Today Jersey Coast Anglers Association received a copy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Fisheries Service Report to Congress on the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). This discusses and reports the new way NOAA's Fisheries Service is counting and reporting marine recreational catch and effort.

In the letter that accompanied the report, the author includes: “NOAA states that it is a customer-driven initiative that will not only produce better estimates, but will do so through a process grounded in the principles of transparency, accountability and engagement. MRIP replaces the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey, or MRFSS, which has been in place since the 1970s. MRIP is designed to meet two critical needs: 1) Provide the detailed, timely, scientifically sound estimates that fisheries managers, stock assessors and marine scientists need to ensure the sustainability of ocean resources; and 2) Address head-on stakeholder concerns about the reliability and credibility of recreational fishing catch and effort estimates. In early 2011, you can expect to see the use of data from the National Saltwater Anger Register in recreational fishing studies, and a major re-estimation of MRFSS estimates based on the new MRIP method for counting and reporting catch and effort.”

The recreational community has long awaited a system that will better report the recreational landings and in a timely manner. The entire report will be posted on the JCAA webpage. JCAA will be reviewing the report in depth and responding to the information. You can share any comments or concerns by emailing me at tfote@jcaa.org.