Tag Archives: fisheries-observers

Electronic monitoring comes to Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery

Kiley Thompson knows the fishery well. He has been fishing in Alaska waters for nearly 30 years. After getting a job in college fishing for salmon, this eventually became his full-time profession. Today, he fishes along with three crew members in the Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery on F/V Decision, a 58-foot seiner/trawler based in Sand Point, Alaska. ‘The biggest challenge for us is getting observers, and you can end up losing fishing time waiting for them to arrive,’ Kiley Thompson said. In the face of these challenges, the Gulf of Alaska fleet turned to emerging electronic  monitoring technologies. >click to read< 07:48

Drugs on deck: Meth abuse hampers use of fisheries observers

Methamphetamine abuse aboard the commercial fishing fleet is preventing officials from placing observers on high-risk vessels. Reports released reveal hard drug use and the erratic behaviour of crew has led to observers feeling unsafe. And in some cases, the Ministry for Primary Industries have refused to put staff on board. And a survey commissioned by Maritime NZ reveals 30 per cent of fishers knew someone who used drugs while on deck. It follows the death of 26-year-old Steffan Stewart, who died after becoming trapped in a piece of machinery aboard a factory trawler. He was found with methamphetamine in his system likely consumed at sea, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission review found. >click to read< 11:37

Assaults on Fisheries Observers More than Double in Two Years with No Reported Enforcement

obs_logo_lgAttacks against independent monitors of U.S. fishing fleets more than doubled between 2013 and 2015. That’s according to official figures posted today by the Association for Professional Observers (APO) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Last year, despite a record number of such assaults, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took no enforcement action in any case and more than half remain in “open” status – many for months. Approximately 700 observers monitor fleets in 47 different fisheries in U.S. waters, logging some 77,000 days at sea each year. Many are female and face particular challenges from all-male fishing crews on long voyages. Read the rest here 22:22

WWF calls for end to harassment and worse of fisheries observers

keith_whale_shark_credited_keith_davis_family_1_533394With World Fisheries Day being celebrated today, WWF is calling upon fishery managers to urgently address the increasing assaults and intimidations targeted at fisheries observers and to immediately take measures to ensure their health and safety onboard fishing vessels. WWF is shocked about the number of disappearances of observers on fishing vessels: marine biologist Keith Davis disappeared at sea in September working as an observer in MRAG Americas’ IATTC Trans-shipment Observer Programme. Charlie Lasisi, another observer,,, Read the rest here 09:35

A Look Into The Role Of Fisheries Observers – Today @ 12:20 PST/3:20 EST on OPB.org

On August 13, deck boss Richard Clayton Palek was arrested and charged with a federal misdemeanor violation of a law that prohibits anyone from forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, intimidating, sexually harassing, bribing, or interfering with a fishery observer. Palek allegedly threatened and physically assaulted the observer.  TODAY @ 12:20 PST/3:20 EST   NOAA Fisheries@NOAAFisheries 35m  “Think Out Loud”: bit.ly/1pMf55M  10:22

The Ringer – A True Story of the National Marine Fisheries Service Observer Program

Origional post Sun Aug 21, 2011 by jj

The Ringer A True Story of the National Marine Fisheries Service Observer Program

The National Marine Fishery Service observer program sends many recent graduates of marine biology programs out on fishing vessels to collect data for fisheries science and to observe fishing activity and how it affects the environment and wildlife. In stories about fishing you often hear of the efforts of sea captains and their brave crews and never a word about the observer who accepts and takes many of the same risks as anyone who signs on as a crew member in the world’s most dangerous job.

Call her M. as anonymity is a requirement of this story. She came aboard like every other observer with a stack of baskets and fish measuring stuff for her work during the voyage. She was in her early twenties. In a baggy sweatshirt pulled over a slender frame with hair pulled back in a pony tail she looked like just another fresh faced college kid ready to do her part for the cause of fish science. At first she kept to herself but since we weren’t going to take any fish on board the Osprey at that time of year it isn’t a very demanding job for an observer. I think this whole story happened because she got bored.

My crewmate C.D. is a cribbage player with a long history of wins over fellow crew members and captains. We had been having a series of very competitive games and while there was no clear victor I would give him a slight advantage over me in both number of wins and quality of play. He is very proud of his game and ability to play and brags on himself a little at times,,,,,,,,,,,Read More

http://jjthefisherman.newsvine.com/_news/2011/08/21/7242327-the-ringer-a-true-story-of-the-national-marine-fisheries-service-observer-program