Fisheries Observation Science Program Coverage Rates, 2002–24

The Fisheries Observation Science (FOS) Program at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) places trained scientists, known as observers, on U.S. West Coast fishing vessels to collect data on target catch and bycatch compositions and amounts, obtain biological samples, collect information on fishing operations, and record interactions with protected species, among other duties. Landings are calculated based on fish ticket data from the Pacific Fishery Information Network (PacFIN). This report summarizes coverage rates in those fisheries observed by FOS and are defined as the proportion of targeted landings associated with observed trips to total targeted landings across all trips in the fleet. The species considered to be targeted are defined based on the fishery and are described in the header of each table in the associated spreadsheets. The total targeted landings by each fleet are reported even in years when FOS did not observe any trips.