National Saltwater National Saltwater Angler Registry Angler Registry

ProgramProgram Report for theReport for the

Marine Fisheries Advisory CommitteeMarine Fisheries Advisory Committee

December 18, 2007December 18, 2007

Initiative Governance Structure

Executive Steering Committee

National Saltwater Angler Registry Team

Operations Team

Communications and Education

Team

Design and Analysis

Work Group

Data Management

and Standards

Work Group

For Hire Work Group

HMS Work Group

Executive Steering Executive Steering CommitteeCommittee

Fishery Management CouncilsFishery Management Councils Kitty Simonds (WPFMC)Kitty Simonds (WPFMC) Miguel Rolon (CFMC)Miguel Rolon (CFMC)

Interstate CommissionsInterstate Commissions Vince O’Shea (ASMFC)Vince O’Shea (ASMFC) Larry Simpson (GSMFC)Larry Simpson (GSMFC) Randy Fisher (PSMFC)Randy Fisher (PSMFC)

Federal Advisory CommitteeFederal Advisory Committee Bob Fletcher (MAFAC)Bob Fletcher (MAFAC)

NOAA FisheriesNOAA Fisheries Doug Mecum (NMFS – AKRO)Doug Mecum (NMFS – AKRO) Nancy Thompson (NMFS – NEFSC)Nancy Thompson (NMFS – NEFSC) John Boreman (NMFS – ST, Chair)John Boreman (NMFS – ST, Chair) Tom Gleason (NMFS – MB, Executive Secretary)Tom Gleason (NMFS – MB, Executive Secretary)

Registry Team Registry Team MembersMembersFederalFederal

Gordon Colvin, NOAA Fisheries Service Gordon Colvin, NOAA Fisheries Service (chair)(chair) Ken Richkus, US Fish and Wildlife Service Ken Richkus, US Fish and Wildlife Service

StateState Phil Anderson, Washington DFW Phil Anderson, Washington DFW Erik Barth, Virginia MRC Erik Barth, Virginia MRC George Lapointe, Maine DMRGeorge Lapointe, Maine DMR Ron Regan, Association of Fish and Wildlife AgenciesRon Regan, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Mark Robson, Florida FWCCMark Robson, Florida FWCC Spud Woodward, Georgia CRDSpud Woodward, Georgia CRD Brad Spear, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries CommissionBrad Spear, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Bob Clark, Alaska DFGBob Clark, Alaska DFG

CouncilCouncil Ed Ebisui, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Ed Ebisui, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

ConstituentConstituent Dick Brame, Coastal Conservation AssociationDick Brame, Coastal Conservation Association Jim Donofrio, Recreational Fishing AllianceJim Donofrio, Recreational Fishing Alliance Eric Schwaab, MAFAC Liaison, Maryland DNR Eric Schwaab, MAFAC Liaison, Maryland DNR

Registry and MRII Registry and MRII PrinciplesPrinciples

InclusiveInclusive

CollaborativeCollaborative

TransparentTransparent

Background: Basis of RegistryBackground: Basis of Registry

National Research CouncilNational Research Council Establish “a comprehensive, universal Establish “a comprehensive, universal

sampling frame with national coverage.”sampling frame with national coverage.”

……by creating a “national registration of all by creating a “national registration of all saltwater anglers” or “through new or saltwater anglers” or “through new or existing state saltwater license programs existing state saltwater license programs that would allow no exemptions and that that would allow no exemptions and that would provide appropriate contact would provide appropriate contact information from anglers fishing in all information from anglers fishing in all marine waters, state and federal.” marine waters, state and federal.”

Basis of Registry Basis of Registry (cont.)(cont.)

Magnuson-Stevens ActMagnuson-Stevens Act Federally established national/regional Federally established national/regional

registryregistry Fishing in EEZ or for anadromous Fishing in EEZ or for anadromous

speciesspecies No fee before January 1, 2011No fee before January 1, 2011 Vessels included?Vessels included? Anglers may be exempted based on data Anglers may be exempted based on data

provided by statesprovided by states

Basis of Registry Basis of Registry (cont.)(cont.)

The secretary shall exempt from The secretary shall exempt from registration under the program registration under the program recreational fishermen and charter fishing recreational fishermen and charter fishing vessels licensed, permitted or registered vessels licensed, permitted or registered under the laws of a State under the laws of a State if the if the Secretary determines that information Secretary determines that information from the state program is suitable for from the state program is suitable for the Secretary’s use or is used to assist the Secretary’s use or is used to assist in completing marine recreational in completing marine recreational fisheries statistical surveys,fisheries statistical surveys, or or evaluating the effects of proposed evaluating the effects of proposed conservation and management measures conservation and management measures for marine fisheries.”for marine fisheries.”

REGISTRY TEAM GOALSREGISTRY TEAM GOALS Goal: Build, over time, and maintain a directory that identifies Goal: Build, over time, and maintain a directory that identifies

and supplies mail and telephone contact information for and supplies mail and telephone contact information for marine anglers and for-hire vessels in the United States, and marine anglers and for-hire vessels in the United States, and that is sufficient in conjunction with supplemental data, to that is sufficient in conjunction with supplemental data, to characterize saltwater angling effort as intended by the NRC characterize saltwater angling effort as intended by the NRC Recreational Survey Review Panel and by Congress in the Recreational Survey Review Panel and by Congress in the MSA.MSA. Subgoal: Maximize the use of information collected by Subgoal: Maximize the use of information collected by

states in conjunction with state licenses or registries to states in conjunction with state licenses or registries to populate the directory.populate the directory.

