For example, information is collected  on recreational fishing effort and catch rates. Among other things, the council recommended the redesign  of all marine recreational fishing surveys funded by NMFS. Several Challenges with NMFS’ Fisheries Data Collection Efforts Have Been Identified

Since the 2006 National Research Council report, NMFS and some state  officials have identified several challenges related to collecting data to  manage marine recreational fisheries, such as obtaining quality  recreational fishing data to inform scientific analyses and produce  credible effort and catch estimates. NMFS faces a  challenge in obtaining complete information on the universe of  recreational anglers. According to NMFS officials, NMFS relies  on state angler registries to identify the universe of recreational  anglers in those exempted states. In light of this difficulty, Louisiana does not  collect recreational angler discard data as part of its own recreational  fisheries data collection program because of concerns about the  quality of angler self-reported data, according to a state official. NMFS, some state officials, and some other stakeholders, such as private  recreational anglers, have also identified challenges in how NMFS  communicates with stakeholders about its fisheries data collection efforts. Some private  recreational anglers also told us that NMFS has not always sufficiently  communicated with the public about its activities, creating concerns about  a lack of transparency regarding NMFS’ fisheries management decisions. For example, according to a Texas fisheries official,  Texas withdrew from NMFS’ recreational data collection program and  implemented its own data collection program in the late 1970s because it  did not believe that NMFS’ data collection methods suited Texas’ needs  for managing recreational fisheries. NMFS Has Taken Steps Aimed at Improving Data Collection, but Some Challenges Persist and NMFS Does Not Have a Comprehensive Strategy to Guide Improvement Efforts

NMFS has taken several steps aimed at improving data collection to  manage marine recreational fisheries and addressing challenges related  to communicating with stakeholders. NMFS Has Taken Steps Aimed at Improving Recreational Fisheries Data Collection, but Some Challenges Persist

NMFS has taken steps to address some of the challenges it faces in  collecting data for managing marine recreational fisheries, including steps  aimed at collecting quality data to support scientific analyses and  producing credible effort and catch estimates, improving the timeliness of  data collection, and improving communication with stakeholders. During this same  period, NMFS made recommendations to the states on improving their  recreational angler databases. For example, the  report recommended that NMFS develop a plan for providing the data  necessary for conducting fish stock assessments. NMFS  officials told us that they are also working collaboratively with Louisiana to  perform a side-by-side comparison of MRIP data with data collected  under Louisiana’s LA Creel data collection program, to determine whether  LA Creel can be used as an alternative to MRIP surveys. NMFS  officials told us that NMFS intends to develop strategic planning  documents to guide future individual initiatives, using NMFS’ experiences  with the transition to the new mail-based Fishing Effort Survey as a  template, but they did not provide information about how, or whether, they  planned to integrate these documents into a comprehensive strategy or  how they would communicate such a strategy to NMFS’ stakeholders. Without a comprehensive strategy, NMFS may have difficulty ensuring  that the variety of steps it is taking to improve data collection are  prioritized so that the most important steps are undertaken first and may  find it difficult to determine the extent to which these steps will help  address challenges. Recommendation for Executive Action

To improve NMFS’ ability to capitalize on its efforts to improve fisheries  data collection for managing marine recreational fisheries, we  recommend that the Secretary of Commerce direct NOAA’s Assistant  Administrator for Fisheries to develop a comprehensive strategy to guide  NMFS’ implementation of its marine recreational fisheries data collection  program efforts, including a means to measure progress in implementing  this strategy and to communicate information to stakeholders. I), we selected federal and state agencies and regional  organizations to interview based on such factors as geographic  representation and locations of large volumes of recreational fishing. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to examine (1) the challenges that have been  identified with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) data  collection efforts for managing marine recreational fisheries and (2) the  steps NMFS has taken to improve data collection and challenges that  remain. To conduct our work, we reviewed and analyzed relevant laws, agency  policies, guidance, and other documentation related to fisheries data  collection, including documentation related to specific federal and state  marine recreational fisheries data collection projects. We compared  this information with the framework of leading practices in federal  strategic planning contained in the Government Performance and Results  Act of 1993, the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization  Act of 2010, and Office of Management and Budget guidance.
Why GAO Did This Study

