South Atlantic Fishery Management Council - Summer 2018 Newsletter
Use of new mobile app helps provide the big picture during red snapper opening - and into the future
Fishermen love to share stories about their fishing trips. Whether its on the VHF, fishing forums, Instagram, Facebook, or uncle Harry’s birthday party. We often receive calls here at the Council office from fishermen talking about the impacts of weather, regulations, gear requirements, number of released fish (and the sharks that feed on them), etc.
Now there is an opportunity to share that information in real time to help fishery managers better understand what is happening on the water while giving private recreational anglers a personal log-book to help improve their next fishing trip.
““We believe all anglers have a responsibility to live up to Florida’s “Fishing Capital of the World” designation, and there is no better way than through the MyFishCount app.””
The MyFishCount electronic reporting pilot project allows anglers to report details of their trips - numbers of fish kept, released, condition of fish released, gear used, depths fished, area fished, weather, and much more. Information is reported through the MyFishCount website or mobile app. All data are confidential and used only in cummulative format. As anglers log into their accounts and report, they also create trip-level logbooks that can be referenced later to help improve their fishing trips.
Reports from Red Snapper Season
With over 700 users of the mobile app to date, MyFishCount participants received a summary report from the red snapper season three days after the recreational season ended. The report included catch highlights, weather impacts on fishing trips, catch and release information, length distributions for fish captured this year compared to the last stock assessment, and more. Anglers
are encouraged to participate in the pilot project and help paint the big picture to improve fisheries management.
Reports from MyFishCount users were used to compile data following the red snapper mini-season. As reports continue throughout the year, such information will be helpful to managers.