MRIP Regional Implementation Plan for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species
December 14, 2017
This Regional Implementation Plan informs recreational data collection efforts for tuna, billfish, swordfish, and sharks.
The MRIP Regional Implementation Plan for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (2018) (PDF, 36 pages) informs the Marine Recreational Information Program's work as it relates to tuna, billfish, swordfish, and sharks. It was developed by MRIP's Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Regional Implementation Team, which includes representatives from:
- NOAA Fisheries Office of Sustainable Fisheries
- NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology
- NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center
- Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program
- Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
- North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
It includes an assessment of regional data collection programs and a list of regional implementation priorities to meet recreational data needs.
The Marine Recreational Information Program operates as a state-regional-federal partnership.
- NOAA Fisheries maintains a central role in developing data collection and estimation methods, implementing survey and data standards, publishing recreational data products, and providing our partners with financial and technical support.
- Regional and state partners identify regional information needs, coordinate survey operations and on-site data collection, and participate in quality assurance and quality control.
Atlantic HMS Regional Implementation Priorities
The MRIP Regional Implementation Plan for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (2018) identifies the following priorities:
- Redesign the Large Pelagics Survey.
- Expand the Large Pelagics Survey.
- Include Atlantic HMS for-hire vessels in federal for-hire electronic logbook reporting programs.
- Reduce the reporting burden placed on anglers.
- Develop a method of integrating Atlantic HMS catch and effort data from multiple sources (e.g., the Large Pelagics Survey, Access Point Angler Intercept Survey, Fishing Effort Survey, and Greater Atlantic vessel trip reports).
- Evaluate the combination of catch card harvest reporting programs with tournament landings reporting programs, as well as the expansion of tournament landings reporting programs.
- Improve and expand data collection on recreational shark fisheries.
- Revise the HMS charter/headboat permit category.
- Evaluate opportunities to revise the Large Pelagics Biological Survey.
- Improve HMS recreational data collection in the U.S. Caribbean.
Learn about recreational data collection priorities in other regions across the United States