When on duty human observers can verify presence and use of all types of seabird-safe practices, including additional information on their design specifications.

To ensure that robust information is being collected by observers, standards set by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) that prescribe information to be recorded by observers should be regularly reviewed. 

Specifications

Equipment

Measuring tape, scales, camera. 

Bird-scaring lines 

Design specifications

• Presence of an adjustable tori pole with an angle that holds the BSL to the side of the vessel so steamers hang over the baited hooks
• Height of the bird-scaring line attachment point above the waterline
• Length of the bird-scaring line
• Number of streamers, length of longest streamer, spacing, and streamer material
• Presence of an in-water drag section, including materials
• Presence of spare BSL materials on board

What to record per set

• Was a BSL used
• Was the BSL lost or tangled during a set and not immediately replaced
• Were the streamers hanging over where baited hooks landed in the water

Branchline weighting 

Design specifications

• Type of weight (lead swivel, weighted hook, sliding weight, double weight)
• Mass of weight closest to hook
• Distance between the hook and the weight
• Proportion of branchlines with weights
• Presence of spare weights on board

What to record per set

• Number of hooks set with and without weights
• Flybacks of hooks towards the vessel
• Crew safety procedures in place (description)

Night setting 

Design specifications

• Was the skipper familiar with the night setting, and how did they define night setting

What to record per set

• Location at start of set (latitude and longitude)
• Time of start of set
• Time of completion of set
• Was the set fully carried out 30 mins after dusk, and 30 mins before dawn

Hook-shielding devices 

Design specifications

• Name of manufacturer
• Spare hook-shielding devices onboard

What to record per set

• Number of hooks set with and without hook-shielding devices
• Number of hooks where hook-shielding devices were not correctly used (i.e. not closed over the hook prior to setting)
• Number of lost or damaged hook-shielding devices seen during the haul

Underwater bait setter 

Design specifications

• Name of manufacturer
• Maintenance record

What to record per set

• Number of hooks set with and without the underwater bait setter
• Setting depth of baited hooks

Further information

To learn about the types of data to collect to assess the impact of fishing on seabirds see Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels - Bycatch monitoring.