Archipelago has trained and provided certified at-sea observers for domestic and international vessels since 1985. Through its groundfish at-sea observer program, the company provides 100% at-sea monitoring services for all groundfish fisheries—including international vessels—fishing within Canada’s Pacific Region zone.
As Western Canada’s largest and longest running observer-services company, Archipelago has trained and provided certified at–sea observers for domestic and international vessels since 1985.
Specializing in groundfish and shellfish fisheries, Archipelago’s certified observer services enable commercial fisheries to ensure compliance with fishery regulations, while supporting in–season fishery management, stock assessment, and scientific research initiatives.
The Pacific groundfish at–sea observer program originated from a national requirement for all foreign fishing vessels to carry an onboard observer when conducting fishing and processing operations within Canada’s 200–mile jurisdiction. A decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to contract out this service led to the development of expertise within a private firm ensuring a dependable source of independent, third-party observer services would be available on a contract basis. The increasing need for the independent collection of at–sea data from a growing number of domestic fisheries has led to an expanded scope and complexity within the program.
Elements of a groundfish at-sea observer program
The groundfish at–sea observer program monitors all groundfish fisheries—including international vessels—fishing within Canada’s Pacific Region zone. This integral component of the region’s fisheries management framework includes:
Detailed catch monitoring of all species including utilization to provide total mortality of all species (spatially and temporally)
Rigorous sampling for stock assessment and other scientific research
Compliance monitoring and reporting
Rapid (48 hour) turn–around of all key catch data for real–time fisheries management
More than 5,000 seadays per year over a range of fisheries utilizing a variety of gear types on vessels from 5-40 meters
Archipelago supports catch and shellfish dockside monitoring programs for a range of British Columbia fisheries, including the BC geoduck and shrimp fisheries.
Geoduck dockside monitoring program (1989–present)
In 1989 the geoduck fishery on the west coast began an experimental Individual Transferable Quota program whereby the quota was distributed equally among the 55 geoduck licence holders. The geoduck fishermen, represented by the Underwater Harvesters Association, contracted Archipelago to set up and conduct a shellfish dockside monitoring system for the 4-6 million pounds of geoduck landed at a variety of ports in BC. Since 1989, the company has continually provided port monitoring services for the geoduck fishery. Archipelago is responsible for collecting landing information, fishing information and maintaining the Geoduck Fishery Database, which provides up-to-date landing information for each license and fishery management area.
In 1997, Archipelago was contracted by the Pacific Coast Shrimper’s Co-operative Association to establish a catch monitoring program for all trawl caught shrimp on the BC coast. DFO established Shrimp Management Areas for the first time and allocated catch ceilings for these areas. A hail system was set up to receive calls from vessels before and after fishing. This vessel activity information is reported to DFO daily. A landing record collection and reporting system was also established to track shrimp trawl landings by area. The Shrimp Catch Monitoring Program collects and reports on information for approximately 4,000 landings per year.
In 1998, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans implemented a commercial salmon catch reporting program for all South Coast commercial salmon fisheries.
The salmon catch reporting program would require salmon fishers to record their retained catch, at-sea releases, times and locations for all fishing activities. In addition to recording all catch data in a Department of Fisheries salmon logbook, fishers would also report their catch and release information by telephone immediately following each opening.
In 1999 and 2000, the Department of Fisheries contracted Archipelago to print and distribute the South Coast Salmon logbooks and set up and manage a telephone service to collect in-season catch reports.
Phone-in information was recorded into a central Department of Fisheries database via web based (intranet) input screens. This provided catch data on a timely basis so that it could be used for in-season management of the fisheries.
In 2001, the program was expanded coast wide, and since that time, Archipelago has provided the services listed above to the entire salmon fleet.
Reprinted with permission from the March 21, 2014 edition of the Daily Sitka Sentinel. Copyright 2014 Daily Sitka Sentinel.
