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
Recent Updates
For a full list of updates, please see our Estimate Updates page.
December 15, 2020
The following estimates from the Marine Recreational Information Program are now available for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and Hawaii:- PRELIMINARY Effort estimates for Wave 5, 2020
- Updated PRELIMINARY Effort estimates for Wave 4, 2020
Click here to access effort estimates for Waves 1-5, 2020
Shore, private boat, and for-hire fishing effort estimates for Waves 4 and 5, 2020, were produced using the standard methodology, and are presented at the region, state, and mode level. These estimates reflect data collected through the Fishing Effort Survey and the For-Hire Survey, as well as limited data collected through the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS). (While our state partners have resumed shore, private boat, and charter boat sampling, at-sea headboat sampling remains suspended, and safety protocols continue to impact field interviewers’ ability to intercept anglers at high-activity sites and weigh and measure individual fish. Information from the intercept survey is used to account for off-frame fishing effort and area fished.)
Preliminary Waves 2 through 5 effort estimates are not accessible through the MRIP Query Tool, and are expected to change before they are published as final. At this time, Waves 2 through 5, 2020, catch estimates; area fished effort estimates; and trip-level, catch-level, and fish-level length and weight data provided in our public-use survey datasets are not available.
NOAA Fisheries continues to evaluate its options for alternative approaches to catch estimation. Given the extent of current data gaps and the expectation that COVID-19 will continue to impact sampling over the course of the year, the Marine Recreational Information Program will not publish any preliminary catch estimates for Waves 2-6 (March-December) 2020. Instead, staff and consultants will review the catch data our partners are able to collect in 2020 as a whole before selecting an estimation approach and publishing final catch estimates currently scheduled for April 2021, in accordance with our standard publication schedule. At this time, it is not known whether wave-level catch estimates will be available alongside annual catch estimates. Furthermore, any catch estimates we are able to produce may need to be revisited and revised once we are able to return to normal sampling and obtain more complete data.
This unforeseen challenge to recreational fishing data collection is being evaluated by fisheries managers to determine the best way to address in-season Accountability Measures and/or determine what management measures to put in place for 2021.
We will continue to publish preliminary shore, private boat, and for-hire effort estimates on a wave-by-wave basis.
October 19, 2020
Shore, private boat, and for-hire fishing effort estimates for Waves 3 and 4, 2020, were produced using the standard methodology, and are presented at the region, state, and mode level.
For Waves 2, 3, and updated Wave 4, 2020, estimates, see December 15 update.
August 27, 2020
Shore, private boat, and for-hire fishing effort estimates for Waves 2 and 3, 2020, were produced using the standard methodology, and are presented at the region, state, and mode level.
For Wave 2 and updated Wave 3, 2020, estimates, see October 19 update.
July 28, 2020
A new fishing type query option was added to all queries with a type of fishing selection. The new option combines Shore and Private/Rental Boat estimates.
June 29, 2020
Shore, private boat, and for-hire fishing effort estimates for Wave 2, 2020, were produced using the standard methodology, and are presented at the region, state, and mode level.
For updated Wave 2, 2020, estimates, see August 27 update.
April 20, 2020
2017 estimates and survey data have been re-posted to account for corrections to sample weights and survey data. Impacted 2017 estimates include:
- Virginia through Maine party/head boat catch estimates
- Alabama waves 1-6 charter boat catch and effort estimates
- Mississippi waves 1-5 charter boat catch and effort estimates
- Virginia wave 6 Charter boat catch and effort estimates
- Variance estimates for East Florida charter boat wave 6 and New Hampshire charter boat wave 5
For a full list of updates, please see our Estimate Updates page.
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Data Additions and Updates
- Preliminary estimates are available for 2020 through wave 5 for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.
- Final estimates are available through 2019 for the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.
- Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Catch Card data is available through 2019.
Please direct questions to the Fisheries Statistics Division at st1rec@noaa.gov.
Usage
The data from these queries is used by state, regional and federal fisheries scientists and managers to maintain healthy and sustainable fish stocks. To properly interpret this information, it is important to consider the following key points:
- The percent standard error, or PSE, is a measure of precision presented with all estimates. Estimates should be viewed with increasing caution as PSEs increase beyond 30. Large PSEs – those above 50 – indicate high variability around the estimate and therefore low precision. Estimates with large PSEs should be viewed cautiously.
- When comparing catch estimates across an extended time series, note differences in sampling coverage through the years. Some estimates may not be comparable over long time series.
- Weight estimates are minimums and may not reflect the actual total weight landed or harvested. Tabular output provides the number of fish that are not represented by the weight estimate.
Changes may occur between preliminary and final estimates. Please review the Limitations and other sections on the Using the Data page for more information.
For other import tips on using MRIP data please see the Glossary.
If you want to cite a reference for data retrieved from our website, use "Personal communication from the National Marine Fisheries Service, Fisheries Statistics Division. [include date of query]"