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Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program

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Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program

The ACCSP was established in 1995 as one of five regional Fisheries Information Networks. Stats shared are non-confidential data.

It is the principal source of dependable and timely marine fishery statistics for Atlantic coast fisheries.

05/08/2026

ACCSP releases FY2027 Request for Proposals

Please submit initial proposals as Microsoft Word and Excel files no later than June 12, 2026 by email to Julie DeFilippi Simpson, ACCSP Deputy Director [email protected].

If you have any questions about the funding decision process, please contact your agency’s Operations Committee member or Julie (703-842-0787).

For more information visit https://www.accsp.org/what-we-do/partner-project-funding/

05/06/2026

ACCSP Coordinating Council Meeting Summary

The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) Coordinating Council met to take action on the FY2027 Request for Proposals (RFP), discuss NOAA recreational fishing initiatives, and receive program updates. The meeting focused on advancing funding priorities, improving data collection efforts, and strengthening coordination across partners.

During the meeting, the Council approved the FY2027 RFP, including updates to the funding decision process, proposal guidelines, and review schedule. The Council also modified proposal guidance to clarify that requests for funding to purchase third-party data or develop or purchase third-party software similar to ACCSP tools will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The motion was approved by unanimous consent.

The Council received updates from NOAA on the Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive (RAPID), MRIP estimate publication dates, and planning for the 2027 Recreational Summit. Members also reviewed a summary of proposed enhancements to APAIS to collect more detailed information on area fished and depredation.

Program updates highlighted ongoing ACCSP activities, including recreational initiatives, the upcoming 2025 commercial landings publication, software development projects, major cross-team efforts, and regional partner coordination.

04/29/2026

ACCSP Operations and Advisory Committees Meeting Summary

The ACCSP Operations and Advisory Committees met on April 6, 2026, to discuss program updates and review the FY2027 Request for Proposals (RFP). The meeting focused on strengthening proposal quality and ensuring the continued impact of ACCSP-funded projects through collaboration and thoughtful refinement of processes.
During the meeting, members approved updates to the RFP, including the addition of a required cover letter addressing review questions. The group also revised language related to proposals requesting funding for third-party data or software, clarifying that such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To support more thorough evaluations, an additional week was added to the proposal review timeline. Members also approved an updated approach to conversion factors that incorporates a reference year and provided direction to staff to begin drafting language related to artificial intelligence for inclusion in the ACCSP NDA.
Program updates included progress on software development efforts such as the eDR redesign and state OSR implementation, as well as the spring 2025 data load. The committees also received updates on recreational fisheries initiatives, including progress on the catch card pilot and ongoing estimate reviews by state partners.
Recommendations from the meeting will be presented to the ACCSP Coordinating Council for final approval at its May 4 meeting.

04/22/2026

This Earth Day, the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program celebrates the power of data in sustaining our marine resources

04/10/2026

ACCSP Information Systems Committee Meeting Summary

The ACCSP Information Systems Committee met virtually on March 24, 2026, to discuss updates and ongoing work related to program systems and data processes.

During the meeting, ACCSP and partners conducted a retrospective on the eDR project, reviewing key outcomes and identifying opportunities to inform future system improvements. Committee members also received an update on the Attribute Validations project, including current progress and next steps to strengthen data quality and validation processes across ACCSP systems. In addition, the group discussed several other project updates and explored new proposal ideas to support continued program development and innovation.

The committee identified several next steps following the meeting, including continued collaboration on system enhancements and advancing project planning efforts. In the coming months, the committee will continue working together to improve data systems and support effective, science-based fisheries management.

04/07/2026

ACCSP Commercial Technical Committee Meeting Summary

The ACCSP Commercial Technical Committee met virtually on March 25, 2026, to discuss updates and ongoing work related to improving commercial fisheries data collection.

During the meeting, the committee reviewed participation guidelines for ACCSP technical committee consensus voting processes and discussed several key initiatives. Committee members received an update on the Conversion Factor Project, including recent progress incorporating date-based information and price data for SAFIS audit purposes, and continued discussions on future factor changes, including funding and staffing considerations. The group also discussed the Aquaculture Conversion Factor Project, focusing on sampling scope and identifying data collection needs to support the development of accurate aquaculture-related conversion factors. Committee members discussed the Trip Interview Program (TIP) and Port Agent operations, including staffing levels, interview coverage, operational challenges, and priorities for the coming months. Additional updates included SAFIS Dealer Reports (eDR) redesign, the eTRIPS Validation Project, state OSR plan reviews, and the integration of federal VTR data into SAFIS. The committee also provided feedback on limited confidential data access and revisited topics raised during the 2025 meeting, and discussed the introduction and integration of AI and its potential role in supporting ACCSP programs.

The committee identified several next steps following the meeting. Members will provide feedback on limited confidential data access, while ACCSP will continue development efforts for SAFIS eDR redesign and ETrips validation. The committee will also support ongoing data collection planning for the Aquaculture Conversion Factor Project and continue exploring the use of AI to support program operations. In the coming months, the committee will continue advancing these initiatives and working collaboratively to improve commercial fisheries data collection and support science-based fisheries management.

03/30/2026

Making Waves at Georgia CoastFest 2026 🌊

ACCSP had a fantastic time at CoastFest on March 21, 2026, at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick, Georgia! 🌊

This free annual event, hosted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division, brought together the community to celebrate Georgia’s rich coastal heritage through hands-on learning, live wildlife, exhibits, and fun activities for all ages.

We were proud to partner with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) at a shared outreach table, where we connected with members of the fisheries community and coastal stakeholders.

