NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) draws on more than 25 programs and state, regional and federal partners to estimate recreational catch in U.S. waters. Those estimates, alongside commercial and biological data, help inform quotas and fishing rules.
MRIP samples fishing activity rather than counting every catch. Its surveys use interviews at marinas and beaches, telephone and mail questionnaires, and digital reports. Estimates combine average catch per trip with the number of trips, using statistical methods to account for differences among fishing locations and participants.
NOAA’s Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive aims to improve trust and accuracy, with workshops starting in 2026. New surveys must pass peer review, and transition plans aim to calibrate new results against historical estimates. An open-access tool lets users explore fisheries statistics by location, species and time.
