OPIT ATT C - Summary of Sampling Methods

Attachment C
Summary of Sampling Methods Used by Observer Programs

33

Coverage, sample
size, or precision
target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling Frame

Vessel Selection Method

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (NPGOP). Catch and bycatch in all North Pacific Groundfish
fisheries is monitored inseason to support quota management, but the fleet is divided into four sectors by vessel size and processing mode
(Catcher Processors (CPs) or Catcher Vessels (CVs delivering to processing plants), each with different requirements for observer coverage.
Changes in strategies for deployment of observers cannot be accomplished without changes in statutory authority to support collection of fees
from industry.
NPGOP, 0%,,
Catcher Vessels <60 ft

0%

N

34

NPGOP, 30% Sector
Fleet:
Catcher Vessels and C/P
Vessels, LOA 60-124 ft:
46 bottom trawl vessels
58 pelagic trawl vessels
32 longline
Vessels, LOA 70-176 ft:
75 pot vessels
Vessels < 60 ft:
No record

30% per quarter

Y

NPGOP, 100% Sector

100%
1 observer per trip

Y

Fleet:
Vessels LOA ≥ 125 ft;
79 bottom trawl catcher vessels; 55
longline vessels; variable trip length

None

No vessel selection

Vessels < 60 ft
not included in
sampling frame
for logistical
reasons
NPGOP vessels
listed in the sector

No list of vessels or permits but information about
landings from tickets

NPGOP vessels
in the sector listed

Census

Ad-hoc; fleet is responsible for obtaining observer
coverage.

35

Program

NPGOP, 200% Sector

Coverage, sample
size, or precision
target
100%,
2 observers per trip

Mandatory

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (NPGOP), continued.

Y

Fleet:
Vessels LOA ≥ 125 ft;
26-32 C/P bottom trawl and longline
vessels; ~12 C/P vessels in the Atka
mackerel fishery; 2 week + trip
length

Sampling
Frame

NPGOP vessels
in the sector
listed

Vessel Selection Method

Census

Alaska Regional Office, Alaska Marine Mammal Observer Program (AMMOP)

36

AMMOP

5%

Y

Permit holders
by stratified area

Randomly generated list

Coverage, sample size, or precision
target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling
Frame

Vessel Selection method

Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC)
Shore-based Hake
Fleet:
28 active vessels; mid-water trawl; EFP
At-Sea Hake Observer Program, 200%
Sector limited-entry non-endorsed fleet

37

Oregon Near-shore Rockfish
Fleet:
125 permits; 87 deemed active;
Longline, pots, hook & line, pole

Limited-Entry Sablefish-Endorsed FixedGear 1
Fleet:
164 active permits; vessels can have > 1
permit; longline and fish pots

1

100% ,
Electronic monitoring,
0% observer coverage
100%,
2 observers per trip

All vessels sampled once per year. This
fishery occurs throughout the year with
no defined seasons. For each year, a list
of permits is generated, the permits are
assigned to port groups, and then
selected for coverage. The cycles occur
back-to-back, so observing is an
ongoing process.
All vessels sampled once per cycle
(currently3 year cycle)
The selection cycle is defined by the
amount of time it will take to observe
the entire fleet, currently 3 fishing
seasons. For each cycle, a list of
permits is generated, the permits are
assigned to port groups, and then
selected for coverage. The cycles occur
back-to-back, so observing is an
ongoing process.

Y

Y

Y

Experimental
fishing permit
list
All active
catcherprocessors and
motherships
87 active state
permits of 125
state permits
issued

Census

Census
Fleet is responsible for obtaining
coverage
Stratified random sampling
without replacement;
Port-groups form strata
State permit list

Y

164 active
federal
permits,
vessels can
have more than
one permit

Stratified random sampling
without replacement;
Port-groups form strata
Federal permit list

For the limited-entry fixed gear fishery, permits are either endorsed for sablefish or not. Thus an endorsed vessel cannot be a subset of the non-endorsed
vessels. Both endorsed and non-endorsed vessel are distinct subsets of the limited-entry fixed-gear fishery (John Carlson, personal communication)

Coverage, sample size, or precision target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling
Frame

Vessel Selection
method

50 active federal
permits of 62
issued.

Stratified random
sampling without
replacement;
Port-groups form strata

Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), continued
Limited-Entry Non-SablefishEndorsed Fixed-Gear 1
Fleet:
62 permits; 50 deemed active;
multiple fixed gears

38

California Nearshore Rockfish
Fleet: 319 permits (fishermen);
101 deemed active; daytrips;
multiple fixed gears

Limited-Entry Trawl
Fleet:
178 permits; 116 deemed active;
Groundfish trawls; flatfish net

All vessels sampled once per year. This fishery occurs
throughout the year with no defined seasons. For each
year, a list of permits is generated, the permits are
assigned to port groups, and then selected for coverage.
The cycles occur back-to-back, so observing is an
ongoing process.

