Hawaiian and Samoan Longline Fisheries Observer Program
The pelagic longline fishery based in Hawaii operates mainly in the Northern Central Pacific Ocean. This fishery is managed through a Fishery Management Plan (FMP) developed by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and administered by the Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Incidental catch of protected and endangered species in this fishery can be problematic. Observers are placed onboard to document protected species interactions that may occur. These include interactions with all sea turtles, especially loggerheads (Caretta caretta), leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) and greens (Chelonia mydas), seabirds such as the Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and black-footed albatross (P. nigripes), and to a lesser extent, a few whale and dolphin species. It is illegal for vessels to interact with these species and the crew must follow specific procedures to try and ensure the safe return of the species, where possible.
Vessels registered with Hawaii Longline Limited Access permits are required to carry observers, when directed to do so by the NMFS to document the incidental capture of sea turtles and interactions with other protected species. The data are used to verify turtle takes as well as seabird and marine mammal interactions. Presently NMFS requires observers on 20% of all vessel departures in the Tuna (deep set) fishery and 100% of the vessel departures in the swordfish (shallow set) fishery. The Samoa fishery is currently at a 10% coverage level.
The majority of the vessels leave from Honolulu on Oahu; however, some vessels depart or return to Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. The average trip in the Tuna Fishery is 23 days and 32 days in the Swordfish fishery, but could extend up to six weeks. A normal workday consists of 10-15 hours spent watching every hook as it is retrieved from a 20+mile longline. If there is an entanglement the "pull" could take up to 20 hours. Life aboard ship is primitive and crew often does not speak English. Some vessels have roaches and/or bedbugs.
Observer Duties
Observers are placed on longline vessels to obtain data on incidental sea turtle take and collect fishing effort data. The observers document interactions with all protected species, record tallies of the fish kept and discarded by species and process selected specimens for life history information. The Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) in Hawaii receives the observer data to calculate official estimates of species interactions, catch and bycatch and to produce technical reports. The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center receives biological samples for analysis.
To meet NMFS field responsibilities, the following objectives are established for scientific technicians working as observers aboard longline vessels:
1) Obtain reliable information about the incidental interaction of sea turtles
2) Record fishing effort
3) Document interactions of other protected species (marine mammals & seabirds)
4) Record the number of fishes kept and discarded
5) Process selected species for biological & life history information
Wages
A “deployment day” is defined as a day spent at sea and begins the day vessel leaves port with observer onboard through, and including, the day vessel returns to port. The deployed rate or at-sea pay will be a minimum of 10 hours per day (8 hours at Base Hour Rate and 2 hours at Overtime Rate). Any hours worked over 40 hours per week will be paid at the Overtime Rate (1.5 times the Base Hour Rate). The rates of pay listed below are based on hourly rates. The workweek begins at midnight (0000 hrs), Sunday and ends at 11:59 pm (2359 hrs) the following Saturday.
Training pay is $13.47/hr plus a Health and Welfare Benefit (HWB) of $1.29/hr for 8 hours of work per training day, The training, held in Honolulu, is 15 days long and includes fish and turtle identification labs, instruction of completing paperwork, wilderness 1st aid training, fire safety, survival suit and fife raft training, and conflict resolution. Employees are paid upon successful completion of their training. Debriefing pay is $13.47/hr plus $1.29/hr HWB for eight hours of work per day for debriefing, up to a maximum of three days, unless extended by NMFS.
Grade |
Sea days |
Rate |
1 |
0-60 |
13.47 |
2 |
61-120 |
13.88 |
3 |
121-180 |
14.29 |
4 |
181-240 |
14.72 |
5 |
241-300 |
15.17 |
6 |
301+ |
15.62 |
Additional Compensation
Observers will receive a bonus pay, vacation pay, cell phone credit, and Federal Holiday pay. A bonus of 1.5% of earnings will be paid at the end of the contract. Vacation Pay is based on ten vacation days per year, pro-rated based on the number of employed days in a contract, and paid at the end of each contract. MRAG will pay employees $1.00 per sea day to offset cost of maintaining cellular phone with service in Hawaii. The ten federal holidays per year will paid at double time if an observer is deployed on a holiday. Lodging is provided for the length of the first contract. Meal per diem of $20 is provided during actual debriefing and training days.
Attain a copy of the Union Contract.
For more information on required qualification and benefits please visit our Employment Page.