Saltwater Recreational Angler Attitudes Survey 2013

NOAA Fisheries implemented a national survey of saltwater recreational anglers beginning in February 2013. The survey was implemented in six regions including the North Atlantic, MidAtlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, West Coast, and Alaska. This report, Volume I, presents the survey results at the national scale only. The survey was developed through a collaborative process that underwent extensive reviews by NOAA Fisheries’ economists, NOAA Fisheries’ regional recreational coordinators and by key recreational fishing stakeholder groups. The survey was also tested with four focus groups. Following these reviews and testing, the survey was approved for an information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Surveys were administered using a mail survey and followed the Modified Dillman Method (Dillman 2007). Overall, a total of 33,673 anglers were recruited for the survey; just over 27% (9,200) returned a completed survey. Response rates were highest in the North Atlantic region (38.3%) and lowest in the Gulf of Mexico (21.1%). On average, respondents have participated in recreational saltwater fishing for 28 years, and fished 25 days during the last year. The majority of the respondents fish from a private boat within three miles of shore; however, most trips were taken from a shore mode, including beaches, piers or bridges. The vast majority of respondents stated that they would not decrease their number of fishing trips in the following year. For the majority of those who would reduce their trips, it would be for financial reasons. Anglers responding to the survey usually used friends and family as sources of information about fishing. Spending time with family friends is an important part of a fishing trip, but catching fish and fishing in uncongested areas are also important to anglers. Anglers who anticipated they would fish less in the coming year did not primarily identify fishing regulations as the cause, but rather most frequently cited financial considerations and lack of leisure time as the likely causes of decreased fishing trips. Broadly, anglers think that the most important recreational fisheries management objectives should be: providing high quality fishing opportunities for future generations, providing different types of fish, and providing large quantities of fish. Anglers also want federal and state agencies to have consistent and simple regulations. While providing substantial numbers of fish to catch and providing species diversity were rated as important for most anglers, only about half of the respondents were satisfied with how recreational fisheries management addresses these issues. The most important management strategies that recreational fisheries should focus upon are: providing enough fish for recreational fishermen, incorporating stakeholder interests in the policy process, and monitoring and enforcing recreational fishing regulations. When designing specific management regulations, anglers tended to prefer management measures such as restoring habitat, establishing minimum size limits, and providing artificial habitat.

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