Southeast Region Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Implementation Plan
The plan is built around the policy goals and guiding principles identified in NOAA’s Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy.
NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Region includes federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, the South Atlantic from North Carolina to Florida’s East Coast, and the Caribbean including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is made up of some of the most varied habitats and climates, as well as numerous recreationally important fish species and fishing traditions. The region boasts the largest recreational fishery in the country with more than 40 million fishing trips taken per year. Recreational fishing is not only an important cultural and social activity for individuals, families, and communities, it is a critical economic driver of and contributor to local and regional economies, as well as the national economy.
NOAA Fisheries in the southeast region is composed of the Southeast Regional Office and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. The Southeast Regional Office is made up of multiple divisions whose collective goal is the successful management of fisheries. It manages federal fisheries and conserves and protects protected species and habitat throughout the South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico regions. It also works closely with each of the regional fishery management councils, states, and commissions to apply science-based management approaches to maintain healthy fish stocks important to commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries.
In concert with the the regional office, the Southeast Fisheries Science Center manages multidisciplinary research, data collection, and stock assessment programs to provide scientific information to support national and regional programs of NOAA Fisheries and to respond to the needs of regional fishery management councils, Interstate and International Fishery Commissions, Fishery Development Foundations, government agencies, and the general public. Scientists and specialists at NOAA work continuously to manage fish and fishing as part of the fishery management council process, as mandated by Congress under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, with current and innovative science as well as input from the fishing community. This collective approach has produced a number of increased recreational fishing opportunities in the region.
This plan is designed to complement and support the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy and the Southeast Region’s Strategic Plan, and build on previous Southeast Region recreational fisheries action agendas. It is intended to help guide NOAA Fisheries’ actions pertaining to recreational fisheries in the Southeast Region. This plan will serve as a basic roadmap for action, but is also a living document that can accommodate new challenges and needs as they arise. It is organized around the five policy goals identified in the National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy. These principles allow for transparent understanding of NOAA’s goals and objectives working with the recreational fishing community and help frame the goals of successful fisheries management in the Southeast.
Support, Maintain, and Recover Sustainable Saltwater Recreational and Non-Commercial Fisheries Resources, Including Protected Species, and Healthy Marine and Estuarine Habitats
Improve Recreational Discard Estimates in the Southeast Region
Expand data collection in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to improve discard estimates for recreational fisheries. Supported by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Expand observer coverage in the for-hire fishery
- Develop a pilot panel study for recreational private anglers
These projects support guiding principles 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Metrics for success include increased observer coverage and development of survey methodology to produce more precise discard estimates.
Improve Gulf of Mexico State Recreational Fisheries Data Coordination and Delivery
Analyze gaps in each Gulf state that hinder the timely delivery of quality recreational statistics to the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission for use in fisheries management and develop a plan for implementing solutions to ensure timely data delivery. This action supports guiding principles 3,4, and 5. Metrics of success include gap analysis and plan production.
Support Citizen Science to Enhance Sustainability of Recreationally Important Species
- Partner with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and fishermen to collect information on released shallow water grouper and red snapper via the free mobile app SciFish.
- Collaborate with partners to develop a citizen science approach to collect length data on reef associated species on important recreational dive sites including sentinel sites through the Size Matters: Innovative Length Estimate project.
These projects support guiding principles 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Metrics of success include increased participation in data collection processes by the recreational fishing community.
Support Gulf and South Atlantic Council Consideration of Private Boat/Angler Federal Fishing Permit
Explore the costs, benefits, and challenges associated with establishing private boat/angler federal fishing permits. The project supports guiding principles 1 and 2. Metrics of success include improved collection, validation, and analysis of harvest and discard data for private recreational catch and effort estimates used for fisheries science and management decision-making
Restoration Practitioners Workshop Focused on Robinson Preserve
Engage anglers and restoration practitioners to share knowledge and experience to restore and improve essential fish habitats. The project supports guiding principles 3 and 4. Metrics of success include hosting workshops and delivery of a final report.
Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Saltwater Recreational and Non-Commercial Fishing for the Social, Cultural, and Economic Benefit of the Nation
Promote On-The-Water Practices to Improve Survival of Recreationally Released Fish
Promote and support use of conservation equipment and best practices through participation and support of programs like Return ‘em Right. The action supports guiding principles 3, 4, and 6. Metrics of success include number of anglers participating in Return ‘em Right, distribution of conservation equipment, and improving the science relating to catch and release mortality and identifying trends in best release practices.
Engage Anglers on Aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico
Strengthen communication and coordination with recreational anglers on aquaculture opportunity areas and on pilot and commercial scale aquaculture projects occurring in the Southeast Region, and encourage their participation in the permitting and environmental review processes. This work supports guiding principles 2, 4, and 6. Metrics of success include the number of communications and engagements with the angling community and the receipt of comments from anglers on the programmatic environmental impact statement.
Law Enforcement Education and Outreach
Improve angler awareness and understanding of and compliance with regulations through education and outreach by the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement. The project supports guiding principles 2 and 6. Metrics of success include the number of engagements with the fishing public.
