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Fetch raw creel datasets

Source: R/fetch_data.R
fetch_data.Rd

Retrieves freshwater recreational fishery creel datasets for a single fishery. Data can be sourced from the WDFW PostgreSQL database (data_source = "internal") or from the public data portal at https://data.wa.gov (data_source = "external"). Returns a named list of tibbles in a consistent structure regardless of the source.

Usage

fetch_data(
  conn = NULL,
  fishery_name,
  tables = c("effort", "ll", "interview", "catch", "closures", "fishery_manager",
    "creel_event", "model_catch_group"),
  data_source = c("internal", "external")
)

Arguments

conn

A valid database connection from connect_creel_db(). When data_source = "internal" and conn = NULL (default), a connection is opened automatically via connect_creel_db() and closed on exit. An invalid conn supplied errors. Ignored when data_source = "external".

fishery_name

Character string. The exact fishery name to filter on.

tables

Character vector of data components to retrieve. Defaults to all eight: "effort", "ll", "interview", "catch", "closures", "fishery_manager", "creel_event", "model_catch_group". Subset as needed, e.g. tables = c("catch", "interview").

data_source

Character string, either "internal" or "external". "internal" queries the WDFW PostgreSQL database (requires conn). "external" downloads from data.wa.gov (no database connection needed).

Value

A named list of tibbles. Only requested tables are included. Element names are identical regardless of data_source: $effort, $ll, $interview, $catch, $closures, $fishery_manager, $creel_event, $model_catch_group.

Details

Internal path (data_source = "internal")

Queries database views via fetch_db_table(). The conn argument must be a valid connection from connect_creel_db(). The ll (latitude/longitude) table is derived by filtering water_body_lut to water bodies present in the effort data. If "ll" is requested without "effort", the effort view is queried internally to resolve water body names but is not returned.

External path (data_source = "external")

Downloads CSV data from data.wa.gov Socrata endpoints. No database connection is required or referenced. The model_catch_group view is not yet published to data.wa.gov; requesting it returns NULL with an informative message.

(Optional) Socrata SODA API Token Setup

https://www.data.wa.gov/ can occasionally throttle data requests. This rate limitation is intermittent and may cause fetch_data to fail. Each user may register for an app token that will prevent this from occurring. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Step 1: Register for an app token

  • Create a free account at data.wa.gov —> click Sign In -> Sign Up in the top right corner

  • Once logged in, navigate to your profile -> Developer Settings -> Create New App Token

  • Fill in Application Name (e.g., CreelEstimates) and Description. All other fields can be left blank

  • Click Save and copy the App Token value (not the Secret Token)

Step 2: Store the token in your R environment

  • Open your .Renviron file: usethis::edit_r_environ()

  • Add the following line, then save and close the file: SOCRATA_APP_TOKEN=your_token_here

  • Restart R, then confirm the token is accessible: Sys.getenv("SOCRATA_APP_TOKEN")

    • Should return your token, not ""

WARNING: Renviron is stored locally and is not tracked by git.

Examples

if (FALSE) { # \dontrun{
# External (no database needed)
data <- fetch_data(fishery_name = "Skagit fall salmon 2025",
                   data_source = "external")

# Internal with automatic `connect_creel_db()` call
data <- fetch_data(fishery_name = "Skagit fall salmon 2025",
                   data_source = "internal")

# Subset of tables
data <- fetch_data(fishery_name = "Skagit fall salmon 2025",
                   tables = c("catch", "interview"),
                   data_source = "external")
} # }