via BaltimoreSun.com
When President Bush signed an executive order in St. Michaels recently making it federal policy to conserve striped bass for the recreational, economic and environmental benefit of present and future generations, his action recognized the importance of recreational fishing to conservation and called for a change in how policymakers value our fisheries. Maryland's elected officials and professionals at the Department of Natural Resources would be wise to consider the benefits of prohibiting the sale of striped bass by designating the state fish a gamefish.
Instead, Maryland officials responded to the executive order by claiming to have effective management for striped bass. This knee-jerk reaction to protect the commercial fishing industry at all costs has a sad legacy in the mismanagement of striped bass, yellow perch, shad, sturgeon, crabs and oysters. It's time to accept that managing recreationally important finfish as a commodity no longer serves the public interest and comes at great social, environmental and economic expense.
Ten years ago, anglers of average skill commonly caught fish 25 inches or longer. Now they struggle to find the legal limit of two fish over 18 inches. This has arguably contributed to the precipitous decline in the sale of Chesapeake Bay fishing licenses and the reported troubles facing Maryland's charter boat industry. Between 2001 and 2006, the sale of Bay Sport fishing licenses declined by 39 percent - a loss of more than 86,000 anglers.
Consider the economic costs. According to a recent study by Southwick Associates, specialists in fish and wildlife economics, striped bass angling in Maryland is worth more than $640 million annually to the state's economy and supports more than 7,000 jobs. The decline in saltwater angling over the past six years has had immense costs to Maryland in jobs; income taxes; boat, tackle, bait and fuel sales; and sales taxes. Supporting businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, also have been affected.
The DNR's Fisheries Service has paid dearly too. The decline in license sales costs DNR almost $700,000 annually compared with 2001. Suffering from budget cuts that have left it underfunded and understaffed, and with no help in sight from a cash-strapped state, one would think DNR might reconsider its claim that its management of the most popular sport fish in Maryland is effective.
Other reactions to the president's initiative - that restoring water quality and habitat are more important, or that gamefish status for striped bass only changes who gets to catch them - demonstrate a lack of appreciation for America's sportsmen and women and their history as stewards of the environment. As overfishing depletes our oceans and bays, fewer recreational anglers experience our natural resources firsthand. The loss of saltwater anglers in Maryland means fewer citizens have a reason to care about dissolved oxygen, diseased fish, bay grasses, menhaden depletion, the failure of oyster restoration and other environmental factors that damage striped bass populations.
Long after the sale of wild game, waterfowl and freshwater fish such as trout and largemouth bass was outlawed, sportsmen have remained at the forefront of environmental protection. They have done so by supporting restrictions on their own catch, practicing and promoting catch-and-release fishing, and supporting wetlands, forest and waterway protection and restoration.
The nation's demand for striped bass no longer can be satisfied by the natural environment. More than 60 percent of consumers get their striped bass from aquaculture. In light of the availability of an alternative source of striped bass for the marketplace that is more reliable and consistent, the continued commercial catch of striped bass comes with unacceptable social, environmental and economic costs.
Commercial exploitation of waterfowl, wild game and freshwater fish was banned decades ago in recognition that the industrialized catch of wildlife has never proved sustainable. Six Atlantic Coast states and the District of Columbia have recognized that the same holds true for the continued commercial catch of striped bass by declaring the most valuable sport fish in America a gamefish.
Our organization applauds the president for his attention to history and vision, and hopes Maryland officials will display the same courage when it comes to protecting rockfish.
Robert Glenn is executive director of Coastal Conservation Association Maryland, a conservation organization for sport fishermen. His e-mail is info@ccamd.org.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Get ready for fall run of big striped bass, bluefish
via PressOfAtlanticCity
There are more than a few signals that a fall run of heavyweight striped bass and slammer bluefish is about to bust loose.
Several 30-pounders and at least one 40-pound bass have been caught over the past few days, plus Long Beach Island had an attack of bluefish approaching 20 pounds in the surf.
Birds are working over bait fish all along the coastline. Mullet, bunker and herring are on the menu. The fish keeping them company are mostly small-to-medium bluefish.
Except over the weekend when blues weighing between 15 and 19 pounds moved into the surf at Ship Bottom, Beach Haven Terrace and elsewhere on Long Beach Island. The monster blues mostly were taking lures.
That's the third or fourth blitz of big blues on LBI over the past few weeks.
Matt Slobodjian at Jim's Tackle in Cape May reported that there was a striper invasion in the surf at Stone Harbor "as we speak" on Wednesday afternoon.
