b'FeatureCatching a bin full of snapper shouldnt be difficult for Kiwi anglers but it is now harder for many fishers.Gathering tasty kaimoana is now harder with a 29% reduction in the amount of rock lobster landed by recreational fishers alone.The data matches what many everyday anglers have been telling us, there are fewer people fishing, and its getting harder to catch a feed for the whnau. Photo credit: Amber JonesOnsite boat ramp or access point surveys are conducted by organisations such as NIWA. These surveys employ trained interviewers to survey recreational fishers recording catch and effort data in real-time.The goal isnt to talk to every single person who drops a line in the waterits to gather a statistically valid sample and extrapolate the results using established, peer-reviewed methodologies. Thats how all large-scale data collection works. Its the same approach used in the Census, political 42FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE'