THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Ocean Studies Board
Committee on the Review of the Marine Recreational Information Program
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Congressional Briefing
Fri, Mar 16, 2018
1327 Longworth House Office Bldg. -- 3:30 p.m.
on
Review of the Marine Recreational Information Program
This report, from the National Academies, assesses progress in updating marine recreational fisheries data collection through the Marine Recreational Information Program, referencing the recommendations in the 2006 Academies’ report, Review of Recreational Fisheries Survey Methods.
After spending nearly a decade addressing the recommendations in the 2006 report, The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requested another evaluation of its modified survey program, MRIP. This report, the result of that evaluation, serves as a 10-year progress report, evaluating how well and to what extent NMFS has addressed the 2006 recommendations. The committee met on four occasions, in Washington, D.C.; Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Irvine, California. At each meeting, the committee heard from state and federal employees as well as regional stakeholders. The committee also received written input from stakeholders during the study process. The resulting report recognizes the impressive progress that NMFS has made, including major improvements in the statistical soundness of its survey designs. It also highlights some remaining challenges, and provides recommendations for addressing them. This report principally focuses on the Fishing Effort Survey (FES) and the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey (APAIS) that form the backbone of MRIP, but recognizes the role that other survey programs play in MRIP and discusses them as they relate to coordination, certification, continuity, and other important aspects of MRIP.
This briefing was for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on January 10, 2017 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.