Transition Plan for Gulf State Recreational Fishing Surveys

The Transition Plan for Gulf State Recreational Fishing Surveys (PDF, 97 pages) outlines a multi-year timeline to support the effective use of Gulf state recreational fishing data in the federal stock assessment and fisheries management process. The plan was re-published in spring 2025 to include an addendum with key status updates. The Transition Plan was prepared by a Gulf of America Subgroup of the MRIP Transition Team in accordance with NOAA Fisheries’ policies for the transition to new recreational fishing survey methods.  

The plan provides a framework for:

• Transitioning to the use of Gulf state recreational fishing data in southeast stock assessments and Gulf Fishery Management Council management processes by 2026
• Making necessary research-informed survey improvements by 2027
• Producing estimates from different Gulf survey designs into the same scale (calibration) and/or producing a composite estimate that integrates the data from all the Gulf surveys by 2027

When fully executed, the plan will:

• Improve our shared understanding of the sources of error affecting all of the region’s recreational data collection programs
• Implement survey improvements to increase the accuracy of and minimize differences between these data collection programs
• Incorporate state data into the federal stock assessment and management process while maintaining a consistent, long-term time series of regional recreational fisheries statistics
• Develop a publicly accessible state survey database to store state survey data, statistical values, and information that explains how state surveys are designed and implemented, and how statistical analyses are performed
• Ensure Regional Offices, Science Centers, and Councils follow a consistent approach in the treatment and evaluation of all available data through their adherence to NOAA Fisheries’ regional framework for determinations of best scientific information available
• Comprehensively address congressional directives related to recreational data collection in the Gulf of America
• Maintain clear and open lines of communication between partners and stakeholders regarding progress toward these goals

More Information:

• About MRIP
• Survey Design Certification and Transition Policies
• Statistical Calibration Overview