The cnmi division of fish and wildlife (DFW) conducts fisheries independent assessments of marine resources within the commonwealth of the northern mariana islands (cnmi)

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded a $214,968.73 Formula Grant under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Department of Lands and Natural Resources (DLNR). The grant will fund the DLNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife to conduct fisheries-independent assessments of marine resources within the CNMI from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.

The grant supports the DLNR's efforts to collect data on fish populations and habitat features through observer-based surveys, without physical extraction. This fisheries-independent data complements the fishery-dependent data collected from commercial and recreational fishermen, providing a comprehensive dataset to inform management decisions for the sustainable use of marine resources in the CNMI.

Observers count, measure, and quantify fish and habitat features without physical extraction, thus termed independent surveys. Datasets derived from these assessments compliment data collected from fishermen and markets directly (i.e., fishery dependent data). Combined, these data are used to help inform management decisions.