Hawaii Longline Observer Program Field Manual
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Hawaii Longline Observer Program Field Manual Pacific Islands Regional Office Observer Program NOAA Inouye Resource Center 1845 Wasp Blvd. Bldg. 176 Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 (808) 725-5100 Manual Version: LM.17.02 Cover Image: Keith Davis, a fisheries observer and observer advocate who was lost at sea on Sept. 10, 2015 while observing on a tuna transshipment vessel off the coast of Peru. His talents and energy are dearly missed by his friends and colleagues. Table of Contents Chapter 1 Introduction Page Longline Observer Authority and Goal 1-1 Objectives 1-3 Guidelines and Responsibilities 1-3 Chapter 2 Summary of Duties Page Employment Purpose 2-1 Placement Meeting 2-2 Interference and Harassment 2-6 Injuries 2-7 After a Vessel Assignment 2-8 Chapter 3 Data Collection Instructions Page General Instructions 3-1 Data Collection Priorities 3-2 Sample and Data Collection Priorities 3-2 Chapter 4 Trip Specifications Record & WCPFC Form Page General Instructions 4-1 Trip Spec.Form 4-3 Chapter 5 WCPFC Mandatory Data Elements Page General Instructions 5-1 VMS units WCPFC 5-3 WCPFC Form 5-5 Chapter 6 Longline Set and Haul Information Page General Instructions 6-1 Weather Code Table 6-5 Beaufort Scale 6-6 Set and Haul Information Form 6-7 Chapter 7 Gear Configuration Page General Instructions 7-1 Image of Round & Flat circle hooks 7-3 Diagram of Pelagic Longline Gear 7-7 Branchline Diagram 7-8 Gear Configuration Form 7-9 Chapter 8 Protected Species Event Log Page Introduction 8-1 During the Set 8-2 During the Haul 8-3 Event Type Code 8-4 Vessel Activity Code List 8-5 Behavior Code List 8-6 Species Count & Association Codes 8-7 PSEL Form 8-8 Chapter 9 Seabird Mitigation Techniques Page General Instructions 9-1 Seabird Mitigation Form 9-4 Diagram of Tori Line 9-5 Chapter 10 Catch Event Log Page General Instructions 10-1 Fish Measurement Instructions and Diagram 10-7 Swordfish & Billfish Measurement Instructions 10-7 Swordfish Gonads 10-8 Sharks Measurement Diagram 10-10 Sharks and Rays Sexing Diagram 10-11 Tunas (and All Other Fishes) Measurement Instructions 10-12 Tuna Gonads 10-13 Opah Sexing Differentiation 10-15 Dolphinfish Sexing Diagram 10-16 Catch Event Log Form 10-17 Data Quality Control 10-18 Data Quality Control Form 10-19 Chapter 11 Sea Turtle Handling and Data Collection Page Introduction 11-1 Sea Turtle Handling and Dehooking 11-2 Turtle Resuscitation and Care 11-8 Instructions for Applying Metal Flipper Tags 11-10 Protocol For Collecting Sea Turtle Skin Biopsies 11-15 Sea Turtle Biological Data Form Data Elements 11-17 Instructions for Reporting Sea Turtle Interactions 11-24 Sea Turtle Biological Data Form 11-25 Chapter 12 Seabird Biological Data Form Page Introduction 12-1 Seabird Biological Data Form 12-4 Chapter 13 Marine Mammal Biological Data Form Page General Instructions 13-1 Marine Mammal Interaction Report Elements 13-1 Cetacean Skin Biopsy Collection Protocol 13-2 Photographing boarded marine mammal 13-3 Guidelines for Disentangling Cetaceans 13-3 Data Elements 13-4 Marine Mammal Biological Data Form 13-7 Chapter 14 Specimen Log Page Specimen Log Data Elements 14-1 Specimen Numbering System 14-2 Specimen Log Form 14-3 Chapter 15 Ta g Event Log Page Tag Event Form Data Elements 15-1 Tag Event Form 15-2 Chapter 16 Photographs and Photo Log Page Taking Photographs 16-1 Marine Mammal Concerns 16-1 Photo Requirements 16-4 Photo Log Form 16-5 Chapter 17 Sketch Form/Identification Forms Page General Description and Data Elements 17-1 Sketch Form 17-2 Identification Form (Miscellaneous Fish) 17-4 Chapter 18 Sat. Phone and Radio Reporting Instructions Page Introduction 18-1 Vessel Emergency Radio Distress-Calling Procedure 18-1 Using the Satellite Phone to Communicate 18-3 Standard Phonetic Alphabet 18-4 Important Telephone Numbers 18-5 Chapter 19 Safety Page Safety Requirements 19-1 Placement Checklist Element list 19-2 Diagram of a proper life raft Hook-up 19-5 Image of Comm. Fishing Vessel Safety Exam sticker 19-6 Placement Checklist 19-7 Reporting Safety Issues 19-8 Quick Reference to Navigation Rules of the Road 19-10 Chapter 20 Equipment List and Maintenance Tips Page Gear List 20-1 Electronics Bag 20-3 Pre-trip Gear Shack Check List 20-5 Chapter 21 Species Codes List Page Fishes 21-1 Sharks 21-3 Rays 21-4 Turtles 21-4 Seabirds 21-5 Cetaceans 21-6 Pennipeds 21-7 Chapter 22 Appendices Page Conversions and Formulas 22-2 Fahrenheit - Celsius Conversion Chart 22-3 List of Statutes Regarding Data Collection by NMFS 22-4 List of Acronyms 22-5 Observer Health and Safety Regulations, CFR § 600.746 22-6 Conditions for At-Sea Observer Coverage CFR § 665.28 22-8 WCPFC Highly Migratory Species,Observers CFR § 300.215 22-10 Vessel Identification, Requirements CFR § 300.217 22-11 Removal of Shark Fins Marine 22-12 Debris Encounter Form 22-13 Foreign Fishing Vessels 22-14 Chapter 23 Changes to the Manual 23-1 Chapter 1 Introduction