Guidelines for Developing an at-Sea Fishery Observer Programme


FAO
FISHERIES
TECHNICAL
PAPER
414
by
Sandy L. Davies
edited by
J. Eric Reynolds
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 2003

Table of Contents


 

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ISBN 92-5-104871-1

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© FAO 2003


Table of Contents


PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT

ABSTRACT

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION

THE USES OF AT-SEA INFORMATION
TYPES OF AT-SEA INFORMATION
THE DEPLOYMENT AND ROLE OF OBSERVERS
DECISION-MAKING ON AT-SEA DEPLOYMENT OF OBSERVERS AND THEIR WORK PROGRAMMES

1 OBJECTIVES

1.1 AT-SEA FISHERY OBSERVER PROGRAMMES
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF AN OBSERVER PROGRAMME
1.3 ACTIVITIES OF AN OBSERVER PROGRAMME
1.4 THE INTEGRATED APPROACH
1.5 INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS AND GUIDELINES
1.6 APPLICATION OF OBSERVER PROGRAMMES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
1.7 THE RATIONALE, PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF THESE GUIDELINES

2 LEGAL AND FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

2.1 THE LEGAL POWER TO PLACE OBSERVERS

2.1.1 Controlled fisheries
2.1.2 Non-controlled fisheries
2.1.3 Regional fisheries

2.2 OTHER LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

2.2.1 Observer designation
2.2.2 Observer functions
2.2.3 Observer safety
2.2.4 Compliance monitoring

2.3 FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

2.3.1 Observer equipment
2.3.2 Training equipment
2.3.3 Information technology
2.3.4 Insurances
2.3.5 General
2.3.6 Personnel

2.4 INCOME OPTIONS

2.4.1 Government
2.4.2 Industry
2.4.3 Regional organizations
2.4.4 Cooperating partners
2.4.5 Insufficient financial resources

2.5 EXAMPLE - A FINANCIAL PLAN FOR ESTABLISHING AN OBSERVER PROGRAMME

3 PROGRAMME ORGANIZATION AND TRAINING

3.1 TYPES OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
3.2 THE MANAGEMENT TEAM
3.3 THE OBSERVERS

3.3.1 Qualifications and structured training
3.3.2 Occupational standards
3.3.3 Monitoring and evaluation
3.3.4 Code of conduct
3.3.5 Safety

3.4 TRAINING IN GENERAL
3.5 VOCATIONAL TRAINING
3.6 INSTRUCTORS
3.7 OBSERVER MATERIAL
3.8 RECOGNITION OF TRAINING COURSES
3.9 SAFETY COURSES

4 MONITORING AND SAMPLING STRATEGIES

4.1 BASELINE INFORMATION
4.2 COMPLETE MONITORING AND SAMPLING
4.3 OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
4.4 SAMPLING STRATEGY DESIGN

4.4.1 Stratification
4.4.2 Random, non-random, systematic and adaptive sampling

4.5 PILOT PHASE
4.6 FEEDBACK MECHANISM

5 PROGRAMME OUTPUTS

5.1 SCIENTIFIC OUTPUTS

5.1.1 Different types of scientific data
5.1.2 Which data variables should be collected?
5.1.3 Catch and effort data
5.1.4 Biological variables
5.1.5 Data collection forms, guidelines and identification sheets
5.1.6 Data verification and management

5.2 COMPLIANCE OUTPUTS

5.2.1 The main compliance activities of observers
5.2.2 Recording and reporting violations
5.2.3 Court cases and evidence

5.3 FISHERIES MANAGEMENT INFORMATION OUTPUTS

5.3.1 Output types and uses
5.3.2 Information management and flows
5.3.3 Information technology
5.3.4 Functional administration

6 PROGRAMME DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

6.1 DESIGNING A FISHERY OBSERVER PROGRAMME

6.1.1 Objectives and functional environment
6.1.2 Analysing the framework

6.2 AN IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT
6.3 MAINTAINING THE PROGRAMME

7 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 AN EXAMPLE OF AN AGREEMENT WITH A FISHERY OBSERVER AGENCY
APPENDIX 2 AN EXAMPLE OF TRAINING AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR OBSERVERS
APPENDIX 3 OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS - EXAMPLE OF AN OCCUPATIONAL UNIT
APPENDIX 4 PAGES FOR A FISHERY OBSERVER RECORD BOOK
APPENDIX 5 A GENERIC CODE OF CONDUCT FOR FISHERY OBSERVERS
APPENDIX 6 SAFETY
APPENDIX 7 TRAINING MATERIAL
APPENDIX 8 IDENTIFICATION SHEETS FOR OBSERVERS
APPENDIX 9 EXAMPLES OF METHODS FOR ESTIMATION OF CATCH COMPOSITION
APPENDIX 10 EXAMPLES OF USEFUL FORMS FOR LOGISTICAL MANAGEMENT
APPENDIX 11 EXAMPLES OF USEFUL FORMS FOR DATA COLLECTION
APPENDIX 12 OBSERVER GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING THE SAMPLING FORMS

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