Plus, some of the pods of bait with birds over them have weakfish lurking underneath the blues.
The message is clear: Make sure to investigate the water under birds because stripers and weakfish might be mixed with the blues.
Striper fans will be excited to know that 40- and 39-pound striped bass were caught on LBI. Josh Falcone at Barnegat Light Bait and Tackle watched as Kevin Wong of Philadelphia hauled a 40-pound, 4-ounce bass up on the beach at Loveladies on Sunday.
That was the heaviest bass listed for the first week of the Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic.
Bob Misak Jr. of Waretown pulled in a 39-pound bass while fishing at Surf City on Monday.
Wreck Inlet north of Brigantine produced a 36½-pound striper for Jimmy Lynn. He was fishing for weakfish with mullet on 12-pound test line, according to Andy Grossman at RipTide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine. Grossman fished with Bob Paxson using live spot to catch stripers on the Atlantic City side of Absecon Inlet. RipTide weighed a 34½-pound bass Wednesday afternoon for Bill Farrell of Williamstown. He, too, was using live spot. Those fish were all caught from boats.
Big kingfish have been reported all along Absecon Island. Kingfish anglers are smacking them from the inlet in Atlantic City to Margate.
One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic weighed in two 2-pound kingfish this week. Richard Coles of Atlantic City took an early lead in the fourth week of the Atlantic County/Atlantic City Surf Fishing Derby with a 2-pound, 17½-inch kingfish. Noel Feliciano at One Stop weighed in another 2-pound king for a Philadelphian not in the contest.
Josh Sheffel of New Gretna caught a 2.02-pound kingfish in the third week of the Derby. Pat Cooke of Brigantine caught an 18.5-pound striper and Rick Daily of Absecon got a 4.5-pound tautog in the third week of the Derby. Gary Rzemyk of Ventnor caught a 7.8-pound weakfish.
The six-week Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic was dominated by bluefish in its first week. Sunday was amazing. The contest had 82 bluefish entries that day. The smallest fish entered was 9 pounds, 2 ounces and the heaviest was 17-2. Saturday's LBI haul was 44 fish.
Saturday's heaviest weighed 18-6 and was caught by Dave Lugo of Lawrenceville. The heaviest blue in the first week of the Classic went to Dennis Stepien of Marlton with a 19-pounder.
Offshore fishing is still hot. One example: Slobodjian was fishing with Tom Swider on the Salty Susan on an overnighter Monday to Tuesday at the east wall of the Wilmington Canyon and got into a variety of big-game fish.
They pulled in a 9-foot swordfish and three others they released, five tuna to 90 pounds, 15 mahi to 15 pounds, plus tilefish and a big ling.
There are more than a few signals that a fall run of heavyweight striped bass and slammer bluefish is about to bust loose.
Several 30-pounders and at least one 40-pound bass have been caught over the past few days, plus Long Beach Island had an attack of bluefish approaching 20 pounds in the surf.
Birds are working over bait fish all along the coastline. Mullet, bunker and herring are on the menu. The fish keeping them company are mostly small-to-medium bluefish.
Except over the weekend when blues weighing between 15 and 19 pounds moved into the surf at Ship Bottom, Beach Haven Terrace and elsewhere on Long Beach Island. The monster blues mostly were taking lures.
That's the third or fourth blitz of big blues on LBI over the past few weeks.
Matt Slobodjian at Jim's Tackle in Cape May reported that there was a striper invasion in the surf at Stone Harbor "as we speak" on Wednesday afternoon.
Plus, some of the pods of bait with birds over them have weakfish lurking underneath the blues.
The message is clear: Make sure to investigate the water under birds because stripers and weakfish might be mixed with the blues.
Striper fans will be excited to know that 40- and 39-pound striped bass were caught on LBI. Josh Falcone at Barnegat Light Bait and Tackle watched as Kevin Wong of Philadelphia hauled a 40-pound, 4-ounce bass up on the beach at Loveladies on Sunday.
That was the heaviest bass listed for the first week of the Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic.
Bob Misak Jr. of Waretown pulled in a 39-pound bass while fishing at Surf City on Monday.
Wreck Inlet north of Brigantine produced a 36½-pound striper for Jimmy Lynn. He was fishing for weakfish with mullet on 12-pound test line, according to Andy Grossman at RipTide Bait and Tackle in Brigantine. Grossman fished with Bob Paxson using live spot to catch stripers on the Atlantic City side of Absecon Inlet. RipTide weighed a 34½-pound bass Wednesday afternoon for Bill Farrell of Williamstown. He, too, was using live spot. Those fish were all caught from boats.
