FMA Field Operations

The Field Operations Program has three field offices in Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The Program manager and cadre staff are based in Anchorage while permanent field office leads are located in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor. All field staff have served as observers in Alaska fisheries and they bring a diverse set of experiences and knowledge to the Division. Parallel duties of field staff include communicating with industry members to improve compliance with regulations associated with observer safety, working conditions, and sampling; providing support to observers to enhance data quality; and participating in fishery research cruises in support of the Division or other Science Center research activities.

The Program manager and each of the field office leads run the day-to-day operations of the field stations, providing invaluable service to observers, industry, and the public. Along with supervising temporarily assigned staff, they collaborate with biologists from the AFSC and Alaska Region on many projects. The offices at all three locations provide year-round service.

FMA ha s a flexible group of biologists that provide direct assistance and one-on-one interaction with observers in the office and at vessels and plants. They carry out rotational assignments at the field offices and remote ports throughout Alaska, where they coordinate with industry to improve upon observer sampling, working, and living conditions. Staff have experience with all of Alaska's fishing gear and vessel types, as well as shoreside operations.