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North Pacific Observer Program Training Schedule

Observer Training to become a certified North Pacific observer consists of a comprehensive three-week program held in Seattle. The curriculum includes safety while at sea, sampling methodologies, species identification, and data documentation requirements. Please see below for dates, training type, and location information.

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Calendar

2024 Fishing Year

Class DatesDay of WeekTraining TypeLocation
November 7Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
November 14Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
November 19-20 Tues - WedFixed Gear LL2Seattle

2025 Fishing Year

Class DatesDay of WeekTraining TypeLocation
December 2-20Mon - Fri3-week TrainingSeattle
December 2-5Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
December 5-6Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
December 9-12Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
December 12-13Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
December 16-17Mon - TuesFixed Gear LL2Seattle
December 16-19Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
December 19-20Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
December 26-31Thur - TuesAnnualSeattle
Dec 26 - Jan 16Thur - Thur3-week TrainingSeattle
    
January 2-3Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
January 6-9Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
January 7-10Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
January 9-10Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
January 13-16Mon - ThursAnnualSeattle
January 16-17Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
January 21-24Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
January 23-24Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
January 27-30Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
    
February 3-6Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
February 11-12Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
February 18-21Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
February 20Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
Feb 24 - Mar 14Mon - Fri3-week TrainingSeattle
February 25-26Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
February 27Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
March 3-6Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
March 6Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
March 13Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
March 18-19Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
March 20Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
March 20-21Thur - FriFixed Gear LL2Seattle
March 24-27Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
March 27Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
April 7-25Mon - Fri3-week TrainingSeattle
April 3Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
April 3-4Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
April 8-11Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
April 10Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
April 17Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
April 22-23Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
April 24Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
April 24-25Thur - FriFixed Gear LL2Seattle
    
May 1Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
May 5-8Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
May 8Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
May 13-14Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
May 15 - June 5Thur - Thur3-week TrainingSeattle
May 15Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
May 22Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
May 29Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
June 3-6Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
June 5Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
June 9-10Mon - Tues2-day Fish Remote
June 11 - July 2Wed - Wed3-week TrainingSeattle
June 12Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
June 18Wednesday1-day BriefingRemote
June 23-26Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
June 26Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
June 30 - July 1Mon - Tues2-day Fish Remote
    
July 3Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
July 8-9Tues - WedFixed Gear LL2Seattle
July 10Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
July 14 - August 1Mon - Fri3-week TrainingSeattle
July 17Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
July 17-18Thur - Fri2-day Fish Remote
July 21-24Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
July 24Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
July 31Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
August 5-6Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
August 7Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
August 11-29Mon - Fri3-week TrainingSeattle
August 12-15Tues - FriAnnualSeattle
August 14Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
August 19-20Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
August 21Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
August 28Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
September 4Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
September 9-10Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
September 11Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
September 11-12Thur - FriFixed Gear LL2Seattle
September 15-18Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
September 18Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
September 23-24Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
September 25Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
October 2Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
October 7-8Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
October 9Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
October 16Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
October 20-23Mon - ThurAnnualSeattle
October 23Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
October 28-29Tues - Wed2-day Fish Remote
October 30Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
    
November 6Thursday1-day BriefingRemote
November 13Thursday1-day BriefingRemote

Notes

  • Annual briefings include a hands on safety refresher training.
  • A 1-day focused training is conducted in conjunction with an annual or 1-day briefing. Please request the addition of a 1-day focused training at least 10 business days prior to the preferred start date. Final class dates will be subject to staff/facility availability. 
  • Class dates more than 90 days out are subject to change to address changes to staff/facility availability and/or deployment needs. 
  • Requests for schedule changes should be made at least 15 business days in advance of a preferred start date. Final class dates will be subject to staff availability.

Additional Resources

Observers

Vessels/Processors

Resources

document

North Pacific Observer Sampling Manual

The Observer Program deploys over 400 Pacific scientific observers each year on a variety of commercial fishing vessels. The observers, in turn,…

document

North Pacific Observer Program Vessel or Plant Operator Comment Form

Additional Resources Observers North Pacific Observer Duties North Pacific Observer Program Training & Briefing North Pacific Observer…

document

North Pacific Observer Program 2020 Annual Report

Section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1862) authorizes the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in consultation with National…