Big kingfish have been reported all along Absecon Island. Kingfish anglers are smacking them from the inlet in Atlantic City to Margate.
One-Stop Bait and Tackle in Atlantic weighed in two 2-pound kingfish this week. Richard Coles of Atlantic City took an early lead in the fourth week of the Atlantic County/Atlantic City Surf Fishing Derby with a 2-pound, 17½-inch kingfish. Noel Feliciano at One Stop weighed in another 2-pound king for a Philadelphian not in the contest.
Josh Sheffel of New Gretna caught a 2.02-pound kingfish in the third week of the Derby. Pat Cooke of Brigantine caught an 18.5-pound striper and Rick Daily of Absecon got a 4.5-pound tautog in the third week of the Derby. Gary Rzemyk of Ventnor caught a 7.8-pound weakfish.
The six-week Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic was dominated by bluefish in its first week. Sunday was amazing. The contest had 82 bluefish entries that day. The smallest fish entered was 9 pounds, 2 ounces and the heaviest was 17-2. Saturday's LBI haul was 44 fish.
Saturday's heaviest weighed 18-6 and was caught by Dave Lugo of Lawrenceville. The heaviest blue in the first week of the Classic went to Dennis Stepien of Marlton with a 19-pounder.
Offshore fishing is still hot. One example: Slobodjian was fishing with Tom Swider on the Salty Susan on an overnighter Monday to Tuesday at the east wall of the Wilmington Canyon and got into a variety of big-game fish.
They pulled in a 9-foot swordfish and three others they released, five tuna to 90 pounds, 15 mahi to 15 pounds, plus tilefish and a big ling.
Fishermen at odds over tighter bass regulations
via Newsday
Long Island's commercial and recreational fishermen are divided over a recent presidential order directing federal agencies to prohibit the sale of striped bass caught in offshore waters. The rift is expected to generate debate this week at a meeting of Atlantic state fisheries managers.
Commercial fisherman say the executive order is redundant -- an existing moratorium already bans the harvest or possession of striped bass in federal waters. And they chafe at the part of President George W. Bush's order that urged states to consider making striped bass a gamefish in coastal waters, a move that would put them off limits to commercial fishermen.
Sportfishing groups pushed for the order. They say the added layer of federal protection will help ensure the full recovery of striped bass, which suffered dramatic population declines in the past.
"The idea is to keep the species healthy, and take away elements that might endanger it in the future," said Charles Witek, state chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association of New York, a nonprofit group of saltwater recreational anglers.
Despite their anxiety, New York commercial fishermen won't be affected by the order in the short term. "We have no plans right now to end our commercial fishery," said Steve Heins of the state Department of Environmental Conservation's bureau of marine resources. "The stocks right now are in very good shape."
The other fish Bush named in the order, red drum, is more prevalent in Southern waters.
Prized for their size and their firm, mild flesh, striped bass have bounced back remarkably from their low point in 1982. Back then, scientists estimated there were only 5 million left in Atlantic waters. Now there are as many as 65 million: they are no longer considered overfished.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages marine fisheries in near-shore waters from Maine to Florida, placed strict limits on the harvest of striped bass in the mid-1980s. A 1990 federal moratorium followed, banning commercial and recreational fishing of striped bass in federal waters -- 3 to 200 miles offshore.
"If and when those prohibitions are removed, the executive order would ensure that striped bass and red drum remain reserved for recreational catch as a conservation measure," Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said at an Oct. 19 press briefing.
About 60 percent of the striped bass sold in the United States comes from fish farms, with the other 40 percent caught wild, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Arnold Leo, a commercial fisheries consultant to the Town of East Hampton and a member of the commission's striped bass advisory panel, said he expected the issue to come up at today's meeting of the commission's striped bass management board.
Leo called the president's order "a completely unjustifiable reallocation of a public resource to one user group."
Commercial fishermen are restricted to a quota based on historic landings, while recreational anglers face a limit on the number and length of fish they catch each day. In times when striped bass are abundant, that means recreational anglers can conceivably catch far more fish than commercial boats.
"We're stuck with like one fifth of what the recreational guys have," Leo said.
Long Island's commercial and recreational fishermen are divided over a recent presidential order directing federal agencies to prohibit the sale of striped bass caught in offshore waters. The rift is expected to generate debate this week at a meeting of Atlantic state fisheries managers.
