Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program

NOAA Fisheries is not operating the Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program due to a lack of available resources to fund additional observations of the southeast Alaska salmon drift gillnet fishery. We will reassess future activities as funding permits.

Alaska

NOAA Fisheries is mandated by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to measure and report on the effects of commercial fisheries on marine mammal stocks. One of the ways NOAA Fisheries gathers this information is through the Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program. This program is focused on marine mammal interactions that occur in fisheries managed by the State of Alaska. Federally-managed fisheries are monitored by the North Pacific Fisheries Observer Program.

The purpose of the Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program is to:

Obtain reliable estimates of incidental serious injury and mortality of marine mammals and seabirds
Determine the reliability of reports submitted by vessel owners and operators
Identify changes in fishing methods or technology that may increase or decrease incidental serious injury or mortality
Collect biological samples to support and promote scientific studies
Record data on by-catch and discard levels of all species