NOAA Fisheries PIFSC Bottomfish Assessment IDIQ
Lynker is partnering with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group (PIFG) on a 5-year, $3.6 million contract to conduct Independent Survey Sampling of Bottomfish in the four Main Hawaiian Islands (Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau) under NMFS’ Cooperative Research Program (CRP).
Our support includes surveying over 300 individual sites, gear calibration, bio-sampling, and fish tagging. In addition to collecting data and specimens, our team is actively involved in local fishing community outreach and education efforts, working with the CRP to inform vessel owners, commercial and recreational fishermen, fishing clubs, and fishing organizations about how NMFS’ bottomfish-related research helps sustain and protect valuable fishing resources throughout the islands. We are proud to contribute to scientific and technical efforts as well as help drive a more collaborative approach to fisheries management in the Pacific.
Lynker is the single awardee for this program, the largest of all US Federal fisheries observer programs ($34 million over 5 years). This contract adds 60 additional qualified personnel to our team, who serve as biologists and data collectors/analysts onboard longline (tuna) and shortset (swordfish – to reopen this year) fishing vessels in the Pacific. We are deeply honored to have been selected to support the program, especially as it embraces new tools, technologies, and processes for data collection, monitoring, and reporting in the region.