An Observer Program for At-Sea Processing Vessels in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery

This is a request for extension of an approved information collection. In 2011, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) mandated observer requirements for the West Coast groundfish trawl catch shares program. For all fishery sectors, observers must be obtained through third-party observer provider companies operating under permits issued by NMFS. The regulations at §§ 660.140 (h), 660.150 (j), and 660.160 (g), specify observer coverage requirements for trawl vessels and define the responsibilities for observer providers, including reporting requirements. Regulations at §660.140 (i) specify requirements for catch monitor coverage for first receivers. Data collected by observers are used by NMFS to estimate total landed catch and discards, monitor the attainment of annual groundfish allocations, estimate catch rates of prohibited species, and as a component in stock assessments. These data are necessary to comply with the Magnuson-Stevens Act requirements to prevent overfishing. In addition, observer data is used to assess fishing related mortality of protected and endangered species.

The latest form for An Observer Program for At-Sea Processing Vessels in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery expires 2029-02-28 and is listed under ICR 202404-0648-005.

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