North Pacific Observer Program 2017 Annual Report

Section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1862) authorizes the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), in consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), to prepare a fishery research plan for the purpose of stationing observers and electronic monitoring (EM) systems to collect data necessary for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the commercial groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and Gulf of Alaska (GOA) management areas. Observers and EM systems collect fishery-dependent information used to estimate total catch and interactions with protected species. Managers use these data to manage groundfish and prohibited species catch within established limits and to document and reduce fishery interactions with protected resources. Scientists use fishery-dependent data to assess fish stocks, to provide scientific information for fisheries and ecosystem research and fishing fleet behavior, to assess marine mammal interactions with fishing gear, and to assess fishing interactions with habitat.

Each year, the Annual Deployment Plan (ADP)describes the science-driven method for deployment of observers on vessels in the partial coverage category (50 CFR 679.51(a)) in the halibut and groundfish fisheries off Alaska. The following year, the agency provides an Annual Report with descriptive information and scientific evaluation the deployment of observers. The ADP and Annual Report process provides information to assess whether the objectives of the Observer Program have been met and a process to make recommendations to improve implementation of the program to further these objectives.

Additional Resources

Observers

• North Pacific Observer Duties
• North Pacific Observer Program Training & Briefing
• North Pacific Observer Program Training Schedule
• North Pacific Observer Program Permitted Providers
• North Pacific Observer Pre-Class Reading Material
• North Pacific Observer Sampling Manual
• What is a North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Brochure
• North Pacific Observer Resources

Vessels/Processors

• North Pacific Observer Program Annual Deployment Plans
• North Pacific Observer Program Annual Reports
• North Pacific Observer Vessel / Plant Operator FAQ
• North Pacific Observer Vessel / Plant Operator Comment Form
• Electronic Monitoring FAQs
• Rules and Notices
• Regulatory Analyses