May 28, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
The 2021-2022 sea-day schedule for trips selected for observer coverage is now available. Two new information reports that support the schedule are also available. View or and download the schedule and reports here.
We did not conduct a discard analysis this year because of an observer data gap caused by observer coverage waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s sea day schedule is instead based on last year’s analysis, incorporating the effects of FY21 funding and sea scallop compensation rate.
There are 3,248 agency-funded days for fishery monitoring, 3,096 days fewer than required. We have used the prioritization process described in the Standardized Bycatch Reporting Methodology Omnibus Amendment to allocate available funds to fishing fleets monitored using these sea days.
For groundfish vessels in this fishing year, we estimate that 699 Northeast Fisheries Observer Program sea-days can offset the days required for at-sea monitoring, and that 100% of vessel costs for at-sea monitoring will be reimbursed with funds specifically appropriated by Congress in FY2019 and FY2020 for this purpose.