If you love saltwater fishing and you’re interested in making a difference in the conservation of some of your favorite marine species, The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) wants to recruit you as a citizen scientist for the Sportfish Angler Data Collection Team (SADCT). You’ll be joining other passionate and concerned saltwater anglers who contribute data that really matters to the study and conservation of striped bass, black sea bass, scup, and other important species. The SADCT program, initiated by DMF in 2002, enlists the help of volunteer saltwater anglers in collecting basic biological catch data and scale samples while fishing in Massachusetts state waters. You’ll be part of a broader effort along the Atlantic coast to manage and conserve sportfish populations.

Before 2002, stock assessment biologists had limited information about the number of fish harvested and released by recreational anglers in Massachusetts state waters. Recognizing this shortfall, DMF launched the SADCT program to collect a larger sample of striped bass size and age information to contribute to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The initial enthusiasm of SADCT citizen scientists led to the program’s expansion in 2014 to include more species for sampling, such as black sea bass, scup, and fluke. The early success of SADCT highlighted the program’s effectiveness in gathering valuable data and its importance in supporting management of fisheries beyond striped bass.

Each year, SADCT participants contribute close to 1,800 samples. Once the collected scales arrive at the Age and Growth Lab, they’re thoroughly cleaned and prepared for processing. Biologists make impressions of the scales, allowing them to analyze the rings and estimate age composition and growth rates, similar to how we count rings to age trees. Information from the scales provide vital insights into population dynamics and provides useful information back to recreational anglers.

As an example, last year we produced a striped bass length-age calculation chart based on data submitted on nearly 8,000 fish! These charts have been a hit on the internet and have been a popular item for the anglers to take home from the DMF booth at fishing shows all winter. Using the chart to estimate the age of your catch is a fun tool, but the underlying data is also really important. Length and age data recorded from SADCT samples are used by stock assessment biologists to estimate long-term population structure. Understanding age, length, and growth enables biologists to more effectively manage popular saltwater species by tracking overall population health, growth, and mortality rates.

For a list of target species and to find out how you can help please visit SADCT or contact Kimberly Fine at (978) 491-6224 for more information. Join today and contribute to better management of your favorite fishes!