Releases – June 9, 2016
Commercial and recreational saltwater fishing in the United States generated more than $214 billion in sales and supported 1.83 million jobs in 2014, according to a new economic report released by NOAA Fisheries today.
The report, Fisheries Economics of the United States 2014, provides the most recent statistics on commercial and recreational fisheries and seafood-related businesses for each coastal state and the nation. Key to the report are the jobs, sales, income, and value added to the Gross National Product by the commercial and recreational fishing industries. This provides a measure of how sales in the two industries ripple through state and national economies, because each dollar spent generates additional sales by other firms and consumers.
The commercial fishing and seafood industry (including imports)—harvesters, processors, dealers, wholesalers, and retailers—generated $153 billion in sales in 2014, an 8 percent increase from 2013, and supported 1.39 million jobs. Domestic harvest (without imports) produced $54 billion in sales, a figure similar to 2013, and supported 811,000 jobs across the broader national economy.
Recreational fishing remains an important part of coastal tourism industries around the country. The regions with the highest economic impact from saltwater recreational fishing were Florida’s West Coast, Florida’s East Coast, California, New Jersey, and Texas.
Saltwater angling sales increased 4 percent from 2013, generating $61 billion in 2014 and supporting 439,000 jobs. This year’s report includes improvements in data collection and analysis methods for the recreational sector, which helped NOAA scientists gain a more accurate view of the industry’s economic landscape.
“Commercial and recreational fishing make a significant impact on the U.S. economy,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, it’s fitting that we continue to improve our understanding of these valuable marine sectors in order to guide science-based management. This ensures both sustainable fish populations and economic opportunities for those involved in the commercial, recreational, and seafood industries.”
Fisheries Economics of the United States 2014 is the ninth volume in an annual series designed to give the public accessible economic information on fishing activities in the U.S., and is a companion to Fisheries of the United States.
NOAA Fisheries announces red snapper will remain closed to commercial and recreational fishing in South Atlantic federal waters in 2016. Red snapper remains closed as the total number of red snapper removed from the population in 2015 exceeded the allowable catch level.
In 2013, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council developed, and NOAA Fisheries implemented, a standardized process that specifies harvest may only occur in a given year if total removals (landings plus dead discards) in the previous year were less than the number allowed for population rebuilding.
The total removals allowable for 2015 were 114,000 fish. After evaluating landings and discard information for 2015, NOAA Fisheries determined the estimates of total removals were 276,729 fish; therefore, the fishery remains closed in 2016.
NOAA Fisheries will utilize the same process identified by the South Atlantic Council to determine if the fishery can sustain a 2017 season.
For additional sources of information, including Frequently Asked Questions, details of the standardized process, and the report of 2015 estimates of red snapper total removals in the South Atlantic Region, please go here:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/2016/red_snapper/index.html.
The Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) and the Building Conservation Trust, CCA’s national habitat program, have partnered to fund $100,000 for innovative oyster research conducted by Dr. Joel Fodrie at the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Science in Morehead City, NC.
The grant allows Fodrie and his team of doctoral candidates to continue ongoing research into oyster reef restoration. Matthew Kenworth, Manager of the Institute’s Fish Ecology Lab, said, “If we have more good quality habitat, we’ll have better and more fish.”
It’s not all as easy as dumping oyster shell into the water, he explained. The different habitats of sea grass, mud flats, and oyster reefs along with varying water depths create a puzzle that takes research to solve.
Fodrie’s research will include building 32 new oyster reefs using different materials and locations to determine the best practices for successful oyster cultivation. The researchers will also tag up to 60 fish of different species with acoustic tags to discover how they use the new and restored oyster reefs.
Fodrie, Kenworthy, and their UNC research group will build 16 reefs using traditional cultch shell, and 16 others using burlap and cement that presents a more three dimensional structure. Also, of the 32 reefs, 16 will be isolated from seagrass beds, while the rest will be immediately adjacent to seagrass. In total, there will be eight reefs each of a unique combination of material and seagrass proximity to determine which combination promotes the best oyster growth.
To learn how various species react to the different reef types, locations, and depths, Fodrie’s team will acoustically tag fish (such as juvenile gag grouper, flounder, and red drum) and then track which combinations prove the most attractive to fish. Earlier tracking on existing oyster reefs in the Middle Marsh area behind Shackleford Banks showed how redfish came onto the reefs on a daily basis to feed on small crabs. The transmitters are $330 each and last for about nine months, Kenworthy said.
The research team is already scouting sites and hopes to have all the reef materials deployed by June. CCA NC has also partnered with PenderWatch in Pender County to supply the project with 1000 bushels of recycled oyster shells to be used in the construction of the oyster reefs.
CCA NC Chairman Bud Abbott said, “We are deeply concerned about the quality of our waters, the conservation of our public trust resources, and their habitat. The vast majority of our state fisheries are in serious trouble. Dr. Fodrie’s project will provide critical information to our fishery management leaders necessary to better restore our public trust resources for all citizens of North Carolina.”
The state’s marine fisheries agency is accepting applications for proposals for the 2017-2018 funding cycle from the North Carolina Marine Resources Fund.
The fund, which receives proceeds from the sale of Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses, provides grants for projects that help manage, protect, restore, develop, cultivate, and enhance the state’s marine resources.
Only universities and state and local governmental entities in North Carolina are eligible to apply. Others must partner with one of these eligible entities.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the Coastal Recreational Fishing License Strategic Plan for the Conservation and Improvement of North Carolina’s Marine Resources. The plan considers priority research needs identified in fishery management plans approved by the Marine Fisheries Commission, issues identified in the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan, and research needs identified cooperatively with other agencies. The strategic plan, as well as directions for submitting a proposal and an application form, can be found on the Division of Marine Fisheries website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/crfl-grants-projects-applications-procedures.
Projects submitted for this funding cycle should fall under one of three programmatic areas:
Fish–Projects that estimate recreational fishing effort, harvest, and mortality of important coastal recreational fish species, the socio-economic attributes of coastal recreational fisheries, or the characterization of catch and release mortality;
Habitat–Projects that improve the effectiveness of existing environmental programs or that identify, designate, or protect coastal recreational fish habitat;
People–Projects that provide increased access to recreational fisheries resources and enhancement structures or provide better public education and enrichment products.
All proposals must be received by the director of the Division of Marine Fisheries by 5:00 p.m. on July 29. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
A pre-proposal meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on June 15 at the Carteret Community College Bryant Student Center, 3505 Arendell St., Morehead City, to give potential grant applicants an overview of the grant application process and answer questions. The meeting is open to the public, and potential applicants are encouraged to attend (but attendance is not required).
For more information, contact Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grant Project Coordinator Wayne Johannessen at (252) 808-8004 or (800) 682-2632 or Wayne.Johannessen@ncdenr.gov.