By Shannon Haugland
Sentinel Staff Writer
A group of Sitka and Homer longliners hope to demonstrate this season that electronic monitoring can collect most of the data needed for managing the hook and line fisheries.
The pilot project is part of an ongoing effort by the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and other longline groups to integrate electronic monitoring as an alternative to having observers aboard boats that longline for sablefish and halibut.
“We want to see EM move ahead,” said Linda Behnken, ALFA executive director. “There have been over 40 EM pilot programs in the U.S. but no programs have been implemented for catch monitoring.”
Five boats homeported in Sitka and five in Homer agreed to carry the electronic monitoring systems for the season, which opened earlier this month. The equipment, installed by the Canadian company Archipelago, includes two cameras mounted on stabilizers that capture the image of every fish that comes over the rail, as well as the GPS coordinates and other data.
The feedback so far from the five Sitka longliners with EM systems aboard has been positive.
“Everything worked fine, and captains have been happy with it,” said Jason Bryan, Archipelago project manager.
Jason Bryan, Archipelago project manager. (Sentinel photo)
The information captured will be analyzed and compiled later, based on what is requested for the project. That could include species of the fish, numbers of fish and the weight, among other options.
Other participating partners in the “limited implementation project” out of Sitka include ALFA, North Pacific Fisheries Association, Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance, Saltwater Inc., and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
The federal observer program for larger vessels in the domestic fleet has been around since 1990. The expanded program, covering boats 40 feet and up, was approved by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in 2011 to begin in January 2013. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration manages the observer program, using funding from a 1.25 percent tax on the ex-vessel value of the groundfish and halibut. The tax is assessed on all commercial fishermen, whether they carry an observer or not.
The small-boat fleet has objected to the onboard observer requirement as expensive and intrusive. They hope to show through the pilot project that electronic monitoring – such as the system used in British Columbia and elsewhere in the world – can reduce the need for observers, especially on the smaller boats.
Starting this year vessels 40 to 57.5 feet are in the “vessel selection pool,” where they notify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration if they plan to fish any time during specific two-month periods. Under this program, a percentage of boats are required to take an observer on every groundfish or halibut fishing trip during each two-month period. Vessel owners are not required to log trips with the agency.
Boats 57.5 feet and up are in the “trip selection pool,” where vessel owners log each fishing trip with the program at least 72 hours in advance of their planned departure. NMFS then randomly draws 15 percent of the trips for an observer.
Operators of longline boats in the 40 to 57.5 foot category point out that their boats lack space to accommodate an observer, and the extra person onboard disrupts day-to-day business and constitutes an added expense of doing business. They argue that the data can be collected in a way that is less burdensome and costly.
ALFA has worked over the past few years on the effort to demonstrate that an electronic monitoring system is effective in collecting data, and providing most of the information that fishery managers need about the halibut and groundfish catches.
“We think having an observer is a whole lot more expensive,” said ALFA Executive Director Linda Behnken. “We’ve been trying for three years to develop an electronic monitoring system as an integrated part of the catch-monitoring program.”
She said thanks to the support of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, NMFS is working with ALFA on an electronic monitoring cooperative research project.
“Part of that is we installed electronic monitoring systems in five Sitka hook and line boats,” Behnken said. ALFA is working with the Canadian company Archipelago Marine, which has installed hundreds of EM systems in British Columbian boats.
The B.C. longliners have 100 percent coverage of their halibut and sablefish fleet on fixed gear boats and 100 percent observer coverage on trawl boats.
“Our goal is to provide EM as an alterative on boats,” Behnken said. “It’s less burdensome, less costly.” Some boats get released from the observer obligation when they can’t fit an observer on board, which means the boats with an extra berth will be required to carry observers more often, she said. “That puts a burden on them.”
The main goal is to demonstrate that the EM program can be used in combination with other tools – such as dockside monitoring and processors’ information – to collect data for biologists and managers.
