West Coast Groundfish Program
Observer Program Mandate and Authority
Mission of the program
To provide statistically valid data on the total catch and total discard of vessels participating in the West Coast groundfish fishery.
Fishery management
Federal Government
Authority to place observers
Federal Regulation 66 CFR 20609, April 24, 2001
Voluntary or mandatory
Mandatory
Funding source
Federal Government
Annual program costs
$4 million
Program duration
August 2001 - Present
Fishery Description
Target species
Deep-water complex (Dover sole, Thornyheads, Sablefish), Nearshore complex (Rockfish, Dover sole, Arrowtooth flounder, sablefish, Rex sole, Slender sole, English sole) Rockfish, Petrale sole, Pacific whiting, Shrimp;
Other commercially landed species
Bycatch
Mix of groundfish targeted for retaining is also discarded due to regulation, size, or market, and Marine mammals, invertebrates.
Incidental takes
Gear type
Trawlers, longliners, pot vessels, shrimp trawlers, Scottish seiner, various line gear (i.e. stick gear, cable gear), hook and line.
Area of operation
Coastlines of California, Oregon, and Washington.
Fleet size
Limited entry—350 (trawlers, longliners, pot); open access—1,000 (ine and pot gear); recreational—unknown.
Size range of vessels
10 feet to 100+ feet (including kayaks and skiffs).
Annual catch of target species
Number of fishing days per year
Season of operation
Year round
Observer Program Management
Brief overview of program structure
NOAA Fisheries: Trains observers, logistical assignments, sampling design, contact vessels, debriefing observers, data editing, quality assurance and control, database maintenance and security. Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission: Selects and funds contractor for observer services, gear supply and maintenance. Alaskan Observers, Inc. (AOI): Employs observers, arranges travel of observers (flights, hotels, etc.).
Other participating agencies
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Number of observers
20 to 40
Observers employed by
Average deployment length
One year, eight months, or four months
Average observer retention rate
After one year of program, of the 20 observers who started with us, 15 of 20 (75%) are resigning year contracts. As of August 31, 2002, 7 of 40 (18%) have quit or decided to not renew their contracts.
Observers unionized
No
Observer Coverage
Average number of fishing days
Unit and definition of fishing effort for purpose of estimating coverage
Definition of fishing day: A day when a vessel deploys or retrieves gear.
Percent observer coverage
10 - 20%
