North Pacific Observer Program

This action is a request for a revision of an existing collection due to an associated proposed rule that requires vessels participating in halibut deck sorting to develop deck safety plans, implement pre-cruise safety meetings, and modify observer duties for the observer onboard vessels participating in halibut deck sorting [RIN: 0648-BI53]. Section 313 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1862) authorizes the Council, in consultation with NMFS, to prepare a fishery research plan for the purpose of stationing observers and electronic monitoring (EM) systems to collect data necessary for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the commercial groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska management areas. Under the North Pacific Observer Program, observers and EM systems collect fishery-dependent information used to estimate total catch and interactions with protected species. The information collection requirements described in this collection are necessary to support the deployment of observers and EM systems for the collection of fishery-dependent information used to estimate total catch, bycatch, and interactions with protected species.

The latest form for North Pacific Observer Program expires 2022-03-31 and can be found here.

NMFS Alaska Region Observer Providers - candidate college transcripts and statements

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Natural Resources - Conservation, Marine and Land Management