Funds under this grant award will be used to collect scientific information on the major finfish targets and fishing activities of recreational anglers in south carolina (SC)

This $439,922 Formula Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605), supports the collection of scientific data on the finfish species and fishing activities of recreational anglers in South Carolina. The data collected through this grant will be used by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) to assess the status and health of fish populations, providing critical information to support management decisions that ensure the long-term sustainability of these valuable recreational fisheries. The grant is effective from July 2, 2025 through July 1, 2026 and will fund SCDNR's efforts to gather data from anglers on their activities, opinions, and catch composition, which is essential for effective management of South Carolina's saltwater recreational fisheries.

These data are used to assess the status and health of fish populations, supporting management decisions that affect the long-term sustainability of these fisheries.effective management of marine recreational fisheries is vital to the economy of SC. Fisheries biologists from the scdnr marine resources division (MRD) represent SC during stock assessments of several species that are studied and provide the data collected along with recommendations to the south atlantic fishery management council (safmc), the atlantic states marine fisheries commission (asmfc), and the NOAA fisheries. To effectively manage SC saltwater recreational fisheries, fishery dependent data are needed. This program collects information from anglers on their activities, their opinions, and the fish they catch. This data is used to determine the effort and behavior of recreational anglers and evaluate finfish stocks (species, size, age, etc.) that are targeted.