Longline Observer Authority and Goal NMFS’ Pacific Islands Regional Observer Programs (PIROP) operates in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands and the Territory of American Samoa. In the late 1980s there was a rapid expansion of the Hawaii longline fishery for tuna and swordfish. Most of the vessels came from the US eastcoast and the Gulf of Mexico. The increase in fishing activity raised serious concerns about the impact of longline fishing on the stocks of fish being harvested. The increased number of vessels also raised concerns over sea turtle interactions. To understand impacts on sea turtles, interim emergency rules were promulgated. These temporary measures (rules) included requirements for federal longline fishing permits, mandatory logbooks, official identification numbers, and noti fica tion to NMFS whenever a longline vessel intended to fish within 50 nautical miles of a protected species study area or if fishing activities would take place around French Frigate Shoals, Gardner Pinnacles, Laysan Island, Lisianski Island, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Midway Island, and Kure Atoll of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. A NMFS 1993 Biological Opinion resulted in the initiation of a voluntary observer program. A letter was sent to all vessel owners with limited-entry Hawaii longline permits requesting their cooperation to carry fishery observers. An interim final rule establishing a mandatory program was published on December 22, 1993, and the first mandatory observers were deployed on longline fishing vessels in February 1994. A final rule for the mandatory observer program was published on April 19, 1994, to ensure that observers would continually be placed aboard longline vessels. In 2000, the Pacific Islands Regional Observer Programs (PIROP) significantly increased its observer coverage. During the period March 1994 to September 2000, 322 observer trips were completed. The program averaged 46 trips per calendar year from 1994 to 1999. From October '00 to September '01, 234 observer trips were completed. That was an increase of over 500% from the previous years. Since then, PIROP has maintained 17-22% observer coverage for the deep set fishery (tuna). Since 2005 it has a 100% observer coverage in the shallow set fishery (swordfish). In addition, the program was able to establish a core multidisciplined observer debriefer/resource management staff to work with observers as they return from sea. Currently, NMFS's two observer programs in the Pacific Islands are focused on collecting information on protected species interactions with commercial fisheries in the region. Catch composition, fishing effort and dispositon information are other main cetegories of data collected by the programs. Target species of the pelagic longline fisheries are swordfish and tunas. Future observing efforts in the region may be expanded to the fisheries around the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. The program has also developed relationships with the Forum Fisheries Agency and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, with the intention of sharing information on program practices, species identification, labor issues, data harmonization, data sharing, and the “observer” as an effective management tool. PIROP has the resources and experience to offer valuable assistance and support to other observer programs within the greater Pacific region. Intra-program contact and familiarity can help to implement additional data collection and reporting requirements. The response to this outreach led to the development of multilateral fisheries resource management contacts and an invitation to participate in the annual Pacific Islands Observer Coordinators and Managers meeting which ultimately lead to the Pacific Islands Observer Program becoming a member. PIROP can directly help improve quality of observers, data, and safety training. Indirectly, PIROP can assist foreign observer programs to develop their own capacity to train and maintain observers and observer programs. The Pacific Islands Regional Office, office of International Fisheries has provided logistical support to national and regional observer programs under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty. By helping the SPC/FFA with their observer and debriefer train ings, PIROP is expanding upon a pre-existing relationship. 1-1 NMFS is concerned with the management of False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NMFS has defined multiple stocks of False killer whales in the Pacific islands region (as stated in the Stock Assessment Reports). Research and observer collected data indicate that there are genetically distinct stocks in the waters utilized by the vessels in the Hawaii- based longline fleet. More information is needed to assess the impact of the fishery on these different stocks. In addition to national and regional roles, NMFS also plays a role in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).