Charter Vessel/Commercial Hook & Line

one contact:: Melanie Lane, Christine Johnson or Mike Buchanan at (228) 374-5000

What is the Mississippi Fisheries Recovery Report Program?

The Mississippi Fisheries Recovery Report (FRR) Program is designed to collect trip information on bycatch and area fished from the charter boat industry. Bycatch is an important component in fishing mortality in many fisheries. Currently little information is available for the length distribution of bycatch species and area fished within the charter boat industry. Additionally, information obtained on area fished will include pressure and utilization of Mississippi's artificial reefs. Our understanding of where you fish and what you catch will help us better understand and design our artificial reef program to suit the public's needs. Your help in gathering this data will also help in understanding our local fishery resources and their recovery.

When are fisheries recovery reports due?

Fisheries recovery reports (FRR's) are due by the 10th of the month for the preceding month. Fisheries recovery reports can be sent as often as you like as long as all the reports generated in a month are sent to the MS Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) by the 10th of the following month.

Where are completed fisheries recovery reports sent?

Please send your reports to Attn: FRR Coordinator at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

Attn: FRR Coordinator

1141 Bayview Ave

Biloxi, MS 39530

Phone contact:: Melanie Lane, Christine Johnson or Mike Buchanan at (228) 374-5000

Obtaining trip tickets.

The MDMR will provide all forms. Obtaining report forms is the responsibility of the charter boat owner or captain OR commercial hook & line fisherman.

To obtain report forms call the MDMR Office of Fisheries, Finfish Division at (228) 374-5000 during regular working hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.).

Confidentiality and Reporting Requirement

The information provided on FRR is protected under state confidentiality Ordinance 9.003.

Section 1. CONFIDENTIALITY: All data collected or otherwise obtained by statistical personnel in the course of their duties and other landings data collected by information confidentiality officers of the Department of Marine Resources are confidential, and unless specific authorization is given are not to be divulged, except in aggregate form, to any person except employees of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources designated as information confidentiality officers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS), or agencies of other states that have executed a memorandum of understanding for the sharing of statistical information with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the NMFS; whose duties require this information, and have provisions at least as protective for maintaining the confidentiality of such information, except as permitted by law or court order.

Information confidentiality officers for the Department of Marine Resources shall be designated as such in writing by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Executive Director. Aggregate form, with respect to data, shall mean data or information submitted by three or more persons that have been summed or assembled in such a manner so as not to reveal, directly or indirectly, the identity or business of any such person. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will not voluntarily release confidential information to other state or federal agencies, except as provided for above, and to the fullest extent possible, will oppose other agency and congressional subpoenas to obtain confidential information. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will not disclose confidential statistics under court order without specific approval by the State Attorney General's Office.

Fisheries Recovery Report (FRR) Form

TYPE 600 (CHARTER VESSEL/COMMERCIAL HOOK & LINE FISHERIES RECOVERY REPORT FORM)

Type 600 forms are used to record bycatch and area fished information from charter boat fishing trip. A charter boat fishing trip consists of paying passengers utilizing the vessel for fishing from the time a vessel leaves home port, to the time of its return to home port.

Instructions for filling out form

It is essential that you write legibly and stay within the outlined boxes. Only use CAPITAL LETTERS and use blue or black ink. Press firmly so the information can be read on the last page

Do not scratch out or write over information If a mistake is made mark an "X" in the VOID block and complete the next line or fill out a new recovery report form.

TYPE 600 FORM (SINGLE TRIP)

This form is designed to accommodate a single trip on a form.

TICKET NO. (PREPRINTED)

The "TICKET NO." is a sequential number that is preprinted on each form.

CONTINUATION TICKET NO. (REQUIRED IF MULTIPLE FORMS USED)

The "CONTINUATION TICKET NO." box is used only if multiple forms are needed to document a trip. If multiple forms are needed, enter the ticket number of the FIRST form used for that trip in this box.

CAPTAIN'S NAME (REQUIRED)

Print The "CAPTAIN'S NAME" on the line provided.

CHARTER BOAT LICENSE NUMBER (REQUIRED)

The "CHARTER BOAT LICENSE NUMBER" box is the charter boat license number, and must be filled in to ensure the information catch is properly assigned to the correct vessel.

TRIP START DATE (REQUIRED)

The month, day and year that the trip began.

VESSEL NAME (REQUIRED)

Print the vessel name on this line.

TOTAL ANGLERS (REQUIRED)

Total number of people fishing on the trip.

FISHING TIME (REQUIRED)

Fishing time is the amount of time in whole hours for the time the gear was in the water.

PRIMARY AREA FISHED (REQUIRED)

The "PRIMARY AREA FISHED" is the area where the majority of the fishing took place. REFER TO THE MAPS PROVIDED BY THE MDMR TO FILL IN THIS BOX.

REEF SITE (REQUIRED)

If fishing on a "REEF SITE", place the code for the site in the boxes provided. REFER TO THE MAPS PROVIDED BY THE MDMR TO FILL IN THESE BOXES.

HOURS FISHED (REQUIRED)

Hours Fished is the amount of time in whole hours fished on a particular reef site.

VOID (REQUIRED IF RECORD IS VOIDED)

Put an "X" in this box if you made an error in filling out that record, and correctly fill out the record on the next line. Do not attempt to write over any errors.

SPECIES (REQUIRED)

Write in the species being released.

SPECIES CODE (REQUIRED)

The species code refers to the species being released. REFER TO THE LIST OF SPECIES CODES TO FILL IN THIS BOX.

NUMBER RELEASED ALIVE (REQUIRED)

For an individual species record total number released alive.

NUMBER RELEASED DEAD (REQUIRED)

For an individual species record total number released dead.

RELEASED FISH LENGTHS

For an individual species, record if possible, a minimum of ten midline lengths (Tip of snout to middle of tail) for released fish.

REFER TO PAGE 16 FOR EXAMPLE