Commercial fisherman say the executive order is redundant -- an existing moratorium already bans the harvest or possession of striped bass in federal waters. And they chafe at the part of President George W. Bush's order that urged states to consider making striped bass a gamefish in coastal waters, a move that would put them off limits to commercial fishermen.
Sportfishing groups pushed for the order. They say the added layer of federal protection will help ensure the full recovery of striped bass, which suffered dramatic population declines in the past.
"The idea is to keep the species healthy, and take away elements that might endanger it in the future," said Charles Witek, state chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association of New York, a nonprofit group of saltwater recreational anglers.
Despite their anxiety, New York commercial fishermen won't be affected by the order in the short term. "We have no plans right now to end our commercial fishery," said Steve Heins of the state Department of Environmental Conservation's bureau of marine resources. "The stocks right now are in very good shape."
The other fish Bush named in the order, red drum, is more prevalent in Southern waters.
Prized for their size and their firm, mild flesh, striped bass have bounced back remarkably from their low point in 1982. Back then, scientists estimated there were only 5 million left in Atlantic waters. Now there are as many as 65 million: they are no longer considered overfished.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which manages marine fisheries in near-shore waters from Maine to Florida, placed strict limits on the harvest of striped bass in the mid-1980s. A 1990 federal moratorium followed, banning commercial and recreational fishing of striped bass in federal waters -- 3 to 200 miles offshore.
"If and when those prohibitions are removed, the executive order would ensure that striped bass and red drum remain reserved for recreational catch as a conservation measure," Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said at an Oct. 19 press briefing.
About 60 percent of the striped bass sold in the United States comes from fish farms, with the other 40 percent caught wild, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Arnold Leo, a commercial fisheries consultant to the Town of East Hampton and a member of the commission's striped bass advisory panel, said he expected the issue to come up at today's meeting of the commission's striped bass management board.
Leo called the president's order "a completely unjustifiable reallocation of a public resource to one user group."
Commercial fishermen are restricted to a quota based on historic landings, while recreational anglers face a limit on the number and length of fish they catch each day. In times when striped bass are abundant, that means recreational anglers can conceivably catch far more fish than commercial boats.
"We're stuck with like one fifth of what the recreational guys have," Leo said.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Tarpon run yields bonanza around Interstate 75 bridges
via Herald Tribune
Brian Pollice of Detroit and Steve Miggs of Atlanta probably didn't have a clue what they were in for when they stepped aboard Chris O'Neill's boat Saturday.
They knew they would be fishing in the dark because O'Neill, who runs Tail Chaser Charter Services, has been on a hot bite at night.
They found tarpon rolling all over the place as they neared the Interstate 75 bridges up the Peace River.
"Tarpon were busting ladyfish and pilchards as far as you could see," said O'Neill, who lives in Englewood. "They were so thick that it looked like Boca Grande Pass during the full moon in June."
Pollice and Miggs landed three fish -- all of which were 100 pounds or more.
In addition, they landed a number of black drum to 53 pounds.
While the night bite was hot, action just after dawn wasn't too shabby, according to O'Neill. Pollice and Miggs landed three more tarpon over the century mark on live shrimp in the Peace River.
Mike Balfe of Venice and James Walsh of New Hampshire fished with O'Neill on Monday. They got out a couple of hours before dawn and landed 12 tarpon to 50 pounds and five black drum from 35 to 57 pounds on hand-picked shrimp.
After dawn, they caught redfish to nearly 10 pounds on shrimp around mangroves in Bull Bay.
The bite in the inshore Gulf of Mexico has also been hot.
Robert Lugiewicz of Fishin' Frank's in Charlotte Harbor said kingfish, Spanish mackerel, little tunny and a variety of sharks have been cooperating.
"You can find them from just off the beach out to 2 miles from Captiva Pass north," said Lugiewicz. "The farther north you go, the better it is."
Guide Robert Moore, who operates out of Fishin' Frank's, took his sons out Saturday and had nonstop action. They caught 12 kingfish to 15 pounds, little tunny to 12 and sharks to 7 feet in length.
Mike Mahan of Castaway Charters out of Fishin' Frank's has also been doing well on kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny, according to Lugiewicz.
Spanish mackerel are starting to move into the harbor.
"Most are just inside Captiva Pass," Lugiewicz said.
Ladyfish and bluefish can be found in schools in the open harbor. When you find them, you will also find tarpon and sharks just underneath.
Tarpon also can be found at night around the U.S. 41 bridges between Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda and at El Jobean.
