Summer will soon be here, and National Fishing and Boating Week is a good time to get out on the water! Today I will be venturing out of Point Judith in my home state of Rhode Island on a charter fishing boat. While this may sound like a pleasure trip, my colleagues and I will be collecting and contributing data critical to the future of cod stocks in New England through NOAA Fisheries’ cooperative research program. This program brings together the expertise of fishermen with that of NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center scientists. Known as the Recreational Biological Sampling Program (RecBio for short), this research is helping scientists, managers, and industry better understand the Atlantic cod population dynamics. Genetic analysis has recently revealed that rather than two distinct cod stocks, as previously thought, there are actually four. We need additional information to assess and manage them sustainably. The New England Fishery Management Council will begin managing four distinct units:
- Eastern Gulf of Maine
- Western Gulf of Maine (both winter and spring spawners)
- Georges Bank
- Southern New England
RecBio is using a version of an electronic reporting app, AnglerCatch, to record data on fish caught by the for-hire fleet to help us better understand cod catch in the management areas. While I won't be able to keep and eat any of the cod caught today (sadly), we will be collecting valuable length data through the app to better understand the fishery and population in the different areas. I am thrilled to be participating in this essential research.
It’s exciting to see cooperative scientific research with the recreational fishing industry grow across NOAA Fisheries. Last year, I participated in the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program on the West Coast, where I caught lots of vermillion rockfish. This program collects data about fish caught by passengers on headboats. With eyes and ears on the water, the recreational fishing community has a real-time understanding of the current state of the ocean ecosystem, and our scientists are beginning to tap into this wealth of knowledge.
As a Rhode Islander, I’ve witnessed the climate-driven changes in our ocean first hand. Now, as the Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries, I have a greater sense of the growing impacts to our marine life across all our ocean ecosystems. NOAA Fisheries Climate Vulnerability Analysis found that half of the 82 species assessed are estimated to have a high or very high vulnerability to climate change in the Northeast, including species such as sea scallops, lobster, and winter flounder. In the Gulf of Mexico, 20 percent of species assessed, including some sharks, groupers and snappers, were classified as having high or very high vulnerability to climate change. The Pacific Islands also identified numerous species highly vulnerable to climate change as well as identifying environmental data we need to better collect to understand the full scope of change.
This is an area where I fully believe that recreational anglers can play a key role. We need to better tap into the 12.7 million saltwater anglers to improve our understanding of the current state of our marine resources and to learn how they are changing over time. I feel lucky to be able to combine the joy of fishing with the satisfaction of contributing scientific research this National Fishing and Boating Week. And, I encourage everyone to be safe out on the water, protect our vulnerable marine ecosystems, and think about a collaborative path forward to sustainably manage the species you care about—and have some fun along the way!
