Table of contents
- What is the purpose of the Observer Program?
- Am I required to carry an Observer
- Observer coverage: East coast southern bluefin tuna season
- Observer coverage: Heard Island & McDonald Islands Fishery and the Macquarie Island Toothfish Fishery
- Observer coverage: High Seas
- What are the fees involved with carrying an Observer?
- What are the requirements of operators when carrying an Observer
- What happens if I refuse or fail to carry an Observer
The Observer Program provides fisheries managers, research organisations, environmental agencies, the fishing industry and the wider community with independent, reliable, verified and accurate information on the fishing catch, effort and practice of a wide range of boats operating inside, and periodically outside, the Australian Fishing Zone.
The Observer Program places AFMA trained Observers on domestic and if required, foreign boats fishing within the Australian Fishing Zone and some adjacent high seas areas under international arrangements.
Each year the requirements and priorities for the Observer Program are determined by AFMA after consultation with the relevant Management Advisory Committees and Resource Assessment Groups, so that timing and spacing observer coverage is proportional to fishing effort within and across fisheries.