Observers in the West Coast program work aboard commercial fishing boats collecting biological data on target and bycatch. They monitor marine mammal and sea bird interactions with fishing gear and, check vessel deliveries to verify species identification and weights. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) uses this information to set fishing quotas and monitor the health of fish stocks.
Boats in the West Coast fleet range in size from 18-foot longliners to over 70-foot trawlers. Working conditions vary widely and some vessels may not have bathrooms or showers.
Observers must be flexible, resourceful, able to work long hours, and strong enough to do some heavy lifting (up to 80 pounds). The workday is determined by the vessel’s fishing schedule and NMFS sampling protocols, and can range from 5-15 hours a day. Trips last from 1 to 5 days and multiple back-to-back deployments are common. As with all our observer jobs, we encourage — and reward — repeat contracts.
For more details on the program and observer requirements, see the summary on right or visit the official WCGOP site.
When not onboard vessels, observers live in selected ports along the West Coast of the United States, from Washington to California. Assignments may be based out of port towns such as:
- Bellingham, WA
- Westport, WA
- Astoria, OR
- Newport, OR
- Coos Bay, OR
- Brookings, OR
- Crescent City, CA
- Eureka, CA
- Fort Bragg, CA
- San Francisco CA