For Hire
The National Research Council recommended the for-hire industry be considered a commercial sector and that survey methods and reporting requirements for this sector should be different from those for recreational anglers. The purpose of these projects is to review and assess for-hire data collection methods and recommend regional approaches for improved collection of for-hire fishing data.
Inventory of For-Hire Data Collection Programs
This project will provide a comprehensive inventory of current for-hire data collection programs. The inventory will include descriptions of data collection methods, descriptions of for-hire fisheries, licensing and reporting requirements for the various data collection programs, data requirements, data gaps, and known biases associated with each of the programs. This information will be used by an independent panel of experts to review and evaluate methods currently in place.
Expert Review of For-Hire Data Collection Methods
This project will enlist an independent panel of experts to evaluate the various methods used to assess catch and effort for fisheries typically targeted by the for-hire industry and recommend regional approaches for improving the collection of for-hire data.
Pilot Electronic Reporting Program for Puerto Rico For-Hire Catch and Effort Data
This project will develop and test an electronic data collection program for for-hire industry in Puerto Rico. Currently, for-hire effort data is collected through random telephone contacts with Puerto Rican residents. This method is especially ineffective as a large portion of for-hire fishing trips are taken by non-residents. The success of this project will be evaluated for possible use in other regions.