November 2024 Recreational Fisheries Roundtable Meeting Summary
Part of a series of national public discussions with recreational fishing constituents
NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, and Office of Science and Technology hosted a recreational fisheries roundtable discussion on recreational fisheries off our West Coast on November 15th, 2024, in Costa Mesa, California. The meeting was attended by Pacific Fishery Management Council members, individual private anglers and related associations, guides, charter vessel owners/operators and associations, landing owners, state fish and wildlife agencies (CDFW, ODFW), and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission members. A candid and complex conversation emerged about the challenges and opportunities facing recreational fishing. We appreciate attendees’ time and open discussion.
Themes of the discussion included data and science challenges, communication and collaboration, management strategies, and emerging trends. Feedback was captured during conversation and collected on index cards to ensure that all ideas, thoughts, and concerns could be shared in the time that we had together.
Data and Science Challenges
The main theme for the night was recreational data. NOAA Fisheries provided an initial background on recreational fishing data collection programs on the West Coast followed by an overview of the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) and the collaborative initiative to re-envision the recreational fishing data partnership. Many challenges were raised with regards to data collection. Participants were concerned with the ability of the state agencies to meet sampling goals within funding constraints and budget uncertainties. Participants expressed that additional funding is needed for fisheries-independent and -dependent data collection to ensure quality data that provides a better picture of fish stock health. They also shared the need for better or more specific prioritization of data priorities. Participants mentioned that funding for state data collection programs that typically come from a variety of sources such as the states, NOAA Fisheries, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has remained flat, which can result in a de facto de-funding of these programs. They shared their willingness to help streamline and fill in the data gaps, where possible, through cooperative sampling programs. Ideas were shared like expanding hook and line surveys to the entire West Coast, creating reporting incentives, leveraging tournaments to collect information, and generally providing additional platforms for industry and the public to participate in data collection. It was noted that this could provide better or more fisheries-independent and -dependent data, and should include capturing qualitative data regarding local fisheries experience and knowledge.
Communication and Collaboration
Participants noted the need to improve communication between fisheries scientists/managers and fishermen, between the state and federal resource management agencies, and even internationally, particularly with respect to Mexico. The participants shared a need to know the top science and management priorities and challenges for NOAA Fisheries and the states to begin collaboratively addressing these issues.
The fishing community emphasized the need to bridge the gap between local observations by anglers and results of the larger-scale stock assessments, with stock assessment results not always aligned with what anglers are seeing on the water. They shared that having the fishing community more involved, from the design and implementation of fishery-independent surveys through the stock assessment process, can lead to better results and help mitigate the sense of disconnection and frustration that anglers are feeling over the results of stock assessments.
Partners expressed the need for more communication and collaboration between state and federal entities. Internationally, participants noted the successful rebuilding of Pacific bluefin tuna as a result of cooperation amongst foreign countries. They shared that these relationships, including with Mexico, are important for continued success of our U.S. fisheries and the health of fish stocks found off our West Coast.
Participants also noted that finding historical regulations to reference how fishing access has changed over time is challenging, and that the Recreational Fisheries Information Network (RecFIN) could serve as an accessible place for centralizing that information.
Management Strategies
Hatcheries and sufficient, clean and cold water were emphasized as needs for the salmon fishery to survive and become the robust fishery it once was. The fishing community noted that outdated water policies were a long-term concern, and shared the need to cooperate with farmers. The fishing community also emphasized that disaster relief is a bandaid to the decline of salmon, and hatcheries could serve as an investment to hedge against future fishery disasters and the loss of tackle shops, campgrounds, hotels, and other small businesses that rely significantly on income from that fishery.
The participants noted that the social institution, or culture, of fishing, and in particular, salmon fishing, has eroded. They shared that current management measures can cause repercussions in the number and types of trips that are taken by anglers. When some species become off limits, anglers move onto the next readily available and sought after species, and then the next, in a revolving door of fishing pressure that needs to be accounted for in the decision-making process. Participants also shared that fishing and angling behavior is generally unpredictable, with changes in seasons, areas, and species targeted, weather, expenditures, and other variables impacting participation. They noted a need to maintain diverse fishing opportunities and avoid fishing closures, and described being frustrated by a system where restrictions come quickly, but opportunities seem slow to return.
Emerging Trends and Other Areas of Focus
Participants noted that while fishing participation by females and youth has increased in recent years, participation overall has declined, particularly for entry level anglers; short-term license costs being one possible factor along with the loss of fishing as a social institution. Participants noted concerns with water pollution, including sewage, impacting fish and fisheries, particularly around inshore marine areas. They shared concerns about increasing restrictions, or potential for restrictions, on where fishing can occur, and having to defend themselves from competing ocean uses such as offshore wind or marine protected areas and the consequences associated with concentrating fishing into smaller areas.