“We’re excited to work with Archipelago Marine – they understand how to plan and implement and integrate these systems,” Behnken said. “We’re hoping NMFS works productively with all of us.”
Murkowski included language in an appropriations bill to require NMFS to work with the industry on this issue.
“She’s been super-supportive of the industry,” Behnken said.
This is the second pilot program on electronic monitoring undertaken by ALFA. Boats carried the devices in 2011 and 2012 seasons. It was successful, Behnken said, but EM systems were not integrated into regulations for collecting catch data.
“(NPFMC) needs to take the lead on moving from pilot to a fully integrated component of the catch-monitoring program,” Behnken said.
The way the EM system works is two cameras are mounted, usually on stabilizer poles, aimed at the rail fish from two angles. The cameras are off until a sensor in the hydraulic system triggers the cameras to turn on as fish are brought aboard.
“The system runs the entire time the vessel is at sea,” said Howard McElderry, vice president of EM technology development, and co-founder of Archipelago. “But it’s only recording when fishing activity is taking place.”
The other part of the demonstration program is showing what happens to the information collected, and the ways it can be analyzed to provide information to fishery managers.
“That’s the meat and potatoes of the electronic monitoring program,” said McElderry. The company designs and builds the software for electronic monitoring programs, based on data requested by the client, in many cases fishery biologists and managers.
“It’s a question of what data is required by NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) to manage the fishery,” McElderry said. “They tell us what they need datawise. … Sometimes the camera is on the whole time, sometimes it’s a hybrid.”
Among the information that can be captured through analysis are the number of fish, the species of the fish, the general area of where the fish are caught, the vessel’s position and the weight.
The main argument against using EM now, instead of relying on observers, is that only observers can collect some types of data. That includes taking biological samples, scale samples and the odelisk, which tells the age. In general, it’s “little things you tuck in an envelope and bring back to the lab,” said Jason Bryan, Archipelago project manager who installed the cameras for the pilot project in Sitka.
B.C. fisheries managers rely on Archipelago to capture and analyze data for the 300 boats in the fixed gear fisheries, including halibut, sablefish, rockfish and dogfish fisheries, as well as the midwater hake trawl fishery and in-shore trawl fishery. The company last year captured 16,000 fishing days using electronic monitoring systems.
“There will always be some observer coverage,” McElderry said.
In British Columbia, there is 100 percent observer coverage in the trawl fisheries; and 100 percent EM coverage in the fixed gear fisheries.
The company is also working on pilot programs for some North Sea, New Zealand and Australian fisheries.
“There’s a general trend trying to improve data for commercial fishing,” McElderry said. “There’s a realization that it’s logistically impractical and costly when you start placing observers on vessels. You run into a host of issues. We’re trying to find a way to use technology to collect data in a way that would be comparable to what an observer would have.”
Dick Curran of Sitka, skipper and owner of the 54-foot F/V Cherokee, is participating in the EM pilot program this season. He said the electronic gear is so unobtrusive that he isn’t even aware that it’s on board. Last year, he had an observer aboard for two months after his boat was chosen in the “vessel selection pool.”
“They’re OK,” he said of the observers. “But for a smaller boat it’s more of a logistics thing with space and stuff like that. Dealing with the camera is just easier.
Archipelago provides technical support and leadership for government and industry scientific research cruises
Archipelago provides technical support and leadership for government and industry scientific research charters. Archipelago scientific research charters typically involve a high level of sampling and catch documentation, as well as extensive data management. Examples include stock assessment, monitoring, tagging, sampling and more.
Set line halibut surveys (2003—2005)
Participation in the stock assessment surveys, focusing on rockfish, conducted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission and in conjunction with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the CSA and the Pacific Halibut Management Association.
