Frequently Asked Questions about the Angler Registry
- Who is automatically registered?
- Who needs to register?
- Who’s exempt?
- Is there a fee to register?
- How was the fee determined?
- Where will the money go?
- Why are people being required to register?
- What was the impetus for creating the registry?
- Is the future of saltwater fishing really in doubt?
- Why are recreational fishermen being asked to register? Do they really have that great of an impact on the resource?
- What is meant by “angling” and “spear fishing”?
- Must I register every year?
- What if I have a lifetime license from my state?
- What is the case with temporary licenses?
- How will I prove that I have registered?
- I just decided I want to go fishing today. Can I register and legally fish today?
- What information am I required to provide in order to register?
- Once I register with NOAA, will I still need a state license?
- What is the penalty for not registering?
- I have a current Florida saltwater fishing license (an exempted state), but I often fish in Puerto Rico (a non–exempted state). Do I need to register with NOAA?
- I am a resident of Hawaii (a non–exempted state), but I plan on fishing while vacationing in California (an exempted state). I plan on buying a short–term California saltwater fishing license. Do I need to register with NOAA?
- Is there a registration that covers everyone fishing aboard my boat?
- If I fish only once a year, do I still have to register?
- Will my personal information be shared or sold to outside companies?
1. Who is automatically registered?
Fishermen who have a current and valid saltwater license from any state or territory OTHER THAN Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands are automatically entered into the registry thanks to a cooperative agreement between their state or territorial government and NOAA Fisheries. They do not need to take further action. Anglers are reminded to always follow local regulations in the areas where they are fishing.
Recreational saltwater fishermen are required to register if they are fishing in federal waters, or are targeting – or might catch – anadromous fish, and don’t meet any of the exemptions outlined below.
Recreational fishermen will not need to register if they are under 16; only fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats; hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling permit; or are fishing commercially under a valid license. Recreational fishermen who hold a valid fishing license from an exempted state (any state or territory OTHER THAN Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands) are automatically entered into the registry, and do not need to take further action. Finally, people who reside in an exempted state who are not required to have a saltwater fishing license in that state – as is sometimes the case with persons with disabilities or active duty military – are not required to register.
4. Is there a fee to register?
Yes. As of January 1, 2011, there is a $15 fee to register UNLESS the registrant is either 1) a documented member of a federally recognized tribe or Alaskan Native Corporation; or 2) a person who resides in the Western Pacific who is descended from the aboriginal people indigenous to the region who conducted commercial or subsistence fishing using traditional fishing methods, including angling.
5. How was the fee determined?
According to Federal law, the registration fee was calculated based on the cost to administer the program. Simply put, NOAA looked at the total amount of money it takes to implement the registry program, and divided that by the anticipated number of registrants for 2011.
Fees collected by the National Saltwater Angler Registry will go to the Federal treasury. They will not be designated for any specific purpose. In the case of anglers who are automatically registered when they buy a state license, money paid to the state will be used for purposes determined by that state. If you have a saltwater fishing license, call your state department of natural resources for more information.
7. Why are people being required to register?
Registration is a way for NOAA and anglers to work together to help ensure the long–term future of saltwater fishing. The registry will serve as a national “phone book” of anglers, allowing NOAA to quickly and easily reach current fishermen to learn about their most recent fishing activities. That information is a crucial part of our ability to estimate the health of fish stocks, and to check that protections put in place to preserve fisheries will be fair, effective, and based on sound science. The registry is also a tool for recreational fishermen. As the first comprehensive accounting of the scope of recreational saltwater fishing in the U.S., it will help to more fully demonstrate anglers’ economic, conservation and marine stewardship impacts.
8. What was the impetus for creating the registry?
As the Federal agency responsible for ensuring the long–term sustainability of our nation’s ocean resources, NOAA continually evaluates the quality of recreational fishing data we collect and report. As part of this ongoing review process, in 2006, NOAA sought the input of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. Considering the ever more detailed uses of NOAA’s data in stock assessments and fisheries management decision–making, the Council recommended an overhaul of NOAA’s data program that would enable us to provide more detailed and timely information to managers, fishermen and other stakeholders. One of the NRC’s recommendations was the creation of a universal “phone book” – or registry – of current saltwater anglers. This system will replace the previous method of randomly dialing coastal households, providing a far more efficient and effective way to determine the number of people fishing and the number of trips they take, or what is known as the overall fishing effort.
9. Is the future of saltwater fishing really in doubt?
With the data necessary to effectively manage fisheries in hand, NOAA has no doubt that our nation’s tradition of saltwater recreational fishing will continue into the future. It is true, however, that there are numerous pressures like pollution, climate change, and in some cases overfishing, which have made the work of fisheries managers – and the data they rely upon to do their work – more important than ever.
