Test of a Revised Fishing Effort Survey, 2025 Study Report
February 27, 2026
This report presents findings from a year-long NOAA Fisheries study conducted throughout 2024 that tested an experimental design for the Fishing Effort Survey to assess impacts on fishing activity, or effort, estimates.
The experimental design included monthly survey sampling and administration (increased from every two months), a revised questionnaire with reordered fishing activity questions, and a split reference period presented as two individual months. Additionally, it incorporated composite estimation.
Results indicate experimental estimates of total angler trips were consistently lower than the previous FES estimates for both private boat and shore fishing, with mean reductions of 22% and 9%, respectively. This difference was most pronounced during periods of lower fishing activity.
This study provides additional evidence that the pre-2026 FES design was susceptible to overreporting of fishing activity. It also demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of monthly sampling and composite estimation to improve the precision and stability of estimates. This study provides the basis for implementing the improved FES design in 2026.