Angler Registry Team
The National Saltwater Angler Registry is one part of an overall program to better capture the total picture of U.S. recreational fishing. The registry team is working with our management partners to develop a “phone book” of the nation’s saltwater recreational anglers. This registry will enable more efficient data collection and help the nation better protect our shared marine resources. Information from all saltwater fishermen – recreational and commercial – is essential to achieving the goal of ending overfishing. The registry is a the product of a major recommendation to NOAA in a 2006 independent scientific review by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences and was also among the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization.
What’s New
On December 23, 2008, NOAA Fisheries released a final rule giving anglers and spearfishers who fish recreationally in federal ocean waters until Jan. 1, 2010 to be registered in the national saltwater angler registry, a new tool designed to help the nation better manage and rebuild valuable fish stocks.
NOAA Fisheries received nearly 500 comments from anglers, state officials, fishing and environmental organizations on its proposed national registry rule during the comment period from June 12 until Aug. 21. The comments were considered carefully and helped NOAA Fisheries decide to give states and anglers another year to comply with the new rule.
The final rule outlines the process NOAA Fisheries will use for registering saltwater recreational anglers. It also addresses the qualifications and procedures for exempting states and their anglers from the federal registration requirement.
The following resources provide additional information about the angler registry
- Federal Register Notice on the Final Rule (December 2008)
- Federal Register Notice on the Proposed Rule (June 2008)
- NOAA to Create Saltwater Angler Registry in 2010 – Press Release
- Final Rule Fact Sheet
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Preliminary National Standards for Survey Coverage and Basic Data Elements
Members
NOAA Fisheries Service, Office of Science and Technology (Chair)
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife