MRIP Access Point Angler Inntercept Survey

Marine Recreational Information Program

APAIS At-a-Glance
How does NOAA Fisheries collect angler catch data?
On the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Maine to Louisiana, NOAA Fisheries
works in partnership with state agencies to gather recreational catch
information through the Access Point Angler Intercept Survey, or APAIS.
Samplers are assigned to a publicly accessible fishing site during a specific time
of day. Their job is to interview and count each angler coming in from a fishing
trip, regardless of whether the angler caught any fish. During an interview,
samplers measure and weigh all landed fish, and ask for the number and
species of fish that were released.

What changes have been made to APAIS recently?
As of 2016, all the specially trained samplers who count your catch work for
the marine fisheries agency in the state where you’ve been fishing, or where
you end your trip if you’ve been fishing in federal waters. Using local samplers
allows us to:
Build stronger relationships with anglers. The sampler counting your
catch now works for the same agency you already connect with regularly
to learn about where and when you can fish, and what you can keep.

Example Assignment
Sampling Date: June 24, 2017
Time Interval: 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Mode: shore
Site Cluster: 2 sites, medium pressure

1:50 p.m.

Arrive at Site 1 in cluster.
Unpack gear and prepare to
begin assignment. At 2:00
p.m., begin counting and
interview all anglers.
After 3 hours, depart site.

5:22 p.m.

Arrive at Site 2 in cluster,
after drive time.
Count & interview all anglers.
At 8:00 p.m., conclude
interviews and depart site.
Assignment is complete.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check in with your state’s
marine fisheries agency,
or visit
www.CountMyFish.noaa.gov

Work better together toward shared goals. State agencies and fishermen
have the shared goal of keeping our fisheries sustainable while optimizing
quality fishing experiences.
Broaden our reach. Greater involvement by each state creates more
opportunities for sharing information and collaborating among fisheries
agencies and fishermen at the local, state, regional, and federal levels.

How do sampling assignments work?
Samplers conduct interviews during all parts of the day, including at night.
Samplers stay at a specified location for a specified amount of time,
regardless of the amount of fishing. That means you may see samplers at
some sites where there’s not much activity.
Sampling assignments are built using an online database of every publicly
accessible fishing site from Maine to Louisiana. Anglers can use this
database too, and help keep it accurate by updating any incorrect or outof-date information. Visit st.nmfs.noaa.gov/siteregister/ to learn more.
Each sampling assignment includes a date,
a specific site cluster, a predetermined
order in which to visit sites in that cluster,
a time interval for the assignment, and a
fishing mode to sample. Modes are either
shore, private boat, charter boat, or
private and charter boat combined.

What is a “site cluster?”
A group of sites with similar
characteristics. Each cluster contains
1 or 2 sites. Sites are clustered by:
• Type of fishing, or mode
• Level of fishing activity, or “pressure”
• Geographic proximity

How does APAIS affect me?
Many individuals and organizations play different roles in keeping our fisheries
sustainable. As an angler, the data you provide to shoreside samplers helps
shape the science and management decisions that directly impact you.
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service