Gulf of America For-Hire Data Makes a Difference
January 20, 2025
An infographic of the various for-hire recreational fishing data collection programs along the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). These data are combined with commercial and biological data to inform stock assessments and fisheries management.
When you and your customers participate in recreational fishing surveys, you’re making a vital contribution to the assessment and management of U.S. fish stocks. Recreational catch and effort data collected from recreational anglers and for-hire captains is combined with commercial, biological, and observer data to inform stock assessments and fisheries management decisions that aim to achieve sustainable fisheries and fishing opportunities into the future.
Different data collection programs gather different types of information about for-hire fishing activity. Taken together, these complementary programs provide a more complete picture of for-hire fishing than any single one could.