[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n 2010, the Snook Foundation (SGF) put together Angler Action Program, in order to track the catch and release of post freeze snook by anglers. We worked directly with Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) Biologist Alexis Trotter and with her able direction designed the questionnaire still in use today for both the iAngler smart phone app and the Angler Action trip record. Angler Action has become the most active self-reporting record of gamefish catch, harvest and release data on the Web.
Based on Trotter’s many hours of work at that time and her subsequent assistance in continuing to refine the program, anglers have been able to successfully amass needed data using the AAP. That data was put to use by Dr. Bob Muller in his recent stock assessment of snook.
When SGF asked Dr. Muller “What would you like to receive from anglers to make stock assessments even better in the future? ” his reply was simple:
“Your Angler Action site currently is collecting the type of information we need, i.e. date, time, location, number of anglers…and the sizes of all fish caught, not just the harvested fish.”
Jupiter River snook
SGF would like to point out the assistance of FWRI’s Alexis Trotter to all and to recognize her contribution to the success of the Angler Action Program. With her help we were able to actualize this pioneering effort. To her credit and with her early assistance AAP has grown and is now on the threshold of becoming a prototype for recreational angler data gathering nationally .
Respectfully, Rick Roberts and the SGF Team
