Observer and Observer Program Contributions to Fishery Data Collection, Monitoring, and Safety Part 1

Government agencies deploy fishery observers to collect data from fishing vessels.  These data support conservation and management of fisheries, protected species, and ecosystems.  The objectives of this symposium are to: (1) highlight the contributions of observers to fishery and protected species data collection and safety; (2) describe innovations in electronic technology and data collection; and (3) promote the exchange of ideas on best practices for observer programs. We will focus on four themes: innovations in data collection, data collection on protected species, electronic technology, and safety.