The cnmi division of fish and wildlife collects information from fishers and tracks fishing activity and harvest throughout the year

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $179,323.00 to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The award funds the Division of Fish and Wildlife's fisheries monitoring and data collection activities throughout the Northern Mariana Islands. The project deliverables include conducting surveys of recreational fishing activities and tournaments, tracking fishing catch and effort data throughout the year, and establishing a centralized database to organize and maintain collected fisheries information for long-term use and analysis.

The primary outcome of this funding is to provide the territorial government with reliable, science-based fisheries data necessary to support sustainable fishery management and informed decision-making regarding fish population management. The fisheries monitoring program will generate critical information on catch trends, fishing effort, and harvest levels, enabling the Division of Fish and Wildlife to adapt management strategies in response to changes in fish populations and fishing activity across the territory.

DFW can monitor changes in catch and effort to manage fish populations and support sustainable fishing. The project will include surveys from recreational fishing and tournaments. This program will also support the development of a database to store and organize data collect for future use. The information generated from this program will be used to guide sustainable fishery management.