The user acknowledges that preliminary statistics will be revised before being posted as final, and that the direction and magnitude of revisions can not be predicted.
Recreational Fisheries Statistics Queries
NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program maintains a searchable database of its recreational fisheries statistics. Known as the MRIP Query Tool, this database allows users to filter recreational fishing data by time series, geographic area, species, mode, and other characteristics. Public-use datasets and statistical analysis programs are available on our Recreational Fishing Data Downloads page. If the information you need is not available through the MRIP Query Tool or these public-use datasets, you may submit a custom data request. Requests are handled in order of receipt, and will follow the data request policy. To cite data retrieved from our website, please use "Personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division. [Include date of query.]" Questions for the Fisheries Statistics Division may be submitted using this form.
Data Additions and Updates
A complete list of updates to MRIP data, estimates, and queries can be found on our Recreational Fishing Estimate Updates page. To be notified of these updates, subscribe to our email service.
April 2024 Update to the Recreational Fishing Survey and Data Standards: After listening to customer feedback, NOAA Fisheries has decided to reinstate wave-level catch and effort data on our query tool by this April (2024), which coincides with our typical publishing of final estimates. Please note that the cumulative estimates will also remain on the tool. The MRIP team still recommends use of cumulative estimates whenever possible for science and management. At this time, we plan to continue posting estimates with PSE’s over 50. We have added additional flagging features within our query tool to more clearly define an estimate’s precision and if it is supported by MRIP for stock assessment and/or fisheries management use.
On November 6, 2023 the catch snapshot query was updated to provide new fishing year options in addition to the traditional calendar year option. These fishing year options were added to support data users who manage fisheries that don’t align with the calendar year, reducing the need to produce custom catch estimates.
On October 31, 2023 the directed trip query was updated to provide new fishing year options in addition to the traditional calendar year option. These fishing year options were added to support data users who manage fisheries that don’t align with the calendar year, reducing the need to produce custom directed trip estimates.
As of the most recent updates:
- Preliminary estimates are available through wave 6, 2023 for the Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii. Beginning in 2023, Hawaii estimates are now produced using the certified MRIP APAIS design and weighted estimation methods. Prior to 2023, estimates in Hawaii were produced using the NOAA Fisheries' Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Surveys, which MRIP replaced.
- Final estimates are available through 2022 for the Atlantic Coast, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii. Final estimates for Puerto Rico are available through wave 4, 2017.
- Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Catch Card data is available through 2020.
Data Use Considerations
To interpret recreational fisheries statistics, data users must consider their precision, comparability across time, and the availability of weight measurements. Data users should also be aware of the potential for revisions to estimates that have already been published. More information about data use considerations can be found on our Introduction to MRIP Data page.
Guidance for Data Users
Fisheries analysts and stock assessors are encouraged to download the MRIP Data User Handbook for detailed information about downloading, exporting, querying, and performing custom analyses of our recreational fishing data.
- Section 4.2 contains a list of the queries we offer and the functions performed by each one.
- Section 4.3 includes step-by-step instructions for running common queries.
- Section 2.4 defines common MRIP Query Tool terms. These definitions can also be found in our online Recreational Fishing Data Glossary.
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