Updated August, 2004

Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey

By Bruce Joule, Maine Department of Marine Resources

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The Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS) is a nation-wide program implemented in 1979 by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as a means to establish a reliable database for estimating the impact of recreational fishing on marine resources. This survey is conducted in all U. S. coastal states. The information is used by Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), as well as Federal and State resource agencies to formulate fishery management plans, to evaluate future demands on fish stocks and to predict and evaluate the impact of fishery regulations.

Estimates generated from this survey include the total number of fish caught, released and harvested; the weight of the harvest; total number of angler trips; and number of people participating in marine recreational fishing. In most states the NMFS contracts private individuals to do this survey work. In Maine, the DMR has assumed responsibility for the survey because it was shown that we greatly improved on the accuracy and quantity of the information being collected. Further, the DMR is able to increase the number of angler interviews collected during the season several fold beyond the NMFS requirements for Maine, giving us a significantly improved database that generates more precise estimates.

The DMR's goal is to increase the number of angler interviews collected during the season to a level of approximately 2.5 times the base level required by the NMFS. During the May 1 through October 31, 2003 sampling season, a total of 1,601 anglers were interviewed at various coastal sites from Kittery to Eastport. This number represents an additional 418 interviews above the NMFS base of 1,183 interviews. Specifically, by mode, we interviewed 443 shore anglers, 567 private boat anglers and 591 anglers who fished on charter or headboats.

Of the 1,601 anglers interviewed, 1,066 anglers (67%) had been saltwater fishing in Maine at least once in the twelve months prior to their interview while 764 anglers (48%) had been saltwater fishing in Maine at least once in the two months prior to their interview.

How many people went fishing in Maine?
Approximately 352,357 anglers went saltwater recreational fishing in Maine, of which 185,366 were Maine residents (roughly 15% of the Maine population). For a picture of the 5-year trend in saltwater participation see Figure 1.

Figure 1. Numbers of resident and non-resident saltwater anglers in Maine.

How many fishing trips did these people make?
Anglers made over 904,740 individual fishing trips. For a picture of the 5-year trend in effort, see Figure 2.

Figure 2. Individual saltwater fishing trips in Maine from 1999 to 2003.

Where do the people come from?
People from 35 states and 3 foreign countries were interviewed.

What were anglers fishing for as their primary targeted species?
Striped bass was the primary targeted species for:
60% of shore anglers fished
83% of private boat anglers
75% of charterboat anglers
Atlantic cod was the primary targeted species for 84% of headboat anglers.

What did anglers catch?
Alewife, American shad, Atlantic cod, Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic wolffish, bluefish, blue shark, brown trout, cunner, cusk, goosefish, haddock, longhorn sculpin, pollock, pumpkinseed, redfish, sea raven smallmouth bass, spiny dogfish, striped bass, white hake, white perch, whiting and winter flounder were all reported.

How did this year's catch compare to others?
Striped bass: The total catch (includes harvested and released fish) in 2003 was approximately 878,000 striped bass. Of this total, approximately 56,900 were harvested, which equates to about 6.5% of the total catch. Figures 3 and 4 show yearly total catch and harvest, respectively, from 1999 to 2003. The length frequency distributions of all striped bass measured during the 2002 sampling season are shown in Figure 5. Note that length is measured to the center of the fork and not total length.

Figure 3. Total catch of striped bass in Maine from 1999 to 2003.

Figure 4. Total harvest of striped bass in Maine from 1999 to 2003.

Figure 5. Striped bass length frequency distribution (based on actual measurments).

How does Maine's total catch and harvest stack up to the rest of the New England States? See Figures 6 & 7.

Figure 6. New England States total catch from 2001 to 2003.

Figure 7. New England States harvest from 2001 to 2003.

Mackerel: The total catch in 2003 was approximately 710,000 mackerel of which about 606,000 (88%) were harvested. For comparison see Figure 8 for total catch of Atlantic mackerel from 1999 to 2003.

Figure 8. Total catch of Atlantic mackerel in Maine from 1999 to 2003.

For those of you interested in looking at information on other species or similar information for other states, log on to http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/recreational/index.html. This is really an easy to use informative site!

In addition to standard MRFSS questions, we request economic related information. Our questions include:
What did you spend for today's fishing trip? Include everything related to the trip that is actually paid for only on this day, such as bat fees, gas, tolls, parking, bait and meals.
Is this a day trip or are you away from home for at least one night?
If away from home for at least one night:
How many nights will you be away from home?
How many days will you spend fishing?
Would you have made this trip if you were not planning to fish?

And the survey said:

Average Personal Daily Expenditures by Fishing Mode:
[ ]= number of anglers who answered

SHORE
PRIVATE/RENTAL BOATS

CHARTER BOATS
HEAD BOATS
Maine Residents
$7.75
$12.94
$218.43
$78.79
[240]
[451]
[60]
[78]

Non-Maine Residents on a Day Trip
$14.68
$13.39
$226.05
$81.79
[11]
[19]
[27]
[44]

Non-Maine Residents on an Extended Trip
$8.29
$17.48
$239.54
$85.15
[107]
[49]
[96]
[154]

It should be noted that these daily expenditures include only an individual's expenses for a specific day of fishing. Multiplying the above dollar amounts by the NMFS estimated total trips in Maine for 2003; daily personal expenses combine for a total in excess of $11,300,000!

In addition, even more is spent in Maine for marina or docking fees, boat purchase loans, boat/engine repair, insurance, fishing tackle, overnight accommodations, and other related costs.

Extended Trip From Home (anglers away from home 1 to 30 nights)

SHORE
PRIVATE/RENTAL BOATS

CHARTER BOATS
HEAD BOATS
Number of Anglers Who Responded
97
37
96
145

Average Days Away From Home
6
5
5
5

Average Days Spent Fishing
4
3
2
2

Would Not Have Made Extended Trip if Not Planning to Fish
10%
46%
41%
23%

If during the course of the 2004 fishing season you encounter my staff or myself in the field, please give us a few minutes of your time to answer some questions about your fishing trip. It really is a painless process.

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