The south carolina department of natural resources (SC DNR) proposes to conduct a pilot study to precisely characterize charter and private recreational red snapper and other reef fish discards off…

The south carolina department of natural resources (SC DNR) proposes to conduct a pilot study to precisely characterize charter and private recreational red snapper and other reef fish discards off the coast of south carolina. Experienced fisheries staff will act as observers onboard existing charter and private recreational fishing trips to record detailed data on fishing locations, times, depths, discard type, treatment, disposition, and size. The collected data will complement floridas at-sea for-hire survey. Federally permitted charter boats in south carolina are required to self-report trip-level fishing activity, catch, and numbers of discards, but these data have not been validated. This study will expand the self-reporting tool to include the sizes and fates of discarded red snapper and validate the self-reported data with at-sea observations. Staff will engage with study participants to include their expertise in the design and execution of the work, and will provide training and outreach opportunities during at-sea observer trips. The SC DNR designed the project for a single year. However, the work can be continued or expanded with additional years of funding.