MRIP Projects

Since 2008, MRIP has funded survey improvement projects and survey program reviews in all regions of the U.S. and its Territories. Projects span everything from utilizing electronic reporting tools to mail surveys to increasing precision of estimates. On this page, you can find all funded projects since 2008, read project plans, final reports, and monthly updates.

-Evaluation of the Sampling Distribution of Tournament Versus Non-Tournament Trips in the Large Pelagics Survey

Description

Test whether we are correctly sampling highly migratory species tournaments as part of the existing Large Pelagic Intercept Survey. Objective: Identify different approaches for future sampling of highly migratory species tournaments based on the results of a pilot study.

Region: Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2008

Status: Completed

Document(s): Proposal 09MRIP HMS Tournament Report_Work Group FINAL.pdf

-Exploring Differences Between Mail and Telephone Survey Estimates of Fishing Effort: Measurement Error

Description

This project will explore a type of measurement error in the Coastal Household Telephone Survey. We anticipate that this project will result in a better understanding of bias in the CHTS, which will help explain differences between CHTS and FES estimates and contribute to the development of a calibration model that will be used to revise historical MRIP effort and catch estimates. Assessing bias in existing surveys is identified as a Survey Design and Evaluation priority.

Region: Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2016

Status: Ongoing

Document(s): Proposal Monthly Report

-Finalize Design of MRIP Fishing Effort Surveys

Description

Test the effectiveness of a revised effort survey sampling design. Objective: Finalize the design of an improved MRIP fishing effort survey.

Region: Gulf of Mexico, Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2012

Status: Completed

Document(s): Proposal 2012-FES_w_review_and_comments.pdf

-Finding Nemo’s Finder: A new approach to Saltwater Fishing Participation Estimation

Description

Review surveys of different sample populations to determine which provides the best level of precision and accuracy for estimating saltwater fishing participation. Objective: Develop a survey design that accurately estimates how many people fish each year.

Region: Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2012

Status: Ongoing

Document(s): Proposal Monthly Report

-Florida Highly Migratory Species For-Hire Survey Pilot Study

Description

Test weekly field and telephone surveys to better identify for-hire trips that target and/or catch highly migratory species in Florida. Objective: Assess the feasibility of using a specialized survey for monitoring the highly migratory species for-hire fishery in the southeastern United States.

Region: South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2008

Status: Completed

Document(s): Proposal FL HMS Charter Final Report to MRIP OT.pdf

-Florida Highly Migratory Species Private Angler Telephone Survey

Description

Test a telephone survey of anglers who fish for highly migratory species in Florida. Objective: Develop recommendations for future data collection programs to improve the accuracy and precision of highly migratory species recreational fisheries information in the southeastern United States.

Region: Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2008

Status: Completed

Document(s): Proposal 11FL HMS PATS Final Report_Workgroup.pdf

-For-Hire Electronic Census Reporting of Red Snapper Catch Data in Alabama

Description

This project aims to develop and implement a mandatory electronic reporting system, whereby representatives of for-hire vessels licensed in Alabama report catches of red snapper after each trip. The proposed reporting system will require significantly less resources to operate and reduce reporting burden compared to traditional logbook programs. Objective: The objectives are to 1) Advance regulation to require mandatory reporting of red snapper by for-hire vessel representatives when trip has ended, 2) Develop an electronic reporting system for mandatory reporting of red snapper harvest and dead discards by for-hire vessels landing red snapper in Alabama utilizing smartphone, internet, and IVR phone technologies, 3) Conduct outreach to the for-hire fishery to facilitate industry support and encourage compliance with reporting requirements, and 4) Develop field validation protocols and procedures to determine appropriate under- and over-reporting adjustment factors.

Region: Gulf of Mexico

Fiscal Year : 2014

Status: Ongoing

Document(s): Proposal Monthly Report

-For-Hire Electronic Census Reporting of Red Snapper Catch in Alabama (Year 2)

Description

This project will refine the reporting methods and field validation protocols and procedures that were developed in 2014 for a mandatory reporting system for reporting recreational red snapper landings by Alabama for-hire vessels. The project will also validate for-hire vessel trips with red snapper to calculate a non-reporting rate to be used to adjust reported landings and evaluate the potential of the entire reporting system to be used as an in-season quota monitoring tool and compare results from the first year of the program. Objective: The objectives of this project are to 1) Refine the reporting app, the online reporting system, and the IVR telephone hotline used for reporting landings, 2) Refine field validation protocols and procedures to determine appropriate under- and over-reporting adjustment factors, 3) Improve upon computing and data processing methods which minimize time needed to generate adjusted landings totals - the goal is to have adjusted totals calculated within 48 hours of the end of the last reporting unit (day), and 4) Evaluate the potential of the entire reporting system to be used as an in-season quota monitoring tool and compare results from the first year of the program.

Region: Gulf of Mexico

Fiscal Year : 2015

Status: Ongoing

Document(s): Proposal Monthly Report

-For-Hire Programs: Inventory, Certification, and Integration Planning

Description

This project will update the Atlantic coast inventory of for-hire data collection programs. The updated inventory will include clarification of program requirements and data needs to support agency specific objectives, and used as a basis for a workshop to identify opportunities to promote data availability, improve data timeliness, and reduce the reporting burden by integrating the various data collection programs across states. Objective: The objectives are to 1) Update the Atlantic Coast Inventory of For-Hire Data collection programs , 2) Evaluate ongoing for-hire data collection programs, including MRIP and other state and federal administered programs, 3) Identify opportunities to improve timeliness and reduce reporting burden while meeting the goals of catch estimation and agency reporting compliance, and 4) Submit a certification plan (of methods or data collection programs) to integrate the data from various programs into the MRIP estimation process.

Region: Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic

Fiscal Year : 2014

Status: Ongoing

Document(s): Proposal Monthly Report

-Hawaii for-hire pilot study to incorporate validation procedures in the commercial marine license reporting program

Description

Assess the reporting requirements of the Hawaii Commercial Marine License (CML) as the basis of a charter boat reporting program. Test an associated shore-side sampling program to validate information provided as part of the CML reporting requirements. Objective: Describe shore-side sampling design and compliance rates among for-hire captains who report under the Hawaii Commercial Marine License requirements.

Region: Western Pacific Islands

Fiscal Year : 2010

Status: Completed

Document(s): Proposal 12HI_For Hire Validation Report.pdf