1 Descriptive Section

1.1 Indicator category

[1] “Fish”

1.2 Indicator name

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Pelagic Observer Program CPUE

Includes variable(s): AMBERJACK, BARRACUDA, BLUEFISH, BONITO, CIGARFISH, COBIA, DEALFISH, DOLPHIN ATLANTIC SPOTTED, DOLPHIN BOTTLENOSE, DOLPHIN COMMON, DOLPHIN FISH, DOLPHIN PANTROPICAL SPOTTED, DOLPHIN RISSOS, ESCOLAR (SMOOTH SKIN), GANNET NORTHERN, GULL, GULL GREAT BLACK BACKED, GULL HERRING, JACK, LANCETFISH, LITTLE TUNNY, MACKERAL SNAKE, MACKEREL KING, MANTA RAY, MARINE FINFISH, MARLIN BLUE, MARLIN WHITE, OILFISH (ROUGH SKIN), OPAH, PELAGIC STINGRAY, POMFRET, PUFFER, RAINBOW RUNNER, REMORA, SAILFISH ATLANTIC, SHARK, SHARK ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE, SHARK BIGNOSE, SHARK BLACKNOSE, SHARK BLACKTIP, SHARK BLUE, SHARK BULL, SHARK CROCODILE, SHARK DOGFISH, SHARK DOGFISH COLLARED, SHARK DOGFISH SMOOTH, SHARK DOGFISH SPINEY, SHARK DUSKY, SHARK FINETOOTH, SHARK HAMMERHEAD, SHARK HAMMERHEAD GREAT, SHARK HAMMERHEAD SCALLOPED, SHARK HAMMERHEAD SMOOTH, SHARK MAKO, SHARK MAKO LONGFIN, SHARK MAKO SHORTFIN, SHARK NIGHT, SHARK OCEANIC WHITETIP, SHARK PORBEAGLE, SHARK REQUIEM, SHARK SAND TIGER, SHARK SANDBAR, SHARK SILKY, SHARK SPINNER, SHARK THRESHER, SHARK THRESHER BIGEYE, SHARK THRESHER COMMON, SHARK TIGER, SHEARWATER, SHEARWATER CORY’S, SHEARWATER GREATER, SKATES/RAYS, SPEARFISH, SPEARFISH LONGBILL, SPEARFISH ROUNDSCALE, SQUID, STORM PETREL, SUNFISH, SUNFISH OCEAN, SUNFISH SHARPTIAL, SWORDFISH, TUNA ALBACORE, TUNA BIGEYE, TUNA BLACKFIN, TUNA BLUEFIN, TUNA SKIPJACK, TUNA YELLOWFIN, TURTLE GREEN, TURTLE HAWKSBILL, TURTLE KEMP’S RIDLEY, TURTLE LEATHERBACK, TURTLE LOGGERHEAD, UNCODED ANIMAL, UNKNOWN, WAHOO, WHALE BEAKED, WHALE PILOT, WHALE PILOT LONGFIN, WHALE PILOT SHORTFIN, WHALE SPERM PYGMY, WHITE MARLIN / R.S. SPEARFISH

1.3 Indicator brief description

CPUE from Pelagic Observer Program (POP) observed hauls, presented as number of fish per haul, is provided for the northeast (i.e., the Northeast Coastal and Mid-Atlantic Bight fishing areas) by year/species from 1992-2023.

1.4 Indicator visualization

Observer CPUE data collected for shark management groups and Atlantic tunas between 1992-2023 are shown for Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

2 SMART Attribute Section

2.1 Indicator documentation

2.1.1 Are indicators available for others to use (data downloadable)?

Yes

2.1.1.1 Where can indicators be found?

Data: https://noaa-edab.github.io/ecodata/index.html

Description: https://noaa-edab.github.io/catalog/hms_cpue.html

Technical documentation: https://noaa-edab.github.io/tech-doc/hms_cpue.html

2.1.1.2 How often are they updated? Are future updates likely?

[need sequential look at datasets for update frequency. Future requires judgement]

2.1.1.3 Who is the contact?

Jennifer Cudney (jennifer.cudney@noaa.gov)

