collects data through random sample angler surveys, taken over the telephone and through dockside interviews. The surveys provide reliable estimates of catch, but cannot support the real-time data required for in-season quota management.

I am confident that this NRC study will help us identify what changes are necessary to address the needs and expectations of our constituents and fisheries managers. During the 19-month study, the NRC will study important aspects of the program, such as accuracy, timeliness, and adequacy of information for management needs. I have launched this study as part of our newly developed strategic plan for recreational fisheries, working collaboratively with fishery managers who use the data to develop management programs, and sportfishermen, who provide the data and have a right to feel confident in accuracy and appropriateness of the information we collect.

While the NRC study is underway, NOAA Fisheries continues to work on addressing constituent concerns about the existing recreational data program. I have dedicated additional staff and funding to increase our survey sampling size, and we are beginning to host regional constituent forums with anglers and boat captains. During these forums, our regional administrators, regional staff, and members of our recreational survey team will be on-hand to answer any questions you may have about how and why we collect certain data and what we do with it. The goal of these forums is to increase your confidence in the recreational fishing science that supports management decisions.

The first of these meetings will be held in conjunction with the next Gulf Council meeting at the Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City, Florida, at 6:30 on October 12. Please attend this forum and share your ideas and concerns with us, and don’t forget to bring all your questions!

In closing, I’d like to say I was very disappointed in the recent study on impacts of recreational fisheries published in Science Magazine. The study’s conclusion did not add to the existing body of fisheries science or management, and it falsely accused NOAA Fisheries of not understanding that recreational anglers are important constituents. We exhaustively count anglers and monitor their catches. Anglers are subject to a strict set of regulations that are proven to be effective at managing fish populations. To imply that we do not fully account for the impacts of recreational anglers is wrong.

National Research Council

NOAA Fisheries’ Recreational Fisheries Strategic Plan

NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Fisheries Statistics Program

American Sportfishing Association’s Fishing Statistics Page