Accurate and precise stock assessments are predicated on accurate and precise estimates of life history parameters, abundance, and catch across the range of the stock. In its continued efforts to improve the data used in stock assessments, the NOAA Pacific islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) implemented a Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawaii (BFISH) in 2016. The BFISH survey utilizes two gear types, Cooperative Research hook-and-line fishing operations (CRF) and the Modular Optical Underwater Survey System (MOUSS). Survey sampling is conducted annually, typically in the fall, surrounding the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), in accordance with a stratified-random sampling design. Under this design, the waters surrounding the MHI are gridded at 500 meter resolution. Each grid is given attributes of depth, slope, and seafloor hardness. Depth categories are Shallow (75-200 meters), Medium (200-300 meters) and Deep (300-400 meters). Slope categories are Low slope (0-10 degrees) and High (10-90 degrees). Seafloor categories are Hardbottom and Softbottom. Annual survey data are processed to produce relative and absolute abundance and biomass estimates for the Stock Assessment for the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Complex. CRF Activities have been conducted under contract with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group (PIFG). Fishing methods are standardized among vessels. Each vessel conducts fishing operations with assigned grid cells for 30 minutes per cell. Each vessel deploys two fishing lines. Each line contains four standard size hooks. Half of the hooks are baited with squid, half with fish. Caught individuals are recorded to the lowest possible taxon on standardized paper datasheets. Each individual is measured (fork-length) in centimeters. Deep7 species are retained by PIFSC for biological analysis.

To enable fisheries managers to comply with National Standard 8 (NS8), NMFS social scientists around the nation are preparing fishing community profiles that present the features and characteristics of such communities. PIFSC has published or is developing four such profiles: one each for Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted a survey of fisheries stakeholders on the Gulf and East Coasts of the United States seeking their views on ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) of fisheries resources. The survey asked a series of attitude and opinion questions along with general environmental literacy and demographic questions to a sample of 7,850 fisheries stakeholders, stratified by region. Results indicate that respondents’ knowledge of the status of fisheries resources is qualitatively similar to NMFS ratings, though generally respondents were less than satisfied with current fisheries management. Results also suggest that, despite concerns over several specific measures, respondents generally see potential in an EBFM approach to management.

Accurate and precise stock assessments are predicated on accurate and precise estimates of life history parameters, abundance, and catch across the range of the stock. In its continued efforts to improve the data used in stock assessments, the NOAA Pacific islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) implemented a Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawaii (BFISH) in 2016. The BFISH survey utilizes two gear types, Cooperative Research hook-and-line fishing operations (CRF) and the Modular Optical Underwater Survey System (MOUSS). Survey sampling is conducted annually, typically in the fall, surrounding the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), in accordance with a stratified-random sampling design. Under this design, the waters surrounding the MHI are gridded at 500 meter resolution. Each grid is given attributes of depth, slope, and seafloor hardness. Depth categories are Shallow (75-200 meters), Medium (200-300 meters) and Deep (300-400 meters). Slope categories are Low slope (0-10 degrees) and High (10-90 degrees). Seafloor categories are Hardbottom and Softbottom. Annual survey data are processed to produce relative and absolute abundance and biomass estimates for the Stock Assessment for the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Complex. MOUSS operations are conducted by researchers at the NOAA PIFSC. Two MOUSS units are deployed within each survey grid. Each MOUSS is left on the seafloor for a minimum of 15 minutes. Once recovered and returned to the lab, MOUSS videos are analysed using the MaxN method to produce species-specific, size-structured abundance estimates for Deep7 species.