Angel Torres of Vicious Strikes Charters out of Fishin' Frank's had tarpon tackle, but he did not expect to use it on a snook outing early in the week. However, his clients kept getting manhandled by snook.
So, he went to the heavier tackle and they landed snook to 12 pounds, according to Lugiewicz.
Anglers are the Placida trestle are encountering snook, tarpon, shark, sheepshead, redfish and whiting.
At Jobean, it has been tarpon and a few snook.
Offshore action slowed because of rough seas after Wednesday's cold front.
In fresh water, bass are rated good on shiners and plastic lizards in the North Port canals and around Rotonda. Bluegill are hitting worms around culverts and spill dams.
The accompanying map is designed to help readers find out what fish are hitting where.
1Gulp Shrimp are producing redfish around mullet schools on flats along the west wide of Lemon Bay.
2Kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny are hitting live baits and lures within 2 miles of the beach.
3Spanish mackerel are plentiful in and around the pass.
4Snook, tarpon, shark, sheepshead, redfish and whiting are cooperating at the Placida trestle..
5Redfish, snook and spotted seatrout are available in the backcountry.
6Snook and tarpon are hitting at night.
7Tarpon and snook are the best bets around the 41 bridges.
8Tarpon, snook and black drum are rated good on large live shrimp.
9Redfish and snook are rated good along the east side of the harbor.
10Tarpon, shark, ladyfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel can be found in the open harbor.
Brian Pollice of Detroit and Steve Miggs of Atlanta probably didn't have a clue what they were in for when they stepped aboard Chris O'Neill's boat Saturday.
They knew they would be fishing in the dark because O'Neill, who runs Tail Chaser Charter Services, has been on a hot bite at night.
They found tarpon rolling all over the place as they neared the Interstate 75 bridges up the Peace River.
"Tarpon were busting ladyfish and pilchards as far as you could see," said O'Neill, who lives in Englewood. "They were so thick that it looked like Boca Grande Pass during the full moon in June."
Pollice and Miggs landed three fish -- all of which were 100 pounds or more.
In addition, they landed a number of black drum to 53 pounds.
While the night bite was hot, action just after dawn wasn't too shabby, according to O'Neill. Pollice and Miggs landed three more tarpon over the century mark on live shrimp in the Peace River.
Mike Balfe of Venice and James Walsh of New Hampshire fished with O'Neill on Monday. They got out a couple of hours before dawn and landed 12 tarpon to 50 pounds and five black drum from 35 to 57 pounds on hand-picked shrimp.
After dawn, they caught redfish to nearly 10 pounds on shrimp around mangroves in Bull Bay.
The bite in the inshore Gulf of Mexico has also been hot.
Robert Lugiewicz of Fishin' Frank's in Charlotte Harbor said kingfish, Spanish mackerel, little tunny and a variety of sharks have been cooperating.
"You can find them from just off the beach out to 2 miles from Captiva Pass north," said Lugiewicz. "The farther north you go, the better it is."
Guide Robert Moore, who operates out of Fishin' Frank's, took his sons out Saturday and had nonstop action. They caught 12 kingfish to 15 pounds, little tunny to 12 and sharks to 7 feet in length.
Mike Mahan of Castaway Charters out of Fishin' Frank's has also been doing well on kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny, according to Lugiewicz.
Spanish mackerel are starting to move into the harbor.
"Most are just inside Captiva Pass," Lugiewicz said.
Ladyfish and bluefish can be found in schools in the open harbor. When you find them, you will also find tarpon and sharks just underneath.
Tarpon also can be found at night around the U.S. 41 bridges between Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda and at El Jobean.
Angel Torres of Vicious Strikes Charters out of Fishin' Frank's had tarpon tackle, but he did not expect to use it on a snook outing early in the week. However, his clients kept getting manhandled by snook.
So, he went to the heavier tackle and they landed snook to 12 pounds, according to Lugiewicz.
Anglers are the Placida trestle are encountering snook, tarpon, shark, sheepshead, redfish and whiting.
At Jobean, it has been tarpon and a few snook.
Offshore action slowed because of rough seas after Wednesday's cold front.
In fresh water, bass are rated good on shiners and plastic lizards in the North Port canals and around Rotonda. Bluegill are hitting worms around culverts and spill dams.
The accompanying map is designed to help readers find out what fish are hitting where.
1Gulp Shrimp are producing redfish around mullet schools on flats along the west wide of Lemon Bay.
2Kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny are hitting live baits and lures within 2 miles of the beach.
3Spanish mackerel are plentiful in and around the pass.