Almost 11 million anglers made nearly 71 million marine recreational fishing trips in the continental United States in 2013. Pressure on many fish stocks from fishing has increased demand for quality and timely data that can be used to assess the status of various fish stocks as part of managing marine recreational fisheries. The many modes of marine recreational fishing—in which anglers fish from private boats or boats with guides, the shoreline, private property, and public docks—make collecting the data needed to effectively manage recreational fisheries both complex and challenging.
GAO was asked to review NMFS' marine recreational fisheries data collection program. This report examines (1) challenges that have been identified with the agency's data collection efforts for managing marine recreational fisheries and (2) steps the agency has taken to improve data collection and challenges that remain. GAO reviewed laws, policies, and guidance related to federal and state recreational fisheries data collection methods; reviewed NMFS and other documents on recreational fisheries data collection; and interviewed a nongeneralizable sample of federal and state recreational fisheries officials and other stakeholders, selected to provide geographic representation, among other things, to obtain their views on NMFS' data collection efforts.

What GAO Found

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) within the Department of Commerce faces several challenges related to fisheries data collection, according to reports GAO reviewed and NMFS officials and stakeholders GAO interviewed. These challenges include collecting quality recreational fishing data that are timely for managing marine recreational fisheries and communicating with stakeholders. Regarding the collection of quality data, for example, NMFS faces a challenge identifying the universe of anglers from which to collect information about their marine recreational fishing activity. NMFS relies in part on state registries to identify anglers, but some states exempt certain anglers from registering, and therefore NMFS does not have a complete list of recreational anglers. NMFS officials and other stakeholders have also identified challenges in communicating with stakeholders in collecting recreational fisheries data. For example, several stakeholders told GAO that NMFS has not always communicated with the public about its activities, creating concerns about a lack of transparency regarding NMFS' fisheries management decisions. Reflecting this challenge, in 2014, Louisiana withdrew from the federal fisheries data collection program and implemented its own program because of concerns about federal recreational fisheries data, according to a Louisiana fisheries official.
NMFS has taken several steps aimed at improving data collection to manage marine recreational fisheries and addressing challenges related to communicating with stakeholders. For example, to help improve the quality of the state data it relies on to identify the universe of anglers, NMFS made recommendations to states on improving their recreational angler databases and provided funds to the states to support data quality improvement projects, according to NMFS documents. NMFS has also taken steps to improve communication, including working with Louisiana to perform a side-by-side comparison of federal data with Louisiana's data to determine whether Louisiana's data can be used as an alternative to federal data. However, some challenges persist, including challenges in validating data the NMFS collects and communicating about upcoming NMFS initiatives. More broadly, the agency does not have a comprehensive strategy to guide its efforts to improve recreational fisheries data collection. Such a strategy is consistent with the framework of leading practices in federal strategic planning, as described in the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010, Office of Management and Budget guidance, and practices GAO has identified. Based on GAO's discussions with NMFS officials and review of NMFS documents, the agency has not developed a comprehensive strategy because it has been focused on other priorities such as improving its data collection methods. NMFS officials told GAO that NMFS recognizes the need to enhance its strategic planning but did not provide information about how, or whether, they plan to develop a comprehensive strategy. Without a comprehensive strategy that articulates NMFS' goals to improve data collection and methods for measuring progress toward the goals, NMFS may have difficulty ensuring that the various steps it is taking to improve data collection are prioritized so that the most important steps are undertaken first, and it may find it difficult to determine the extent to which these steps will help it address the challenges it faces.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that NMFS develop a comprehensive strategy to guide its data collection efforts. The agency agreed with GAO's recommendation.