Next time you're fishing on the Mendocino coast from a boat or from shore I may be there to meet you. I am a fisheries technician with the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey (MRFSS), conducted by DFG in cooperation with my employer, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC).
My job is similar to other workers who count salmon or sample commercial catches. It only takes a few minutes to be interviewed and have your catch identified and measured, and in my experience the vast majority of sport anglers are willing to do so. Information collected from fishermen is voluntary and provides very useful information to state and federal biologists.
The purpose of the MRFSS is to collect records of species, lengths and weights, and sportfishing effort and location. This information is used to estimate total take and fishing success and to provide an indication of the condition of fish stocks. The information may be used to help set size and possession limits to protect living resources from over-exploitation or to direct future enhancement projects, such as the siting of launch ramps and coastal access points. Other sampling data from the commercial fishing industry including trawl, troll, and longline fisheries are used for comparison. MRFSS uses a computer program to randomly select fishing sites to be surveyed. During spring and summer I'm often out in the field interviewing, including most weekends. On days when I don't have an assignment, I work at the DFG office, editing and completing survey forms for mailing to PSMFC. I have also helped other samplers in the state by preparing location maps of their areas.
I enjoy the variety in my work. Most often I work at boat launch areas, where my goal is to talk to anglers targeting on rockfish and other bottomfish (I sometimes conduct a few short interviews with those who are pursuing salmon). Other days I may be at a pier or jetty, at a beach where perch or surf smelt are running, or out hiking stretches of coastal headlands in search of fishermen. I interview as many anglers as possible at a survey site after they have finished fishing. My job is a great way to be familiar with the ocean, the lands next to it, and the efforts of people to catch fish. If I am around after you finish your fishing, come on over and talk for a few minutes. If you've had a successful trip, I'll measure and identify your fish. -R
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