Electronic Monitoring versus At Sea Observers – Technology buoys fishermen devastated by cod’s collapse

Captain Jim Ford and his crew sort out fish from their first four-hour trawl of the dayBy the end of this year, NMFS wants groundfish fishermen to pay for their own “at-sea monitors,” the independent observers who collect data on bycatch and ensure fishermen follow the rules..”It’s the people that we’re dealing with that we trust,” said . “I know that John is trying to do the best he can, and I know the people he’s got working for him are trying to do the best they can.” As for the rest of NOAA? “Would you trust someone who has screwed you nonstop your whole life?” he said. “Thirty-five years ago, I thought it was different. I don’t anymore.” Read the rest here 12:09

2 Responses to Electronic Monitoring versus At Sea Observers – Technology buoys fishermen devastated by cod’s collapse

  1. illusion1256 says:

    I read the article and I contributed to it but I was not told it was about EM. The questions to me were about study fleet which I fully support. I do not support EM with cameras The electronic vtrs the data collecting are all fine I like doing it and I like the people.
    The fact that she put the cost of observers in, while failing to put the cost of EM in tells me this is another EDF article and I should not have commented at all. The cot of EM for an average groundfish trawler is $53,978 based on 900 hours of viewed data if we increase to 1800 viewed hours it is about $96,000. The reason I put the second figure in is because I believe average was meant to be lest than 88 days and I am putting in over 200 days.
    If I take 25% observer coverage (higher then required) multiplied by 200 days @ $800 it is $40,000. 100 days would be $20,000 which is what I believe average is closer to.
    This is typical of NGO reporting HALF TRUTHS and HALF the INFORMATION. Not to mention that the camera recognition does not work on flat fish or the hakes. Mark Phillips

    • Joel Hovanesian says:

      Yet another example of big brother stepping on the throats of fishermen. All this data will ever be used for is to continue the destruction of this industry. Put the camera’s in the office’s of the politicians and the beurocrats and see what they would say about being monitored. For that matter make them wear cameras everywhere they go while doing the nations business. You know, like when they are meeting with lobbyists! And make sure the volume is turned up good and loud so we can hear how much money will be deposited in their offshore bank accounts. Just a bunch of corrupt bastards pushing the agenda’s of whoever is contributing the most money to their re-election campaigns.

      And folks wonder why Donald trump is getting so much traction.

      Time to defund these job killing corrupt, tyrannical government agencies. I’m so sick of this shit.

      But after he disembarked, his superiors at MRAG Americas — which holds a multimillion-dollar contract with NOAA to provide observers — told him he was not cleared to speak to the press. In an email, he said he was “not prepared to have a reporter on board.” He asked that his quotes not be included; this article includes only his conversations with Ford.

      MRAG which is owned and operated by a former regional administrator will not allow their employee’s to speak to the press? Why? This used to be a free country. And what was the process in which this contract was awarded?
      Where are the investigative journalist’s when you need them?

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