MRIP Projects

Test improved methods for gathering data through shoreside sampling of angler catch. Objective: Respond to a chief NRC concern by reducing potential biases in how catch data are collected.

This project is designing and testing a modified creel survey and a mail survey to assess fishing effort on Oahu. The new methods will be conducted simultaneously with the current methods to assess accuracy and efficiency. Objective: The objectives of the project are to 1) pilot test the feasibility of the proposed alternative shoreline survey methods and 2) compare pilot data to data collected concurrently from regular HMRFS survey methods.

This project is developing an electronic application which will allow private recreational anglers fishing for red snapper to report their harvest easily and conveniently. This application could provide important information about this rare-event fishery, which is difficult to sample through a general angler intercept survey. In addition to providing a reporting mechanism, the project will develop procedures to validate self-reported information and monitor reporting compliance. Objective: The objectives are to 1) Develop outreach materials to inform anglers of how to report harvest and materials for license sales outlets to register for vessel endorsement, 2) Develop software for a smartphone/tablet application (“app”), an online reporting system, and/or a telephone hotline with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for angler reporting, 3) Develop field validation protocols and procedures to determine appropriate under- and over-reporting adjustment factors, and 4) Develop computing and data processing methods which minimize time needed to generate adjusted landings totals.

This project proposes to attempt to establish standards for PSE in recreational data collection that are applicable to the various different management needs of state and federal stakeholders, and to extend the earlier discussion of management uncertainty. Objective: The goal of this project is to evaluate the effects of uncertainty in recreational harvest estimates on the assessment process, and how these effects depend on the relative size of the recreational harvest for a stock.

This project will assess the potential for bias resulting from measurement error in the newly implemented, for benchmarking purposes, mail-based Fishing Effort Survey as well as assess the impact of one month reference waves on the precision and timeliness of recreational fishing effort estimates. Objective: The objectives of this project are to 1) Assess the potential for bias resulting from measurement error in the MRIP Fishing Effort Survey and 2) Assess the impact of one month reference waves on the precision and timeliness of recreational fishing effort estimates.