Catch Share Conversations: Comparing Monitoring Systems in U.S. Catch Share Fisheries

In closing this round of Catch Share Conversations on monitoring, which we started last week, we compare and contrast monitoring systems in a number of US catch share fisheries.  Each of these fisheries have uniquely tailored monitoring approaches to accommodate the fishery’s goals and characteristics.  The attached chart provides a snapshot of the monitoring programs employed by catch share fisheries in the United States and provides an opportunity to compare and contrast across different fisheries.

For example, the utilization of monitoring options to meet the management demands of these fisheries yields creative monitoring solutions from the cage-tagging system used by the surf clam/ocean quahog fishery to the multipart dockside and at-sea observer program applied by the Northeast Multispecies Sector Program.  The chart also includes comparative information such as average vessel length, number of participating vessels, gear type, programs costs, funding sources and more.