Visitors stopped by to learn more about the ACCSP Data Warehouse—what it is, why it matters, and how it supports sustainable fisheries management along the Atlantic coast. We also shared an infographic to help make this valuable resource even more accessible!
Thank you to everyone who came out to engage with us—we loved the opportunity to connect and share our work. See you next year! 🐟

03/19/2026

ACCSP Recreational Technical Committee Meeting Summary

The ACCSP Recreational Technical Committee met virtually on March 4, 2026, to discuss updates and ongoing work related to improving recreational fisheries data collection.

During the meeting, the committee discussed additional data collection of depredation information in 2026 APAIS. Committee members continued the discussions about member participation, emerging topics and interests for future meetings, and improvements to the expediency of the APAIS. to propose and prioritize discussion topics, first presented during a September 9-10, 2025 meeting. The discussion mostly focused on participation from members and on emerging topics for future meetings. .The committee identified several next steps following the meeting. NOAA Fisheries will review intercept data from the 2025 Catch Card pilot project to determine whether it could be used to support MRIP estimates. Committee members will also provide feedback on the proposed amendment to include an map to collect area fished. ACCSP will explore ways to gather committee input through polling tools and improve notification channels for sharing committee agendas.

In the coming months, committee members will review NOAA’s forthcoming Recreational Angler Partnership Improvement Directive (RAPID) framework report and help plan workshops in 2026 focused on strengthening recreational fishing partnerships and collaboration.

03/06/2026

ACCSP Biological Review Panel Committee Annual Meeting Summary

The ACCSP Biological Review Panel recently convened its Annual Biological Review Panel meeting, virtually on February 25, 2026.
During the meeting, ACCSP staff shared an overview of committee processes and consensus-building and introduced the SciFish citizen science platform. Updates were also provided on biological database connections currently being developed with partners including the NOAA Fisheries Service (SEFSC), Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, and the NC Dept of Environmental Quality (NCDMF).

Panel members discussed several biological data submission standards and reached consensus on a few key items:
• Biological data will be submitted twice per year, in May and October
• Water temperature data should be converted from Fahrenheit to Celsius before submission and collected before fishing hauls begin
• Depth measurements will be recorded in fathoms, with a new field added to track both ocean floor depth and fishing gear depth
These updates help improve the consistency and usefulness of biological data shared through ACCSP and its partners.
Thanks to the Panel members for their time and collaboration!

02/12/2026

Coordinated Science for Better Fisheries Management: ACCSP’s Bycatch Prioritization Committee and Biological Review Panel Meetings

The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP) brings together expert partners through two key groups: the ACCSP Bycatch and the ACCSP Biological Review Panel. These committees work behind the scenes to ensure that bycatch, protected species interactions, and biological sampling data are collected, managed, and prioritized using transparent, science-based methods.
Why this matters:
The ACCSP Bycatch Prioritization Committee works to supports sustainable fisheries, informed management decisions, and healthy marine ecosystems — benefiting fishers, Atlantic coastal communities, and the public.
ACCSP Biological Review Panel develops standards for collecting and managing biological data and maintains the commercial biological sampling priority matrix, ranking species based on fishery statistics, sampling levels, and partner priorities.
🐟 Bycatch Prioritization Committee
Members collaborate to:
• Finalize methodologies for the bycatch prioritization matrix
• Test the bycatch sampling program inventory application
• Explore citizen science opportunities to help fill data gaps
• Develop strategies for collecting at-sea, port discard, and protected species interaction data
📅 Bycatch Prioritization Committee Annual Meeting
February 17, 2026 | 1:00–4:00 PM | Webinar
Agenda highlights include:
• Committee Process & Consensus
• SciFish Demo
• Spiny Dogfish Management Changes (FY2025)
• Mid-Atlantic large mesh gillnet fishery updates
• Matrix score implications
• Elections

🐟 Biological Review Panel
Members collaborate to:
• Develop strategies and standards for the collection and management of biological data
• Maintain the commercial biological sampling priority matrix, ranking species based on partner priorities, fishery statistics, current sampling levels, and characteristics of the fishery and species
• Ensure biological sampling efforts align with stock assessment and fisheries management needs
• Maintain and update the biological sampling program inventory
• Work with ACCSP staff to develop, refine, and uphold consistent standards for biological data collection
• Strengthen coordination among partners to improve data quality and accessibility
📅 Biological Review Panel Annual Meeting
February 25, 2026 | 12:00–4:00 PM| Webinar
Agenda highlights include:
• SciFish Presentation
• Biological Standards Review and Approval
• BIO TIP Database Link to ACCSP Progress Update
• NC DMF Database Link to ACCSP Progress Update
• CFRF Database Link to ACCSP Progress Update

Both meetings are open to the public. We encourage stakeholders, researchers, fishermen, and anyone interested in fisheries science to attend and learn more.

02/11/2026

Preparing for 2026 Recreational Fisheries Data Collection

🎣📊 APAIS Training = Ready for the 2026 Field Season!
ACCSP is bringing field interviewers and state partners together to prepare for the 2026 Atlantic APAIS Field Season in both coastal regions.
🌊 South Atlantic APAIS Training
📅 February 10–11, 2026

🌊 North Atlantic APAIS Training
📅 February 24–25, 2026
These annual trainings give field interviewers the chance to review APAIS procedures, sharpen fish identification skills, practice interviewing techniques, and confirm everyone is collecting data the same way, from Maine to Florida.
Meeting face-to-face once a year along the Atlantic coast helps build consistency, answer questions, and strengthen the teamwork between ACCSP, state partners, and field staff. During these trainings interviewers have the opportunity to complete required testing to ensure they’re fully prepared to collect high-quality data in the field.

Address

1050 N Highland Street, Suite 200 A-N
Arlington, VA
22201

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.accsp.org/

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