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Observer Programs

Fishery observers collect catch data from U.S. commercial fishing and processing vessels. Nationwide, nearly 20 different fisheries are monitored by observer programs. NMFS has been using observers to collect fisheries data from 1972 to the present. Observers have monitored fishing activities on all U.S. coasts, collecting data for a range of conservation and management issues.

The SEFSC manages the following observer programs:

• Pelagic Observer Program (Miami Lab)
• Gillnet Observer Program (Panama City Lab)
• Bottom Longline Observer Program (Panama City Lab)
• Platform Removal Observer Program (Galveston Lab)

Observer Links

• National Observer Program
• Sea Turtles and Fishery Observers
• Association of Professional Observers
• U.S. Coast Guard Fishing Vessel Safety
• Commercial Shark Fishery Observer Program
• North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program [pdf]
• Northeast Fisheries Science Center-Fisheries Sampling Branch
• Shark Population Assessment Group

Commercial Fishing Links

• National Fisheries Institute
• NMFS Online Permit Shop
• US Coast Guard Public Information Page
• US Coast Guard Marine Safety, Security & Environmental Protection
• Fishery Management Councils Homepage

Regulatory and Scientific Links

• NMFS Highly Migratory Species
• International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
• UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Fisheries
• Cooperative Tagging System
• Stanford University Tuna Research
• Billfish Foundation Research
• Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Permits