10. Why are recreational fishermen being asked to register? Do they really have that great of an impact on the resource?
According to the latest statistics, there are as many as 25 million saltwater recreational anglers in the country, and reports say those numbers are on the rise. These fishermen take 100 million trips per year. In doing so, they generate some $82.3 billion in sales, and support more than half a million jobs. They also catch a lot of fish. While many people assume the number of fish caught by recreational fishermen must pale in comparison to the commercial harvest, the truth is that for many popular species – such as striped bass, bluefish, tautog and black rockfish to name just a few – the recreational take is by far the largest proportion.
11. What is meant by “angling” and “spear fishing”?
Generally speaking, angling and spear fishing mean using a hook and line, or a spear, to try to catch fish. Technically, angling and spear fishing include fishing for, attempting to fish for, catching or attempting to catch fish using a hook that is attached to a line that is hand held or by rod and reel (angling) or by a spear or powerhead (spear fishing).
12. Must I register every year?
Yes. Your registration is valid for one year from that date on which you registered. If you live in an “exempted state” – that is, a state that has its own saltwater fishing license and an agreement with NOAA to automatically register anglers – your National Saltwater Angler Registry will be renewed every time you renew your state fishing license.
13. What if I have a lifetime license from my state?
If you live in an exempted state and hold a current and valid license from that state that allows you to fish in the state’s tidal waters, you are automatically registered with NOAA and do not need to take any further action. Depending on the state, examples of such licenses could include a lifetime saltwater fishing license, a combination freshwater and saltwater license, or a combination hunting and saltwater fishing license.
14. What is the case with temporary licenses?
If you live in an exempted state, you will be registered for as long as your temporary license is valid. When that license expires, so does your enrollment in the Registry. If you renew the license, your registration is automatically reactivated.
15.How will I prove that I have registered?
When you register, you will be issued a temporary registration number. If you register online, you may print the screen page with the number. If you register by telephone, you will need to record the number and keep it with you when you are fishing. Within 30 days, you will receive your permanent registration certificate and number in the mail.
16. I just decided I want to go fishing today. Can I register and legally fish today?
Yes. Registration only takes a few minutes on the telephone or Internet. Simply write down the registration number you receive and take it with you when you go fishing to present to Law Enforcement if requested. Within 30 days, you will receive a permanent registration card in the mail.
17. What information am I required to provide in order to register?
You will be asked to give your name, address, date of birth and current home or cell telephone number. You’ll also be asked which region of the country you plan on fishing in, but this is for informational purposes only. The registration is valid anywhere it is required regardless of the response to this question.
18. Once I register with NOAA, will I still need a state license?
Yes. If a state license is required for your fishing activity, you will need to have that license in addition to a federal registration certificate.
19. What is the penalty for not registering?
Penalties will vary, depending upon the circumstances of a specific situation.
20. I have a current Florida saltwater fishing license (an exempted state), but I often fish in Puerto Rico (a non–exempted state). Do I need to register with NOAA?
No. Florida is one of many states that has a program in place to share its angler license information with NOAA. Anglers who hold a resident or non–resident license or registration from an exempt state will not have to register separately with NOAA. They are automatically registered and covered anywhere they fish in the country.
21. I am a resident of Hawaii (a non–exempted state), but I plan on fishing while vacationing in California (an exempted state). I plan on buying a short–term California saltwater fishing license. Do I need to register with NOAA?
Anglers who purchase a short term state license are only in compliance as long as their license is valid. For example, if a Puerto Rico resident were to buy a 10–day California state saltwater fishing license while on vacation, he or she would not be required to sign up with the registry while fishing in California. However, when that license expired, if the angler were to choose to go fishing back home in Hawaii, he or she would be required to register.
22. Is there a registration that covers everyone fishing aboard my boat?
No, there is no private boat registration. Unless you meet one of the stated exceptions, each angler is required to register individually with NOAA. Blanket boat registrations fail to collect complete information about everyone who goes fishing. Having a complete registry – one that captures not only the boat owner, but all of those fishing aboard the vessel – is critical to ensure NOAA can survey the entire population of anglers and generate an accurate picture of saltwater recreational fishing.
23. If I fish only once a year, do I still have to register?
Yes. Anglers who fish only occasionally are just as important to the registry as those who fish more regularly. This is because the registry serves as the basis for a telephone survey of fishing trips. In order to ensure an accurate picture of who is fishing, it is important for the registry to represent the entire spectrum of anglers from avid to occasional. If anglers who fish infrequently are not included in the registry, it is likely that the effort or the number of trips being taken would be biased.
24. Will my personal information be shared or sold to outside companies?
NOAA realizes we're collecting personal information and as such, have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that information is used appropriately and kept secure. NOAA follows very strict protocols to maintain the security of personally identifiable information, also known as PII.
The registry collects personal information under the authority of the Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The purpose of collecting this information is to verify the identity of registrants. Personal information submitted to NOAA is confidential and protected under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). The contact information you provide to NOAA may not be disclosed to the public. The information is neither sold nor used for any purpose other than conducting fishing surveys.