Accurate and precise stock assessments are predicated on accurate and precise estimates of life history parameters, abundance, and catch across the range of the stock. In its continued efforts to improve the data used in stock assessments, the NOAA Pacific islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) implemented a Bottomfish Fishery-Independent Survey in Hawaii (BFISH) in 2016. The BFISH survey utilizes two gear types, Cooperative Research hook-and-line fishing operations (CRF) and the Modular Optical Underwater Survey System (MOUSS). Survey sampling is conducted annually, typically in the fall, surrounding the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), in accordance with a stratified-random sampling design. Under this design, the waters surrounding the MHI are gridded at 500 meter resolution. Each grid is given attributes of depth, slope, and seafloor hardness. Depth categories are Shallow (75-200 meters), Medium (200-300 meters) and Deep (300-400 meters). Slope categories are Low slope (0-10 degrees) and High (10-90 degrees). Seafloor categories are Hardbottom and Softbottom. Annual survey data are processed to produce relative and absolute abundance and biomass estimates for the Stock Assessment for the Main Hawaiian Islands Deep 7 Bottomfish Complex. This dataset contains information from BotCam deployments conducted during the 2011-2015 methods comparison study, which led to the operation BFISH survey.

This dataset includes qualitative interview data aggregated and entered into an excel csv file. Data were collected between September 2017 and June 2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 male West Hawaiʻi small boat fishers, ranging in age from 19-75 years. The interview guide addressed four broad themes: participant relationship to fishing and fishing history; information sharing in the fisheries of Hawaiʻi Island; shark interactions and handling practices; and fisher perceptions of local fisheries management and science. More specific questions elicited data around the kinds of fishing circumstances and habitats associated with fisher-shark interactions, what experiences and values might influence fisher perceptions and behavior, and the kinds of sharks fishers encounter.

During May-August 2004, face-to-face interviews with owners and/or captains of all NWHI bottomfish vessels were conducted to collect primary information on costs of fishing operations in 2003. Information on physical characteristics of the vessels, motivation of fishermen, and other topics was also collected. Follow-up interviews were conducted in September 2004 and March-April 2005 to collect data missed during the first interviews. M. Pan and A. Griesemer conducted the project.

This dataset contains tagging data for bottomfish from research fishing and intensive tagging efforts around the Main Hawaiian Islands from 2007-2005 and around Guam from 2011. The data include information on tagging/recapture of the bottomfish for 2007-2015 as well as any separate recapture information for 2015. Tagging/recapture information include the fisher, vessel, location of capture in latitude and longitude, location by island or around an island, the tag number, date tagged, fork length of fish, techniques used to limit mortality due to barotrauma, species of fish, depth caught, and whether it was a recapture. Recapture information for 2015 include whether the fish was a recapture, and if so, the fisher who recaptured it as well as the recapture date, location, and length. The data were collected on multiple contracts over many years, and therefore each field was not necessarily entered for every event. The recapture information dataset has not been extensively QC'd and should, particularly information on length and location of first capture, of the recaptured fish.

These data represent a cost-earnings study of the Main Hawaiian Islands bottomfish fishery for the 2010 operating year. Data collected include fisher classification, vessel characteristics, levels of investment, trip-level expenditures, fishing behavior, market participation, social aspects of the fishery, and demographics. Additionally, attitudes and perceptions towards fisheries management agencies and current and future management tools are described.

Marine fisheries provide food, employment opportunities, and income for millions of people who live near the coast. Unprecedented levels of catch threaten fisheries across the globe, while demand for seafood continues to climb. Effective fisheries management could ensure reliable food supplies and mitigate adverse socio-economic impacts on regulated fishing communities. Specifying management actions – particularly the resource extraction activities (dis-)allowed – can be highly contentious, in part because biological, economic, social, and political objectives of stakeholders are often in direct conflict. Disputes over conflicting objectives are typically central to disagreements about the right way to manage the fishery, but often more complex social conflicts can also fuel disagreements. The Conflict Intervention Triangle is a framework that can be used for understanding and addressing three types of conflicts: substance, relationships, and process, where the last two are social conflicts. All three types of conflict were present in open-ended responses on a recurring National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) survey of small boat fishers. To better understand the relationship between these types of conflict, we developed a fishery-specific dictionary that can automate categorization of fishers’ responses by topic and type of conflict. The use of the automated content analysis approach provided a nuanced snapshot of the major conflicts in the Hawaiʻi small boat fishery and revealed concealed conflicts that are often ambiguous and less easy to express. We discuss the performance of the methodology used in creating and applying the dictionary to fishery datasets as well as advantages and disadvantages compared to manual content analysis.