Saltwater Recreational Data and Statistics Queries
NOAA Fisheries maintains a searchable database of recreational saltwater fishing catch, effort, and participation data and statistics. Different query types are available to best meet your needs.
The queries are developed from common analyses and may answer most of your questions. Users can select desired criteria (e.g., years, states, species) and view results graphically or in tables. Query results can also be downloaded to a CSV file (readable by Excel and other programs).
Be sure to check out our data user FAQ and query video tutorial for information on data and query use and examples of common queries.
Additional data and information are available on our Data Downloads page.
Run a Data Query
Experienced user? Go directly to our query tool.
If you're a new user, or if you haven't used the query tools recently, you may find it helpful to review some background materials:
Once you are ready to query the data, click here.
Data Release Schedule - General
We have an email subscription service to receive notification of updates to MRIP estimates, data, template programs, and queries. To subscribe, please click here.
Preliminary estimates of catch, effort, and participation are available approximately 45 days after the end of a sampling wave.
For details on updates to available data and estimates, please see our Estimate Updates page
| Wave | Sampling Dates | Preliminary Date Available (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January-February | April 15 |
| 2 | March-April | June 15 |
| 3 | May-June | August 15 |
| 4 | July-August | October 15 |
| 5 | September-October | December 15 |
| 6 | November-December | February 15 |
Final estimates are generally posted by April 15 of the following year. Please note, changes may occur between preliminary and final estimates due to quality control checks or changes in U.S. Census data that may impact our calculations.
Data Release Schedule - Specialized Surveys
Preliminary monthly catch and effort estimates from the Large Pelagics Survey (LPS) are available 1 month after the end of each 1-month sampling wave from June to October. Final LPS estimates, along with Highly Migratory Species Catch Card estimates, are available in early January.
Learn more about our surveys and how we’re improving them.
Query Tutorial
Types of Queries
NOAA Fisheries maintains a searchable database of recreational saltwater fishing catch, effort, and participation data. We offer a variety of specialized queries to meet your needs. The list below will help you find the one that is right for you.
Catch and Harvest Data
| Type of Query | Description |
|---|---|
| Snapshot | Summary of count and weight estimates for all species caught, with subgroup totals |
| Time Series | Detailed count and weight estimates for individual species over time |
| MRFSS/MRIP Comparison | Comparison of re-estimated count, weight, and length estimates for 2004-2011 |
| Length Frequencies | Length distribution by species |
| LPS Time Series | Detailed count estimates for individual species covered in the Large Pelagics Survey |
| LPS Length Frequencies | Length distribution of species covered in the Large Pelagics Survey |
| HMS Catch Card | Billfish, swordfish, and bluefin tuna reported landings counts and length distributions (Maryland and North Carolina only) |
Effort or Trip Data
| Type of Query | Description |
|---|---|
| Time Series | Detailed trip estimates over time |
| Directed Trip | Effort for trips that targeted and/or caught a specified species |
| MRFSS/MRIP Comparison | Comparison of re-estimated trip estimates for 2004-2011 |
| LPS Time Series | Detailed estimates of boat trips targeting species covered in the Large Pelagics Survey |
Participation Data
| Type of Query | Description |
|---|---|
| Time Series | Estimate of angler participation over time |
National Summary Data
| Type of Query | Description |
|---|---|
| National Summary | Summary of catch, effort, and participation data from all coastal states |
Data Download
| Type of Query | Description |
|---|---|
| Data Download | Create custom downloads of estimates and survey data |
Don’t see what you’re looking for? We also conduct custom data requests. Please be aware that custom requests can take 6-8 weeks to complete.