4Snook, tarpon, shark, sheepshead, redfish and whiting are cooperating at the Placida trestle..
5Redfish, snook and spotted seatrout are available in the backcountry.
6Snook and tarpon are hitting at night.
7Tarpon and snook are the best bets around the 41 bridges.
8Tarpon, snook and black drum are rated good on large live shrimp.
9Redfish and snook are rated good along the east side of the harbor.
10Tarpon, shark, ladyfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel can be found in the open harbor.
Man Sets New Record With Shark Catch
via ShortNews
Florida: Destin lived up to its nickname of the world's luckiest fishing village Saturday when Adlee Bruner and friends hauled in an 844-pound mako shark while competing in the decades-old Destin Fishing Rodeo, beating the old record by 338 pounds.
The 47-year-old Bruner said "It was tense. I've fished for 40 years. I've never [seen] one that big." It took over an hour to reel in the shark, and another four hours to go the 70 miles back. It was too big for the boat, so they tied it to the side.
Initially out on a charter boat to catch grouper, the shark kept eating fish they were catching. "It was like Jaws," said Capt. Robert Hill. He threw out a two-foot amberine and eventually got it to bite. It still weighed 638 pounds after gutting.
Presidential order gives additional protections for striped bass
via boston.com
Maine U.S. Rep. Tom Allen is applauding a presidential order that gives additional protections to striped bass.
Maine U.S. Rep. Tom Allen is applauding a presidential order that gives additional protections to striped bass.
The order designates striped bass as a game fish, rather than a commercial fish, in federally protected waters and encourages states to do the same in state-regulated waters within three miles of shore.
There is currently a moratorium on striped bass fishing of all types in federal waters, but Allen said President Bush's order should still be a welcome move for sportsmen.
He said there should be a ban on all commercial fishing for striped bass, which were nearly wiped out in the 1980s.
In New England, Allen said Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut currently prohibit commercial fishing for striped bass in state waters, but that Massachusetts and Rhode Island still allow it.New record-keeping will improve saltwater fishing
via Daily Press
The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has established new restrictions on striped bass fishing this fall to protect this magnificent species from being overfished. At a recent hearing on the proposal, several recreational anglers voiced concerns about the data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service that are the basis of this decision and other fisheries decisions.
Recreational fishermen have good reason to want to see data on recreational fishing improve as both state and federal regulators strive to do the best job managing fish for recreational and commercial fishing.
Congress, through the newly reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act of 2006, called on NOAA Fisheries Service to get a more complete picture of recreational fishing and its effect on the marine ecosystem. In cooperation with coastal states, we have done surveys of recreational fishing for 28 years, but the way in which this survey is done has not kept pace with the evolving need for more complete information on fishing practices and fishing results.
The existing angler survey was analyzed by the National Research Council in a recent report. The independent panel of scientists advised NOAA Fisheries to redesign its recreational fishing surveys to create more complete, transparent and usable information.
At the heart of getting better information is creating a national saltwater angler registry. This would be a type of telephone book of all those who fish in federal waters beyond three miles or fish in the waters off states where they are likely to encounter fish such as striped bass, shad and river herring that spawn in fresh water and spend much of their lives in the ocean. The federal registry, to be instituted beginning in 2009, will be the foundation of improved surveys of recreational fishermen and more complete data on recreational fishing.
Currently, there are eight states that have no license for saltwater fishermen. By establishing a license that collects the same contact information required by the federal registry, a state can help NOAA meet Congress' mandate for a national registry by 2009. However, with or without a state license, NOAA has promised Congress it will create the registry over the next year and a half.
Virginia already has a saltwater license, and recreational fishermen have suggested that it would be far better to survey all license-holders than the current survey method that involves random interviews by telephone of people who live in coastal communities. Going directly to fisherman for information about their fishing habits makes sense to us, too. Such an approach will only work if we have a complete listing of who is fishing. That is why NOAA Fisheries is working closely with the state of Virginia and other coastal states to ensure that every saltwater fisherman is counted.
The registry of recreational fishermen, and surveys based on this national telephone book, will help decision-makers gain a far better understanding about how much fishing can be sustained without damaging the ecosystem. High-quality data on anglers' catches and their effort will also allow more timely, fine-scale adjustments to regulations.
Ultimately, this method of collecting data will help all of us who care about the health of ocean fisheries and the sport of fishing.
With better information, NOAA Fisheries and its state partners can conserve healthy marine ecosystems for present and future generations.
Hogarth is the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service.
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