AFSC/FMA/NPRB Alternative Catch Monitoring Table and Column Definitions

These data arise from a field study of groundfish catch monitoring in Kodiak, AK trawl fisheries. Two monitoring components were included in the study: 1) at-sea sampling methods used by observers to sample species composition of catch and 2) shore-side sampling of delivered catch by observers to validate landings species composition reports. The at-sea portion of the study consisted of a side-by-side comparison (two observers) of a proposed new sampling method and the standard sampling method. Observer data were recorded at-sea on paper and transferred to an Oracle database. The shoreside component of this study consisted of observer species composition sampling in plants for later comparison with landings data. The shore-side data were collected by observers in processing plants, recorded on paper and transferred to an Oracle database. Data collection started in April 2011 and continued through August 2011. Third party landings data (NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Regional Office, Sustainable Fisheries Division) that were used in the analysis are stored in an oracle database. Data for both project components (at-sea and shoreside) were collected during normal fishing activities onboard commercial trawl catcher vessels and during normal processing activities in shore-based processing plants.

This project investigated whether proposed changes to how observer data are collected on catcher vessels that deliver to shoreside processors result in greater accuracy and precision of catch estimates. The first component of the project compared standard and alternative methods of sampling catch that will be discarded at-sea (bycatch component), while the second component examined the effectiveness of using observer data to verify the accuracy of species identification on industry reports of retained catch (retained catch component).

Specifically, the objectives of this project were to test (1) whether alternative at-sea sampling methods are (a) feasible aboard small catcher vessels in Alaska, and (b) result in lower variance in estimates of discard relative to current methods, and (2) test whether the accuracy of retained catch information can be improved through monitoring and verification of species identification by observers.

Faunce, C. H., J. A. Cahalan, J. Bonney, R. Swanson. 2013. Alternative catch monitoring of Alaskan groundfish. North Pacific Reseach Board Final Report Project 1017.

Dataset exists on Raja.AFSC.NOAA.Gov in an Oracle 11g Enterprise Instance SID = afsc

Modeled in Oracle Designer

Confidential under provision of Magnuson-Stevens

Confidentiality agreement required for unaggregated data.

These data may be made available for the duration of approved research with filed and approved confidentiality agreements

Confidentiality agreement required

Limited to approved research

None

None

Oracle 11g Database managed by the office of information systems and engineered using Oracle Designer.

These data were subject to inseason review, and comprehensive debriefing. Data are subjected to automated error checking whenever changes are saved.

There are multiple layers of error checking. Initial values include database check constraints. Once transmitted extensive automated error checking occurs and near real time data confirmation and/or corrections are communicated to the observers.

Sampling bias due to the constraints of the physical environment is a known limitation, but does not appear to be significant over time.

These data were subject to inseason advising, automated error scripting, and comprehensive debriefing.

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act section 402(b)(2) any observer data shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except in accordance with certain exceptions. Confidentiality of observer statistics is to be maintained under 50 CFR 600.415 - Access to statistics. Access to these data are provided to Federal, State, Council, Research Institutions and others who have a demonstrated need for such access, and who have submitted and been been granted approval, of limited access confidentiality agreements. These agreements are valid only for the duration of approved projects or research, the data released

These data have little value out of context and are preserved in a fully backed up Oracle database at the AFSC.

These data are preserved in a fully backed up and mirrored Oracle database at the AFSC.

There are multiple layers of error checking. Initial values include database check constraints. Once transmitted extensive automated error checking occurs and near real time data confirmation and/or corrections are communicated to the observers. These data were part of a NPRB research Projects including video and conventional observer protocols.