List of all metadata reports |  This report's TOC |  Previous Page |  Next Page

Database Title

7.3 Ministry of Fisheries research scientific observer databases
Keywords
Type1.
Type 11.		 New Zealand EEZ; marine; oceans; fisheries; catch effort; length, sex, weight; abundance; seabird bycatch; marine mammal bycatch.
Scientific observers
Abstract These databases contain the results of scientific observer observations on commercial fishing vessels. They include:
  • l-line- (catch information from scientific observers on foreign and domestic vessels in the southern bluefin tuna fishery
  • obs-lfs- (contains biological data( including length frequency, weight) and non fish bycatch data collected by scientific observers on commercial vessels)
  • obs- (observations of the scientific observers including conversion factor data)

More detail on these databases follows.
Geographical Coverage New Zealand EEZ
Dataset start date. 1986
Dataset end date. Current
Status/currency. In progress
Update frequency. Annual
Maintenance. NIWA

 

Technical Evaluation

  
Parameters- what is measured
  • Catch effort parameters such as date, location, methods, effort, species caught.
  • Biological measures such as length, sex, weight
Parameters- what is calculated
  • Indices of abundance for individual fish species.
  • Vessel specific conversion factors (i.e. the ratio of green weight to fillet processed weight)
Methods used to measure parameters Observations by scientific observers.
Scale of use. N/A
Number of records Obs-lfs: 45,470 Kb data.
Obs: 1156,160 Kb data.
l-line: 16,355Kb data
GIS compatibility. Latitude and longitude data-spatial resolution to decimal minutes.
Available formats for users. These are relational databases. Information inquiries are answered using a text file or spreadsheet.
Access constraints. This is commercially sensitive information. Information requests are usually answered using aggregated information. The level of aggregation depends on the proposed use of the data.
Measurement Accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Completeness of dataset To be completed by database manager.
Positional accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Database steward Ministry of Fisheries
Steward contact person. Kim Duckworth (Research Data Manager)
Database custodian NIWA
Database custodian contact person Don Robertson
Database custodian Contact
Address
Phone
Fax
Email		 PO Box 14 901
Kilbirnie
Wellington
+ 64 4 386 0519
+ 64 4 386 0572
d.robertson@niwa.cri.nz
References -
Date metadata record prepared. June 2000
Author of metadata record. Victoria Froude

 

Management Evaluation

  
Original purpose. Research
Relationships with classification systems. N/A
Relationships with other databases The data sets are used with a range of other fisheries databases.
Known relationships with proposed EPIP indicators. These databases are likely to contribute to the fisheries indicators.
Database uses?
  • Research providers such as NIWA-research
  • Ministry of Fisheries-research, compliance to ensure the integrity of fisheries management. Some fisheries such as the Chatham Rise orange roughy fishery require observers
  • Department of Conservation-monitoring of protected species bycatch
  • Stakeholder research and assessment
Public awareness of the database Moderate
Database strengths. The data is of high-quality and is independent.
The data can be used to estimate overall catch effort and relative abundance of particular fisheries.
Database limitations. The observer programme has limited coverage. It was designed to address certain fisheries, issues and particular research programmes.

 

What are the Current and Emerging Uses of the Database for:

  
Assisting with determining historic state/baseline. This can be done where the data exists
Assisting with determining current state/baseline. This is what the database is designed to achieve.
Assisting with modeling possible future outcomes. The data is used to develop/refine models of fish populations and biomass
Risk assessment. The database is used for formal risk assessment.
Monitoring site selection and sample design. Selected Fisheries/programmes are addressed in the programme.
Aggregating and reporting data locally, regionally or nationally. This is possible although local reporting of data may not be possible in some cases due to the requirement for data aggregation for commercial sensitivity purposes.