2.1.2 Gather indicator statistics

2.1.2.1 Units

Indicator	Units
AMBERJACK	no Units field
BARRACUDA	no Units field
BLUEFISH	no Units field
BONITO	no Units field
CIGARFISH	no Units field
COBIA	no Units field
DEALFISH	no Units field
DOLPHIN ATLANTIC SPOTTED	no Units field
DOLPHIN BOTTLENOSE	no Units field
DOLPHIN COMMON	no Units field
DOLPHIN FISH	no Units field
DOLPHIN PANTROPICAL SPOTTED	no Units field
DOLPHIN RISSOS	no Units field
ESCOLAR (SMOOTH SKIN)	no Units field
GANNET NORTHERN	no Units field
GULL	no Units field
GULL GREAT BLACK BACKED	no Units field
GULL HERRING	no Units field
JACK	no Units field
LANCETFISH	no Units field
LITTLE TUNNY	no Units field
MACKERAL SNAKE	no Units field
MACKEREL KING	no Units field
MANTA RAY	no Units field
MARINE FINFISH	no Units field
MARLIN BLUE	no Units field
MARLIN WHITE	no Units field
OILFISH (ROUGH SKIN)	no Units field
OPAH	no Units field
PELAGIC STINGRAY	no Units field
POMFRET	no Units field
PUFFER	no Units field
RAINBOW RUNNER	no Units field
REMORA	no Units field
SAILFISH ATLANTIC	no Units field
SHARK	no Units field
SHARK ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE	no Units field
SHARK BIGNOSE	no Units field
SHARK BLACKNOSE	no Units field
SHARK BLACKTIP	no Units field
SHARK BLUE	no Units field
SHARK BULL	no Units field
SHARK CROCODILE	no Units field
SHARK DOGFISH	no Units field
SHARK DOGFISH COLLARED	no Units field
SHARK DOGFISH SMOOTH	no Units field
SHARK DOGFISH SPINEY	no Units field
SHARK DUSKY	no Units field
SHARK FINETOOTH	no Units field
SHARK HAMMERHEAD	no Units field
SHARK HAMMERHEAD GREAT	no Units field
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SCALLOPED	no Units field
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SMOOTH	no Units field
SHARK MAKO	no Units field
SHARK MAKO LONGFIN	no Units field
SHARK MAKO SHORTFIN	no Units field
SHARK NIGHT	no Units field
SHARK OCEANIC WHITETIP	no Units field
SHARK PORBEAGLE	no Units field
SHARK REQUIEM	no Units field
SHARK SAND TIGER	no Units field
SHARK SANDBAR	no Units field
SHARK SILKY	no Units field
SHARK SPINNER	no Units field
SHARK THRESHER	no Units field
SHARK THRESHER BIGEYE	no Units field
SHARK THRESHER COMMON	no Units field
SHARK TIGER	no Units field
SHEARWATER	no Units field
SHEARWATER CORY'S	no Units field
SHEARWATER GREATER	no Units field
SKATES/RAYS	no Units field
SPEARFISH	no Units field
SPEARFISH LONGBILL	no Units field
SPEARFISH ROUNDSCALE	no Units field
SQUID	no Units field
STORM PETREL	no Units field
SUNFISH	no Units field
SUNFISH OCEAN	no Units field
SUNFISH SHARPTIAL	no Units field
SWORDFISH	no Units field
TUNA ALBACORE	no Units field
TUNA BIGEYE	no Units field
TUNA BLACKFIN	no Units field
TUNA BLUEFIN	no Units field
TUNA SKIPJACK	no Units field
TUNA YELLOWFIN	no Units field
TURTLE GREEN	no Units field
TURTLE HAWKSBILL	no Units field
TURTLE KEMP'S RIDLEY	no Units field
TURTLE LEATHERBACK	no Units field
TURTLE LOGGERHEAD	no Units field
UNCODED ANIMAL	no Units field
UNKNOWN	no Units field
WAHOO	no Units field
WHALE BEAKED	no Units field
WHALE PILOT	no Units field
WHALE PILOT LONGFIN	no Units field
WHALE PILOT SHORTFIN	no Units field
WHALE SPERM PYGMY	no Units field
WHITE MARLIN / R.S. SPEARFISH	no Units field

2.1.2.2 Length of time series, start and end date, periodicity

General overview: 1992-2023, Annual

Indicator specifics:

