What is the impact of recreational fishing on the nation's ocean resources?
Abt Associates will examine recreational marine fishing activity in four states to help the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in its mission to promote the management, conservation and protection of ocean resources.
The study, which will be jointly conducted by Abt’s Environment and Resources Division and our survey subsidiary Abt SRBI, will collect recreational fishing information from nearly 30,000 people in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Researchers will use a mixed-mode survey approach to examine the quantity and character of recreational anglers’ activity in these states. This data will help NOAA ensure compliance with fisheries regulations, reduce wasteful fishing practices, promote sustainable fisheries and prevent lost economic potential associated with overfishing, declining species and degraded habitats.
Abt Associates will support NMFS in refining the survey implementation methods, which is a significant step toward improving the quality and timeliness of recreational fisheries data, according to Mike Conti, Abt division vice president for Environment and Resources.