Fishery observers are NOAA Fisheries' eyes and ears on the water. Interested in learning more about what a typical day looks like for observers? Check out the observer profiles and blogs below!
Fisheries observers are professionally trained biological technicians whose work helps to ensure sustainable fisheries in U.S. waters. While their work is intense, their days can also be filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences observing remarkable ecosystems and rare species.
Check out the observer profiles and blogs below to learn more about what a day in the life of an observer looks like!
North Pacific Fisheries Observer
From deep sea fishing for flounder, to cage diving with great white sharks, to spending weeks at a time on commercial fishing vessels, Jennifer has devoted her life to the ocean.
There are many paths that can bring a person to the deck of a fishing vessel in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. For fisheries observer Sarah Williamson, that path included a lifelong love of the ocean and a nudge from a social media post.
“Salty, watery, muddy, bloody, little space, on a constantly moving deck” may not be the words most people would apply to a job they actually enjoy doing. But for fisheries observer Woody Venard, it’s an accurate description.
Childhood fishing trips on the reefs with his father sparked an initial interest in marine species in Mario Esera. Today, he's a Pacific Islands observer aiming to break the record for days at sea in Hawaiʻi and American Samoa.
For Beth Nelson, being an observer is truly a dream job. Despite the challenges of being an observer, Nelson treasures every adventure, sunrise at sea, and opportunity to encounter a cool new species.
Keenan Carpenter has always loved the ocean. Now as an observer, he collects data "for the benefit of everyone—the public and the industry—so that we don't end up with depleted waters."
Pacific Islands Observer
Northeast Fisheries Observer
Hawai'i Longline Observer
Northeast Fisheries Observer
Northeast Fisheries Observer - Conch
North Pacific Fisheries Observer - Alaska Longline
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program - Gillnet
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program & At-Sea Monitoring Program
Northeast Fisheries Observer - Gillnet & Longline
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program
Northeast Fisheries Observer - Bottom Trawl, Gillnet, & Clam
North Pacific Fisheries Observer - Alaska Groundfish & Halibut
Commercial fishing in the Valdez, Alaska harbor.
The Pacific leatherback sea turtles have existed in their current form without scales and a hard shell since the age of the dinosaurs, but threats from bycatch, egg harvesting, and degradation of nesting habit have made this species endangered. Photo credit: Jason Isley, Scubazoo.