Subgoal: Minimize the time and paperwork required for Subgoal: Minimize the time and paperwork required for anglers to submit information to the directory.anglers to submit information to the directory.

Goal: Enable states, working through regional partnerships, to Goal: Enable states, working through regional partnerships, to collect and submit recreational catch and effort data that collect and submit recreational catch and effort data that conforms to national standards in lieu of submission of angler conforms to national standards in lieu of submission of angler identification information.identification information.

Goal: Achieve a high level of support for, and confidence in, Goal: Achieve a high level of support for, and confidence in, the quality and utility of the data that results from use of the the quality and utility of the data that results from use of the directory from anglers and fisheries professionals.directory from anglers and fisheries professionals.

Registry Team ScheduleRegistry Team Schedule

1.1. Select the Approach for creating the National Select the Approach for creating the National Saltwater Angler Registry and adopt a Saltwater Angler Registry and adopt a Development Plan that incorporates that Approach Development Plan that incorporates that Approach by September 30, 2007. by September 30, 2007.

2.2. Adopt a final rule to implement the program by Adopt a final rule to implement the program by spring, 2008. spring, 2008. Complete Exemption Agreements with qualifying Complete Exemption Agreements with qualifying states by January, 2009. states by January, 2009.

3.3. Establish the process for registering anglers from Establish the process for registering anglers from non-exempted states by December 31, 2008. non-exempted states by December 31, 2008.

4.4. Begin to register anglers and to receive angler Begin to register anglers and to receive angler identification and contact information from identification and contact information from exempted states, and to input that data into a new exempted states, and to input that data into a new national saltwater angler registry data base, by national saltwater angler registry data base, by January, 2009. January, 2009.

Getting to Exempted State Getting to Exempted State StatusStatus

State provides NOAA with a license or State provides NOAA with a license or registry-based frame of anglers and/or for-registry-based frame of anglers and/or for-hire vessels including identification and hire vessels including identification and contact information; contact information;

OROR

State uses registry-based information in a State uses registry-based information in a regional survey accepted by NOAAregional survey accepted by NOAA

--This has come to be known as the Hybrid This has come to be known as the Hybrid ApproachApproach

POTENTIALLY:POTENTIALLY: Youths < 14 to 16Youths < 14 to 16 Seniors > 60 (initially)Seniors > 60 (initially) Fishing on licensed piers or for-hire Fishing on licensed piers or for-hire

vesselsvessels Disabled anglersDisabled anglers Active military while on furloughActive military while on furlough

These are some possible exemptions currently being considered.These are some possible exemptions currently being considered.

What State License What State License Exemptions Will NOAA Exemptions Will NOAA

Accept?Accept?

State License Exemptions State License Exemptions We’re Concerned AboutWe’re Concerned About

Fishing on a licensed private boatFishing on a licensed private boat Fishing from private propertyFishing from private property Shore and public pier fishing Shore and public pier fishing

exemptionsexemptions Exclusion of some marine watersExclusion of some marine waters

Challenges to a Challenges to a Complete Sampling FrameComplete Sampling Frame

Lifetime or long-term licensesLifetime or long-term licenses to retain Exempted State status, states would commit to retain Exempted State status, states would commit

to a time frame to refresh licensees’ datato a time frame to refresh licensees’ data Combination licensesCombination licenses

states would commit to a time frame for earmarking states would commit to a time frame for earmarking saltwater anglerssaltwater anglers

Senior licenseSenior license states would commit to a time frame for recovering ID states would commit to a time frame for recovering ID

and contact info for exempted seniorsand contact info for exempted seniors Data deliveryData delivery

assure state registry data is available and deliverable in assure state registry data is available and deliverable in a usable format within a specified time framea usable format within a specified time frame

Survey-based ExemptionsSurvey-based Exemptions

State survey data is part of a Regional State survey data is part of a Regional survey. Define the regions as: Western survey. Define the regions as: Western Pacific: Alaska; Pacific (i.e. Pacific Pacific: Alaska; Pacific (i.e. Pacific RecFIN); Gulf (i.e. RecFIN SA); RecFIN); Gulf (i.e. RecFIN SA); Caribbean; Atlantic (i.e. ACCSP).Caribbean; Atlantic (i.e. ACCSP).

Surveys utilize angler registry frames.Surveys utilize angler registry frames.

Surveys are determined by NOAA Surveys are determined by NOAA Fisheries to meet national survey design Fisheries to meet national survey design and data collection standardsand data collection standards

State-Federal State-Federal CommunicationsCommunications

Regular progress reports to states; Regular progress reports to states; no surprisesno surprises

We will invite states to participate in We will invite states to participate in outreach and communication actionsoutreach and communication actions

Upon request, Registry and Upon request, Registry and Operations Team will be available to Operations Team will be available to brief state agencies, legislators and brief state agencies, legislators and state marine fishery council state marine fishery council membersmembers

Questions and CommentsQuestions and Comments

Website:Website: http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/mrii/angler_regishttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/mrii/angler_regis

try.htmltry.html Email to Email to cyberfish@noaa.govcyberfish@noaa.gov

Gordon Colvin contact info:Gordon Colvin contact info: 301-713-2367 ext. 175 (office)301-713-2367 ext. 175 (office) 240-357-4524 (cell)240-357-4524 (cell) gordon.colvin@noaa.govgordon.colvin@noaa.gov