Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey

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Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey Project (HMRFS)

Updated June 2005

Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey (HMRFS) A cooperative project funded by: www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/recreational/
THE MRFSS Beginning in 2001, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) began collecting marine recreational fishery data in Hawaii, administered through the Hawaii Marine Recreational Fishing Survey (HMRFS). Data will be collected through the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS), which has been conducted in the continental U.S. since 1979. DAR staff will collect catch data at various sites around the state. Access sites are distributed among shoreline, private boats, boat ramps, marinas, and charter boats. To estimate the total number of fishing trips and anglers, telephone interviews of Hawaii households and charter boat captains will be conducted by NMFS and DAR, respectively.The DAR is providing staff and base level funding to support HMRFS sampling in Hawaii. Their experience and knowledge of local recreational fisheries will help to maximize the efficiency of the HMRFSS in Hawaii. The NMFS will contribute funds to increase sample size and coverage as well as provide administrative experience and statistical support to DAR staff. From 2001 through June 2005, personnel will have completed over 10,000 field interviews, 50,000 telephone interviews and almost 3,000 interviews of charter boat captains.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT Marine recreational and subsistence fishing, or angling, is an important activity to many residents of Hawaii. People fish for food and recreation, and "fishing tourism" is also an important part of Hawaii's economy. However, like many popular human activities, angling can have significant impacts on the resource. Fishery managers must understand the needs and activities of Hawaii's recreational and subsistence fishers if they are to ensure quality marine fishing for future generations. Although the activity of a single recreational fisher is not likely to be significant, the combined activity of all Hawaii fishers represents a tremendous amount of fishing effort. Understanding the biological impact and social importance of recreational and subsistence fishing is a vital part of the management process because it helps decision-makers develop wise policies.	To properly manage fishery resources, fishery managers must gather reliable statistical data. These data include the number, length and weight of fish harvested, the composition of the catch, the numbers of people fishing, and the total number of trips that they make. Of equal importance are social and economic information about the participants themselves. By knowing your age, gender, annual income, and amount of time and money spent angling, managers can develop innovative programs to manage the resource while minimizing the impact of regulations. Although these questions are sometimes of a personal nature, they help managers understand how policy decisions affect anglers, the recreational fishing industry, and coastal communities. Hawaii is not scheduled for social and economic data collection in 2001, but it is hoped that these data will be collected in the near future.	HOW WILL THE DATA BE USED? The HMRFS will provide essential data to DAR, NMFS, and the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council. Resource managers will use the data to improve stock assessments, study species life cycles, and develop recommendations for regulatory and allocation decisions. In addition the data collected will... • Contribute to damage assessments for oil spills, pollution, and other accidents that degrade recreational fisheries. • Contribute to the planning of habitat conservation and restoration strategies important to fishery resources. • Help DLNR / Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) forecast demand for new piers, marinas, and boat ramps, and to locate these facilities where they will be most useful. • Provide additional information to support the FAD program, Artificial Reefs and various recreational fishing programs in Hawaii.
YOUR PARTICIPATION As a recreational or subsistence fisher, you can play an important role in Hawaii fisheries management. Your cooperation with HMRFS field and telephone interviewers will help ensure that marine angling in Hawaii remains a productive and rewarding experience. For more information about the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistical Survey Program or provide feedback, visit our websites at www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/recreational or http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dar/surveys/. Good Luck and Great Fishing!!
Jeff Muir, Survey Manager Steve Kaneko, Data Manager Ernest Akoni, Rhett (Imiola) Akutagawa, Richard Beebe, Jordan Berg, Gary Boteilho, John Burke, Jason Chang, Patrick Conley, John Dill, Amber Hudnall, Wesley Murakane, and Larry Spalding, Survey Workers Department of Land & Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 330, Honolulu, HI 96813 Voice: 808-587-0100 • FAX: 808-587-0115 David A. Van Voorhees, MRFSS Task Leader Thomas Sminkey, MRFSS Statistician U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service, F/ST1, RM 12455 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Photos courtesy of Hawaii Fishing News and Ocean Sports Productions, Original web page created by: Mike Nelson ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Our sincere appreciation to Michael A. Nelson, first HMRFS survey manager, and Maury F. Osborn, former MRFSS Task Leader, who were instrumental in bringing NMFS and DAR together to bring MRFSS back to Hawaii. Our gratitude to the National Marine Fisheries Service's Honolulu Laboratory and Western Pacific Fishery Information Network for advice and generous donations of computer equipment in support of the HMRFS project. Mahalo to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, especially the Recreational Data Task Force headed by the late Mr. Richard Shiroma, for their encouragement and support of recreational fisheries data collection.