Are you reporting your recreational catches? While mandatory “reporting requirements” are only in place presently on most highly migratory species (HMS), the reporting of recreational fishing activity is something that the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (Division) could help incorporate into improved data collection through your voluntary work while at play.
In an effort to increase usage of New Jersey’s Recreational Saltwater Volunteer Angler Survey, the Division has developed a mobile device-compatible saltwater fishing reporting tool to make it easier than ever for recreational anglers to contribute valuable information and become part of the management process.
This new mobile reporting tool uses an interactive platform allowing anglers to report species they were targeting, the number of fish caught, their size, and how many were kept or released – all important data that fisheries managers use to assess the success of the fishery. Anglers now have several options for reporting their catch: optimized for mobile devices, optimized for computers, or a printable form that can be mailed or emailed.
The Division asks that anglers submit a report even when no fish are caught. Anglers should report each fishing trip in only one of the platforms. For details on how you can voluntarily help support better recreational data collection efforts visit www.njfishandwildlife.com/marinesurvey_intro.htm
