The Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) has modified its organizational structure to address new priorities. Informed by its strategic plan, the program has shifted from its initial focus on developing, testing, and certifying new survey designs to developing a better understanding of regional needs and priorities, facilitating regional data collection efforts, and actively managing the regional implementation of new and improved survey methods.
Under MRIP’s new organizational structure:
- New Program Management, Survey Operations, and Research and Evaluation Teams have been established.
- The Executive Steering Committee, Communications and Education Team, and Transition Team remain unchanged.
- The Operations, National Saltwater Angler Registry, and Information Management Teams have been retired.
- The seven MRIP Regional Implementation Teams have been added to the organizational structure, and a new Regional Implementation Council has been established to work with MRIP on cross-regional and national issues of concern.
The Program Management Team oversees and ensures the development and execution of MRIP’s Strategic Plan and prepares Annual Implementation Plans and Spend Plans. It also identifies policy and process needs, develops policy advice, and drafts policy and procedural documents. Additionally, the Program Management Team reviews project reports and serves as a liaison to MRIP Regional Implementation Teams.
The Survey Operations Team oversees the administration of and advises the Program Management Team on survey operations to support national recreational fisheries data needs. The Research and Evaluation Team advises other MRIP Teams on topics relevant to survey design and survey statistics.
The MRIP Regional Implementation Teams, which identify regional data needs and prioritize additions and improvements to data collection programs, play a new and key role. Now part of the MRIP organizational structure, these teams will communicate regional needs and priorities directly with MRIP through the Program Management Team. A new Regional Implementation Council consisting of the lead coordinators for the seven Regional Implementation Teams will develop coordinated national advice on a variety of cross-cutting issues.
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