4.3(a) Observer Coverage

All tuna RFMOs are already collecting or receiving some data through observer programs or fishing logbooks, and these efforts must be made more comprehensive in order to properly assess the impact of FAD fisheries and other activities.

Processors, traders, importers, transporters, marketers and others involved in the seafood industry shall conduct transactions only with those large-scale purse seine vessels that have 100% observer coverage (human or electronic if proven to be effective) on every fishing trip and observing every fishing operation, unless prevented by force majeure conditions in a particular region. Force majeure is an event or effect, both acts of nature and acts of people that can be neither anticipated nor controlled, such as floods, hurricanes, riots, strikes or wars. For the purposes of this measure, large-scale purse seine vessels are those with at least 335 m³ fish hold volume.

Download the Electronic Monitoring Vendors and Data Submission Information (PDF) for (1) an EM vendors list; (2) contact information for submitting (a) FAD tracking and echosounder biomass data and (2) bycatch data; and (3) data submission guidelines.