Conduct Law Enforcement Patrols
Conduct enforcement actions and investigations to promote compliance and deter and detect violations relating to recreational fisheries, including illegal charters. The project supports guiding principles 2 and 6. Metrics of success include the number of enforcement actions undertaken.
Enable Enduring Participation In, and Enjoyment Of, Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Through Science-Based Conservation and Management
Great Angler Count
Enumerate offshore anglers using video and other techniques to improve estimates of recreational fishing effort. This project supports guiding principles 3, 4, and 5. Metrics of success include development of improved survey methods and production of effort estimates.
Improve Data Accessibility and Delivery of Recreational Data
Increase accessibility of state-fishery dependent survey data and improve data delivery to enable state recreational data to be processed more quickly for use in science and management. This project will be supported with Inflation Reduction Act funding.
- Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission/GulfFIN develops standardized database structures, quality control measures, and data dissemination methods
- Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissiondevelops IT security, database management, and software for increased query and dissemination capabilities
The project supports guiding principle 4. Metrics of success include a data warehouse that provides data access and uniformity to all data providers and users.
Federal Vessel Permit Registry
Work with council and state partners and across NOAA Fisheries to create a comprehensive vessel registry for all federally permitted vessels in the Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, that obtains and retains data from the three distinct federal permitting systems. The project supports guiding principles 3 and 6. Metrics of success include the formation of working groups and discussion by regional councils and state partners.
Participate in and Support FISHstory
Continue to collaborate with the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission, fishermen, and volunteers across the globe to archive and analyze historic fishing photos through the FISHstory project to help fill important data gaps in for-hire South Atlantic fisheries. This project supports guiding principles 1, 3 and 6. Metrics of success include improving historic indices of stock abundance and size and age composition from the for-hire sector.
Review the Status of Federally Managed Species in the Gulf of Mexico
This project will focus on the current status of species highly sought after by recreational anglers, including recreational sources of directed and bycatch mortality. The project supports guiding principles 1 and 5. Metrics of success include updating the status of key recreational species and the sources of mortality.
Assess the Performance and Efficacy of Recreational Accountability Measures and Recommended Improvements
This project will evaluate management/accountability measures and provide recommendations for improvements. The project supports guiding principles 2, 4, and 5. Metrics of success include to more effectively prevent catch limits from being exceeded and accurately account for overages if they occur.
Evaluate and Consider Harvest Control Rules (i.e., Pre-Agreed Guidelines) for Setting Bag, Size, and Season Limits
This project will evaluate specific ways harvest control rules are used to control fishing mortality or fishing effort, such as with catch limits, size limits, or seasonal restrictions. The project supports guiding principles 2, 4, and 5. Metrics of success would include performance indicators to monitor if the rules are meeting or not meeting their targets, near their limits, or past their limits.
Explore Innovative New Management Strategies
In partnership with the Gulf Council, explore the applicability of regional management, sector separation, a bottom-fish season, and management approaches for reducing discards and discard mortality. This project supports guiding principles 1, 2, 3, and 4. Metrics for success include using adaptive and innovative management strategies that address evolving science, management, social and economic, environmental, and climate-related challenges.
Review Recreational Management Measures
A complete review of recreational management measures, which includes how management measures have changed over time. The project supports guiding principles 2, 3, and 4. Metrics for success include a final report and dissemination of findings.
Address Variability and Uncertainty in Recreational Catch Estimates
These projects will address variability and uncertainty in recreational catch estimates including use of multiple years of data, identification of catch estimates that are the result of low sample sizes or outliers, and statistical recommendations and guidance for how such approaches could be implemented. The project supports guiding principles 4 and 5. Metrics for success include improved estimates for stock assessments and management.
Advance Climate-Ready Policies and Programs to Respond to Climate-Driven Changes and Impacts on Fishery Resources and the Ecosystem
Cooperative Tagging Program
Engage the fishing public in cooperative tagging work to better understand the habitats potential climate-driven changes to the movements and migratory patterns of popular recreational species. The project supports guiding principles 1, 4, and 6. Metrics of success include number of tags distributed, number of engagement events attended, and number of constituents engaged.
Fisheries Information Platform in the Gulf of Mexico
Develop querying capabilities to instantly produce customizable publication-quality maps and data summaries for applications including the wind energy and aquaculture planning process. The project supports guiding principles 1, 2, 3, and 4. Metrics for success include site-specific information for proposed wind energy and aquaculture lease sites.
Pursue and Support Equitable Treatment and Meaningful Involvement of Underserved and Underrepresented Communities in Recreational and Non-Commercial Fisheries and Stewardship
Southeast Equity and Environmental Justice Implementation Plan
Engage recreational anglers and liaisons from underserved communities in the Southeast in developing a regional plan to operationalize NOAA Fisheries’ new national Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy in the U.S. Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic. The project supports guiding principles 2 and 6. Metrics of success include the number of recreational anglers participating in focus groups and the number of Southeast Equity and Environmental Justice Implementation Plan activities designed to support the equitable treatment and meaningful involvement of underserved communities.
Marine Resource Education Program
Support the Caribbean and Southeast Marine Resource Education Programs to enhance public participation in the federal fisheries science and management process. The project supports guiding principles 3 and 6. Metrics of success include the number of workshops hosted and the number of constituent participants.