Trawl survey for thornyhead biomass estimation (2001—2003)
Carried out in conjunction with the Canadian Groundfish Research and Conservation Society (CGRCS) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Pacific cod monitoring survey (2002—2003)
Stock assessment charter for the CGRCS and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Queen Charlotte Sound Bottom Trawl Research Biomass Survey. Survey completed for CGRCS and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Sablefish tagging survey (2001—2004)
Technical support for the sablefish tagging project for stock assessment purposes carried out for Canadian Sablefish Association (CSA) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Hook and line rockfish biological sampling survey (1997—1998, 2002—2003)
Rockfish stock assessment survey for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
In 2002, a small-scale demonstration fishery set out to explore individual quota allocation as an alternative management approach in the salmon troll fishery.
Archipelago was contracted by the Area H Gulf Troller’s Association to provide a comprehensive salmon troll monitoring program, collecting information needed to evaluate the potential of this alternative fishery management method.
Electronic monitoring (EM) systems were deployed on four fishing vessels to collect information such as fishing time and location, and documentation of catch by species, number of pieces, and utilization. EM imagery was also used to observe bycatch handling and release procedures. In addition, both at-sea and dockside monitors were provided to collect complementary data that was used to evaluate both the EM systems and the demonstration fishery itself.
The monitoring program was successful, resulting in a series of expanded testing as a followup.
To limit the ecological impacts of the Deltaport Third Berth terminal expansion project, Port Metro Vancouver developed a Habitat Compensation Plan that stipulated the construction of compensatory habitats to accommodate nearby fish and eelgrass communities.
Located within the Fraser River estuary on the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, the Roberts Bank Port Facility is one of the busiest import/export ports in North America. Situated at the end of a long causeway, this international shipping hub consists of two terminals: the Westshore coal terminal, and the Deltaport container terminal. In January 2010, the Deltaport terminal added a third berth to accommodate increased loading and storage requirements.
To limit the ecological impacts of the Deltaport Third Berth terminal expansion project, Port Metro Vancouver developed a Habitat Compensation Plan that stipulated the construction of compensatory habitats to accommodate the surrounding fish and eelgrass communities.
To verify the establishment and biological effectiveness of these new habitats, Archipelago, in conjunction with GL Williams and Associates Ltd., designed and implemented a long term marine habitat compensation monitoring program. This program encompassed three components:
Introduction of intertidal and backshore habitats along the eastern side of the terminal approach causeway
Restoration of the Tsawwassen salt marsh, including log removal and tidal channel revitalization
Stabilization of a large sandbar associated with the tidal channels in the inter-causeway area of Roberts Bank
Starting in 2007, Archipelago implemented a program of pre–construction monitoring within each of the compensation habitats (ranging from mudflat and salt marsh to stable rock surfaces and vegetated backshore environments). After the project completion, a program of post-construction monitoring continued until 2015.
This long-term monitoring process examined several key elements through a range of methods:
Shoreline changes (monitored by intertidal biophysical surveys, sediment sampling, elevation profiling, and photo documentation)
Benthic infauna and epifauna community composition and diversity (monitored by core grab sampling and intertidal biophysical surveys)
Macroalgae, eelgrass, and marsh vegetation cover and distribution (monitored by intertidal biophysical surveys and photo documentation)
Nearshore fish community composition and diversity (monitored by beach seine and forage fish spawning surveys)
Physical water quality (monitored by water sampling)
Throughout the program, Archipelago conducted habitat trend analyses between years to determine whether the created features were remaining stable, and whether vegetation and fauna were establishing within the new habitats.
By monitoring over an extended period, researchers could accurately gauge the effectiveness of the constructed habitats, identify important stressors and processes, and determine long–term trends that would not have been apparent from shorter term studies.
Nearly a decade after project completion, Archipelago’s long–term monitoring efforts have helped engineers understand the most effective design structures over time for this type of environment.
Specializing in groundfish and shellfish fisheries, Archipelago’s certified observer services enable commercial fisheries to ensure compliance with fishery regulations, while supporting in–season fishery management, stock assessment, and scientific research initiatives.
