AFSC/FMA/North Pacific Observer Foreign Fishing

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) began placing observers on foreign fishing vessels operating off the northwest and Alaskan coasts of the United States in 1973, creating the North Pacific Foreign Fisheries Observer Program. Initially, observers were placed on vessels only upon invitation by host countries. In the early years of the program the primary purposes of observers were to determine incidental catch rates of Pacific halibut in groundfish catches and to verify catch statistics in the Japanese crab fishery. Later, observers collected data on the incidence of king crab, snow (Tanner) crab, and Pacific salmon, and obtained biological data on other important species. Following the implementation of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which mandated that fishery observers be placed on foreign fishing vessels operating within the US 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the Alaska coast of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, observer coverage rapidly expanded. By 1986, the foreign fisheries that were not joint-venture were halted.

Document Foreign Fishery Catch and Effort Statistics by Fishery Observers.

Japan initiated a fishery for yellowfin sole in the eastern Bering Sea in 1933. This fishery continued until 1941 when it was terminated by the outbreak of World War II. Japanese fishing vessels returned in 1954 and were joined in 1959 by fishing vessels from the former U.S.S.R. During the 1950s and 1960s, the number of participating vessels increased and began targeting other species and exploring new fishing areas. Flatfish were the principal targets of the Japanese and Russian fleets during the '50s and '60s. By the mid-1960s, after a decline in flatfish stocks, both Japan and Russia began targeting walleye pollock. During the late 1960s and early 1970s vessels from other countries began fishing in the eastern Bering Sea including; Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, and Poland.

photo of foreign fishing vesselThe National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) began placing observers on foreign fishing vessels operating off the northwest and Alaskan coasts of the United States in 1973, creating the North Pacific Foreign Fisheries Observer Program. Initially, observers were placed on vessels only upon invitation by host countries. In the early years of the program the primary purposes of observers were to determine incidental catch rates of Pacific halibut in groundfish catches and to verify catch statistics in the Japanese crab fishery. Later, observers collected data on the incidence of king crab, snow (Tanner) crab, and Pacific salmon, and obtained biological data on other important species. Following the implementation of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which mandated that foreign vessels accept observers, observer coverage greatly expanded.

In 1978 American fishers began fishing for groundfish in joint ventures with foreign processing vessels. By 1986 all nonjoint-venture foreign fisheries were halted, and by 1991 all foreign fishing within the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska was terminated.

This data set is for historical documentation only. The data it contains is static and although no longer used for fishery management remains confidential.

MSA confidentiality constraints.

Purpose and confidentiality documentation must be on file prior to release of unaggredated catch and effort statistics.

Purpose and confidentiality documentation must be on file prior to release of unaggredated catch and effort statistics.

N/A

Purpose and confidentiality documentation must be on file prior to release of unaggredated catch and effort statistics.

Approved Research and Status of Stocks Analysis

None

None

Data was recorded on paper deck sheets, and entered into an Oracle database once the observer returned to port, or reported for debriefing.

Currently the data reside in static tables at the AFSC.

The data reflect the early efforts to compile observer data of an ongoing fishery. They may be considered representative of the actual fishing activity within the constraints of an activly developing program.

The data reflect the early efforts to compile observer data of an ongoing fishery. They may be considered representative of the actual fishing activity within the constraints of an activly developing program.

These data retain any sampling bias the may have resulted from the practices followed at the time of collection

These data are static and complete.

These data were subject to debriefing at the conclusion of the observer cruise.

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 are contained within a fully backed up and mirrored Oracle database at the AFSC. The data have little value out of context and are confidential.

These data are contained within a fully backed up and mirrored Oracle database at the AFSC

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) began placing observers on foreign fishing vessels operating off the northwest and Alaskan coasts of the United States in 1973, creating the North Pacific Foreign Fisheries Observer Program. Initially, observers were placed on vessels only upon invitation by host countries. In the early years of the program the primary purposes of observers were to determine incidental catch rates of Pacific halibut in groundfish catches and to verify catch statistics in the Japanese crab fishery. Later, observers collected data on the incidence of king crab, snow (Tanner) crab, and Pacific salmon, and obtained biological data on other important species. Following the implementation of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which mandated that foreign vessels accept observers, observer coverage greatly expanded.