Attachment_8-Species_Verification_Program.pdf

SECTION J

NEFSC Fisheries Sampling Branch Policies

Species Verification Program Compliance In January 2011, the Fisheries Sampling Branch issued a memo (2011-001) describing the Species Verification Program requirements. Species verification is a critical component of data quality. Incorrect identification can cause significant problems for fisheries management.

In the past three years, many observers have complied with all SVP requirements; however, the overall compliance is lower than desirable for a robust program. To improve data quality, FSB is implementing a minimum compliance rate of 85% for all observers, for each quarter.

Compliance calculation and reports

Under the SVP, observers are required to submit photographs or samples of 30 species each quarter (see list on last page). Percent compliance is calculated as the number of species correctly submitted (verified) divided by the number of species encountered during the quarter.

Photographs or samples that are unidentifiable (e.g., blurry photographs, missing identifying characteristics) or incorrect are not counted towards the percent compliance.

Each quarter, FSB will send an electronic summary to each observer with his or her history for that quarter. These summaries will be computed 7 days after the end of the quarter, to account for late photo/sample submissions. Photographs and samples submitted more than 7 days late will not be counted toward the observer's compliance for that quarter, but will be reviewed for accuracy and used to evaluate trip data.

Incorrect submissions

Observers should identify all animals to the most specific taxonomic level possible. FSB staff will review incorrect identifications with the observer as soon as possible. After an incorrect submission, the observer must submit photographs and/or samples of that species, when encountered, until correct identification can be verified. One correct (verified) submission will satisfy the quarterly requirement.

Consequences of low compliance

At the end of each quarter, observers that do not meet the minimum compliance (see table below) will immediately be placed on priority status for the following 3 months, with no restrictions on trip deployments. If they have not met the minimum compliance at the end of that quarter, they will be placed on probation for the following 3 trips.

For each probation trip, they will be required to submit photographs or samples of all SVP species encountered before redeploying on the next trip. If all required photographs are not

Attachment 8

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submitted, the observer may be recommended for decertification. If the observer successfully complies with the probation requirements, they will be notified by FSB staff that they are no longer on probation and may resume taking trips as usual. If an observer fails to meet minimum compliance within one year of coming off probation, they may be recommended for decertification. See the FSB Data Quality Monitoring and Improvement Measures memo for more information about probation and decertification.

The table below identifies the required number of species correctly submitted (verified) for minimum compliance, based on the number of species encountered. Note that where 85% does not calculate to a whole number, the required number was rounded down (i.e., in the observer's favor).

Changes to required species list

In January 2011, NEFOP and IFS observers were assigned a list of 30 required species, and ASM observers were assigned a shortened list of 20 required species. For simplification, all observers will be required to submit photographs or samples from the complete list of 30 species (see last page) starting next quarter (January to March 2014). Because of the high number of cross-trained observers, most ASM observers are already submitting these species.

Observers are still required to send in the following species on all herring trips: Atlantic herring, blueback herring, alewife, hickory shad, American shad, menhaden, and Atlantic mackerel.

Herring submissions will be tracked on a trip-by-trip basis. Observers who fail to submit encountered herring species on a trip will be warned that they must submit those species when next encountered. Failure to do so may result in probation.

# of species encountered

# of species required

1 0 2 1 3 2 4 3 5 4 6 5 7 5 8 6 9 7 10 8

# of species encountered

# of species required

11 9 12 10 13 11 14 11 15 12 16 13 17 14 18 15 19 16 20 17

# of species encountered

# of species required

21 17 22 18 23 19 24 20 25 21 26 22 27 22 28 23 29 24 30 25

Attachment 8

EA133F-17-RP-1824