West Coast Groundfish Observer Program Manual, Part2 - NOAA

CHAPTER 5
1. Determine the total number of gear units the vessel
is using. This information can be obtained from the
Captain or a crewmember.
2. Count the number of hooks per gear unit on 1/5 of
the gear being used each trip. It is usually easiest to
count hooks while they are being baited or while the
gear is being set. Always document in the Observer
Logbook when average hook counts were done and
why that time was chosen.
Avg. Hooks per Gear Unit = Sum of Counted Hooks
# Gear Units Counted
Number of Gear Units:
Determining the total number of hooks in a set is easier for
some gear types then for others. The following section
addresses typical methods for determining the total number
of hooks for the three gear types (sticks, skates/tubs, and
poles). Although all gear types are not specifically
mentioned here, these methods can be utilized on all the
gear types Observers will encounter. Refer to the field
manual for specifics on the appropriate method for each
gear type.
• Sticks – Many vessels fishing with stick gear will use
each stick many times during one set. Each stick is
easily identifiable and gear is pulled slowly enough to
count every time a stick is retrieved. It may be
possible to keep track of lost sticks during retrieval
as well. If not, get a lost hook count from the
captain or crew. To determine the total number of
hooks in a set:
1. Count every time a stick is brought out of the
water.
1/30/2004 5-31