May 21, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission), in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries), is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the planning, facilitation, and execution of workshops on Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive (RAPID). Workshops will be held regionally throughout the US and are targeted for the Summer/Fall of 2026.
NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) has historically operated as a state-regional-federal program to develop and implement recreational fishing surveys. While this federal data collection program tracks long-term trends at the annual and regional level, partners and anglers have raised concerns regarding data uncertainty particularly when used to inform management at the state and local level and at the monthly, weekly, and daily level. To address these challenges and modernize data collection, NOAA Fisheries is transforming its recreational data enterprise through RAPID.
This initiative will lead the transition from MRIP to a new, shared-governance data system co-designed with anglers, state agencies, interstate commissions, and management councils. The goal is to establish a state-federal data collection and delivery system that is regionally flexible, nationally consistent, and enhances scientific credibility and stakeholder confidence in recreational fishing statistics used for management.
Proposals must be submitted by email no later than 11:59 PM on June 10, 2026 to Alex DiJohnson, ACCSP Deputy Director of Recreational Data, at alex.dijohnson@accsp.org. The RFP is available athttps://asmfc.org/resources/
For more information, please contact Alex DiJohnson.