ALASKAN GROUNDFISH
Observers are deployed to vessels fishing for groundfish in the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. Training for this North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program takes place in Seattle, Washington or Anchorage, Alaska at government facilities. Entry-level courses are scheduled at regular intervals throughout the year. Trainees undergo an initial 3 weeks of training before being deployed to sea. The course covers the following general topics:
Catch estimation
Data recording
Sampling methods (measurements, dissections)
Species identification (fish, invertebrates, marine birds & marine mammals)
Gender determination of marine species
Collection of structures to determine age (otoliths, scales, etc)
Safety & survival skills
After TechSea Observers have gained groundfish experience they can take additional training to upgrade their skills to give them access to work on a wider variety of assignments.
VESSEL TYPES
Longline and trawl vessels target a variety of finfish caught near the ocean floor. Alaskan pollock, black cod, Pacific hake and rockfish are commonly sought as the directed species.
Trawlers – Range in size from 60 to 300 feet in length. Short trips on small vessels can last as little as 4 to 6 days while an Observer may spend 10 to 15 days at sea on a large factory freezer vessel.
Longliners – Smaller longliners like those directing for black cod are 32 to 80 feet long and will remain at sea for only 4 – 10 days. Other larger vessels targeting groundfish may be up to 190 feet in length and stay at sea for up to 40 days.
