Dan Hull, Chairman
Chris Oliver, Executive Director
SUBJECT: Title
2016 Observer Program Annual Report and OAC Report
end
STAFF CONTACT: Diana Evans
ACTION REQUIRED: recommended action
(a) Review the Observer Program Annual Report for 2016
(b) Receive OAC Report, action as necessary
BACKGROUND:
(a) Observer Program Annual Report for 2016
The North Pacific Observer Program 2016 Annual Report was distributed to the Council in mid-May, and is attached here. The report provides a scientific evaluation of the deployment of observers in 2016, to assess whether the objectives of the Observer Program have been met. The report also includes descriptive information on the program, including enforcement trends and outreach efforts, and agency recommendations for the 2018 Annual Deployment Plan, which will be developed over the summer.
(b) OAC Report
The Observer Advisory Committee met on May 23-24, 2017, in Seattle, and their report will be distributed at the Council meeting. The Committee reviewed the Annual Report and discussed the status of analytical projects affecting the Observer Program, and their relative priorities. The Committee also received a presentation from the NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office on the Federal contracting process, as context for considering ways to provide input on the issuance of the next contract for a partial coverage observer provider. Finally, the Committee also discussed ideas for addressing low coverage rates in the partial coverage sector, as directed by the Council in their April 2017 motion. Materials for discussion at the Committee are all posted on the Council’s website, at <https://www.npfmc.org/observer-program/>. The Committee’s recommendations will be included in the OAC report.