The Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program Manual (2005)

In Alaska, there are 10 Category II fisheries, 9 of which are salmon gillnet fisheries with one salmon purse seine. The Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program operates to obtain the necessary data needed to classify fisheries and otherwise manage marine mammal interactions and to achieve a basic understanding of the rate of mortality and serious injury occurring to marine mammals in Alaska Category II fisheries. Funded by MMPA implementation funds, the costs incurred in placing observers are not passed on to the fishing industry.

Of the Category II fisheries of Alaska, five have been observed, including the Prince William Sound drift and set net gillnet fisheries (1990-1991), the Alaska Peninsula drift gillnet fishery (1990), the Cook Inlet drift and set gill net fisheries (1999-2000), and the Kodiak set gillnet fishery (2002).