Y

All vessels sampled once per year. This fishery occurs
throughout the year with no defined seasons. For each
year, a list of permits is generated, the permits are
assigned to port groups, and then selected for coverage.
The cycles occur back-to-back, so observing is an
ongoing process.
All vessels sampled once per cycle
(currently 8-month cycles)
This fishery occurs throughout the year with no
defined seasons, so WCGOP has defined ‘cycles’ a
sampling event that has a distinct beginning and end in
lieu of a fishing season or year. Currently, the length
of the selection cycles have been defined by the
amount of time it will take to observe the entire fleet,
typically 4-6 2-month periods. For each cycle, a list of
permits is generated, the permits are assigned to port
groups, and then selected for coverage. The cycles
occur back-to-back, so observing is an ongoing
process.

Y

101 active
permits of 319
permits issued.

Y

116 vessels with
active federal
permits of 178
issued.

Federal permit list
Stratified random
sampling without
replacement;
Port-groups form strata
State permit list
Stratified random
sampling without
replacement;
Port-groups form strata
Federal permit list

Coverage, sample
size, or precision
target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling
Frame

Vessel Selection method

NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office

39

American Samoa Longline

7-10% (tuna)

Y

Fleet listed;
Based on federal
permits

Systematic,
Random start

Hawaii Longline

100% (swordfish)

Y

Census

Fleet:
123 tuna, 32 sword; 28 tuna and swordfish;
pelagic line; 15-25 day trips (tuna); 25-35 day
trips (swordfish)

Fleet listed;
based on federal
permits

~20%
(tuna)

Y

Fleet listed;
based on federal
permits

Systematic,
Random start

California/Oregon Drift Gillnet Fishery
Fleet: 40 active vessels; 7-10 day trips;

~20% of sets

Y

Fleet listed;
based on federal
permits

Ad-hoc; ~ 20% trips per vessel

California Pelagic Longline Fishery
Fleet: 1 active vessel

100% of trips

Y

One active vessel

Census

Southwest Regional Office (SWRO)

Coverage, sample size, or
precision target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling Frame

Vessel Selection method

Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
Northeast Multispecies Groundfish
Fleet:
>1589 vessels; multiple gears: gillnets
(anchored, drift, float, sink), trawl (midwater, bottom, purse seine), longline; 1-7 day
trips typically; Federal and state permits

Y

Fleet lists
determined by
Vessel Trip
Reports from the
previous year and
opportunistic
selection

Quarterly stratified random sample;
SBRM fleet sectors form strata

Coverage typically < 5%
SBRM Omnibus
Amendment allocation

Y

Fleet lists
determined by
Vessel Trip
Reports from the
previous year and
opportunistic
selection

Quarterly stratified random sample for a
portion of the fleet; SBRM fleet sectors
form strata

Target 10 % of trips
Industry Funded Program

Y

Pre-trip
notification
required and
opportunistic
selection

Stratified random sample

40

Target 30% CV for bycatch
estimates of protected
species;
5% A-Days
20% B-Day Programs,
Special Access Areas
SBRM Omnibus
Amendment allocation

Mid Atlantic Fisheries
Fleet:
>2450 vessels; multiple gears: gillnets
(anchored, drift, float, sink), trawl (midwater, bottom, purse seine); 1-4 day trips
typically;
Federal and state permits
Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Fishery
Fleet:
>1433 vessels with GC and LA permits;
multiple gears: primarily scallop dredge,
some trawl; 1-12 day trips typically; VMS
requirement; Federal permit

Coverage, sample size,
or precision target

Mandatory

Program

Sampling
Frame

Vessel Selection method

Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)
Shrimp Trawl
Fleet: ~2,700 federally permitted vessels; LOA ~
75 ft; ~ 18 day trips GOM target 80% of total sea
days; year-around; ~3 day trips on the east coast
target 20% of total sea days.
Reef Fish

41

Fleet: ~877 federally permitted vessels; gear
types include bottom longline, electric reel
(bandit) and handlines
Southeast Shark Gillnet
Fleet:6-30 vessels; multiple gill net types

Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico Shark Bottom
Longline Fishery
Fleet:250 vessels, approximately 100 active;
LOA < 50 ft; 500-1,500 hooks per line;
Pelagic Longline
Fleet: 80-100 active vessel w/ swordfish, tuna,
and shark permits; 3-14 day trips 150-200 mi
off-shore typical; some 20-40 day trips 2001000 mi from port

<1% coverage, Target
sample of 1,500 sea-days
variable depending on
funding;

Y

FederallyPermitted
Vessels

Stratified random sample by effort, area,
season, depth strata

~1% coverage, sea days
variable depending on
funding

Y

FederallyPermitted
Vessels

Stratified random sample by region gear,
and season based on previous year’s
effort from logbooks

100% coverage (Nov 15 Apr 1) for drift and strike
boats;
Otherwise target of 30%
RSE for turtle or mammal
interaction estimates
100 % of all sandbar
shark directed sets

Y

Fleet

Census; stratified random sample

Y

Fleet listed as
determined by
federal
permits from
the previous
year
Fleet listed as
determined by
federal
permits from
the previous
year

Stratified random sample by area and
season based on previous years activity

4-6% for non-sandbar
shark directed sets
8% of sets target, ~6%
mean actual coverage

Y

Stratified random sample by statistical
area and quarter based on previous years
activity