Alaska groundfish observers gather data onboard commercial fishing boats working out of ports along the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. Most of the assignments are based out of Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, King Cove, or Akutan, Alaska.
Boats in the groundfish fleet range in size from 60-foot longliners to 600-foot processing factories. Conditions vary widely, but all require observers to be flexible, resourceful, able to work long hours, and do some heavy lifting (up to 80 pounds). The workday is determined by the vessel's fishing schedule and NMFS sampling protocols and can range from 5-15 hours a day.
Trips can last from anywhere 1 to 45 days, with multiple back-to-back deployments common.
Groundfish Observer Duties:
- Provide independent catch estimates
- Sample species composition
- Provide fish ID and measurements
- Collect biological samples
- Monitor marine mammal and bird interactions
- Document fishing activity (set times, positions, gear performance, etc.)
- Record and report all data to NMFS
- Comply with all regulatory requirements
- Carry out assigned special projects (eg. stomach collection, tagging, etc.)
Specific Groundfish Observer Requirements:
In addition to the general requirements that must be met by all observer candidates (see About Observing), Groundfish observers must also fulfill the following specific requirements:
- 30 semester hours in applicable biological sciences.
- A college level course in math and statistics (minimum of 5 credit hours combined).
- A college level course with the use of dichotomous (taxonomic) keys.
- Computer experience.
Groundfish Observer Training
Groundfish training is an intensive 3-week course offered by NMFS at various times throughout the year in Seattle and Anchorage. Please see the current Observer Training Schedule. Candidates must pass this training to be eligible for a contract with Saltwater.
All transcripts for observer candidates must be submitted by Saltwater to NMFS prior to the training. Please see How Do I Apply?
