Saltwater anglers in North Carolina now have a web page where they can send a log of their catches to state fisheries managers in an effort to help figure out who is catching what and where in the state.
North Carolina has previously conducted recreational fishing surveys, but this new tool now gives anglers a chance to communicate their catches directly to the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF).
You can access the electronic reporting tool here: Coastal Recreational Fishing Electronic Reporting System
“By providing an Internet-based reporting tool, we hope to capture some of the more tech-savvy anglers who no longer use land line telephones or regular mail,” said Chris Wilson of the DMF’s Coastal Angling Program.
According to the DMF, the website also provides a section called the Coastal Angling Journal, where any fisherman, not just those contacted for surveys, can voluntarily record catches. Questions include information about the date and time of the fishing trip, the weather, where the fish was caught, and the species targeted and caught.
The Coastal Angling Journal will allow fishermen to keep online records of their individual fishing activity and print reports of that activity. The division will be able to compare the information it receives from those voluntarily recording their trips with the data it gathers through its surveys.
This electronic reporting system was funded in part by revenues from the NC Coastal Recreational Fishing License.
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