The Council reviewed changes to observer deployment and data collection this year in the full and partial coverage program related to COVID-19, presented by the agency. After a report from its Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (FMAC), the Council provided recommendations to NMFS about re-introducing observers into the partial coverage observer program as well as developing… Read More →
Observer Fee Analysis
The Council approved an increase to the observer fee that supports the deployment of observers and electronic monitoring (EM) systems in the commercial groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries under partial coverage monitoring throughout the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea Aleutian Islands. The Council adopted a fee increase from the current 1.25% to 1.65%. Under… Read More →
Observer Program Draft 2020 Annual Deployment Plan
The Council reviewed the Observer Program Draft 2020 Annual Deployment Plan (ADP), received a report from the Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (FMAC), and supported NMFS’ recommendations for observer deployment in the partial coverage fisheries in 2020. The Council supported NMFS’ recommendation to not deploy observers into tender-specific strata in 2020, and to instead only deploy… Read More →
Observer Program Annual Report
At their June 2019 meeting in Sitka, the Council received a presentation on the Observer Program Annual Report for 2018 and a report from the Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (FMAC). The Annual Report provides a scientific evaluation of the deployment of observers in 2018, to evaluate if deployment expectations were met that year. The report… Read More →
Observer Fee Analysis
At their April meeting, the Council reviewed an analysis to modify the partial coverage observer fee. The Council released the analysis for public review, after revisions and additions from the Council and its advisory bodies, including the SSC, AP, and the Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee, are addressed by staff, to the extent practicable. The Council… Read More →
Observer Coverage on Vessels Delivering to Tenders
The Council received an update on staff progress with resolving challenges related to observer coverage on vessels delivering to tenders, and reaffirmed current tasking priorities. The Council recognizes the longstanding use and importance of tenders in Alaska fisheries, especially in the western Gulf of Alaska, where the location of pollock and Pacific cod fishing grounds… Read More →
Observer Program Annual Deployment Plan
The Council reviewed the Observer Program Draft 2019 Annual Deployment Plan (ADP), received a report from its Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee (FMAC, formerly named the Observer Advisory Committee), and provided recommendations to NMFS. The Council supported NMFS’ recommendations for the deployment strata (to use the same strata as in 2018) and a coverage allocation scheme… Read More →
Observer Issues: 2017 Annual Report
The Council received a presentation about the Observer Program Annual Report for 2017 and a report from the Observer Advisory Committee (the OAC, which will in future be renamed the Fishery Monitoring Advisory Committee). The Annual Report provides a scientific evaluation of the deployment of observers in 2017, to assess whether the objectives of the… Read More →
Electronic Monitoring
In Kodiak, the Council received an update about fixed gear and trawl EM development from the Electronic Monitoring Workgroup (which has now been renamed the EM Committee) and endorsed preliminary monitoring objectives for trawl EM development. In April 2018, the Council reconstituted membership on the EM Workgroup to reflect a transition from the development and… Read More →
Electronic Monitoring Priorities
At the February 2018 meeting in Seattle, the Council reviewed the status of observer and electronic monitoring (EM) projects in the groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries off Alaska. The Council received a presentation from the National Observer Program about observer insurance issues. The presentation further provided an overview of the National Observer Program Safety Review.… Read More →