Indicator	EPU	StartYear	EndYear	NumYears	MissingYears
AMBERJACK	All	1993	2016	2	22
BARRACUDA	All	1995	2023	12	17
BLUEFISH	All	1992	2017	9	17
BONITO	All	1992	2023	10	22
CIGARFISH	All	1994	2023	17	13
COBIA	All	1993	2017	2	23
DEALFISH	All	2023	2023	1	0
DOLPHIN ATLANTIC SPOTTED	All	2003	2003	1	0
DOLPHIN BOTTLENOSE	All	1993	2023	14	17
DOLPHIN COMMON	All	1992	2015	5	19
DOLPHIN FISH	All	1992	2023	32	0
DOLPHIN PANTROPICAL SPOTTED	All	1993	1993	1	0
DOLPHIN RISSOS	All	1992	2021	25	5
ESCOLAR (SMOOTH SKIN)	All	1993	2023	28	3
GANNET NORTHERN	All	1993	2016	5	19
GULL	All	1992	2004	6	7
GULL GREAT BLACK BACKED	All	1993	2007	2	13
GULL HERRING	All	1994	2017	5	19
JACK	All	1994	2023	3	27
LANCETFISH	All	1992	2023	32	0
LITTLE TUNNY	All	1992	2023	18	14
MACKERAL SNAKE	All	1994	2023	23	7
MACKEREL KING	All	1992	2019	9	19
MANTA RAY	All	1994	2023	21	9
MARINE FINFISH	All	1992	2023	8	24
MARLIN BLUE	All	1992	2023	32	0
MARLIN WHITE	All	1992	2023	32	0
OILFISH (ROUGH SKIN)	All	1993	2023	22	9
OPAH	All	1993	2023	15	16
PELAGIC STINGRAY	All	2004	2023	20	0
POMFRET	All	1993	2023	20	11
PUFFER	All	1992	2023	19	13
RAINBOW RUNNER	All	2023	2023	1	0
REMORA	All	1996	2020	15	10
SAILFISH ATLANTIC	All	1994	2023	22	8
SHARK	All	1992	2023	31	1
SHARK ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE	All	1993	2017	6	19
SHARK BIGNOSE	All	2001	2005	3	2
SHARK BLACKNOSE	All	2010	2010	1	0
SHARK BLACKTIP	All	1992	2023	10	22
SHARK BLUE	All	1992	2023	32	0
SHARK BULL	All	1993	2017	5	20
SHARK CROCODILE	All	2002	2011	3	7
SHARK DOGFISH	All	2000	2023	10	14
SHARK DOGFISH COLLARED	All	2022	2022	1	0
SHARK DOGFISH SMOOTH	All	1995	2023	13	16
SHARK DOGFISH SPINEY	All	1993	2017	9	16
SHARK DUSKY	All	1992	2022	29	2
SHARK FINETOOTH	All	2007	2007	1	0
SHARK HAMMERHEAD	All	1992	2023	29	3
SHARK HAMMERHEAD GREAT	All	1995	2023	17	12
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SCALLOPED	All	1992	2023	31	1
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SMOOTH	All	1998	2023	13	13
SHARK MAKO	All	1992	2023	28	4
SHARK MAKO LONGFIN	All	1992	2023	32	0
SHARK MAKO SHORTFIN	All	1992	2023	32	0
SHARK NIGHT	All	1994	2023	27	3
SHARK OCEANIC WHITETIP	All	1993	2023	14	17
SHARK PORBEAGLE	All	1992	2023	18	14
SHARK REQUIEM	All	2004	2023	20	0
SHARK SAND TIGER	All	2003	2003	1	0
SHARK SANDBAR	All	1992	2023	26	6
SHARK SILKY	All	1992	2023	32	0
SHARK SPINNER	All	1998	2018	7	14
SHARK THRESHER	All	1995	2023	24	5
SHARK THRESHER BIGEYE	All	1992	2023	30	2
SHARK THRESHER COMMON	All	1992	2023	23	9
SHARK TIGER	All	1992	2023	32	0
SHEARWATER	All	2006	2023	4	14
SHEARWATER CORY'S	All	2014	2022	3	6
SHEARWATER GREATER	All	1992	2023	11	21
SKATES/RAYS	All	1992	2023	18	14
SPEARFISH	All	1996	2023	18	10
SPEARFISH LONGBILL	All	1994	2018	9	16
SPEARFISH ROUNDSCALE	All	2001	2023	19	4
SQUID	All	1997	2022	2	24
STORM PETREL	All	1995	1995	1	0
SUNFISH	All	1992	2023	32	0
SUNFISH OCEAN	All	2004	2023	20	0
SUNFISH SHARPTIAL	All	2006	2023	16	2
SWORDFISH	All	1992	2023	32	0
TUNA ALBACORE	All	1992	2023	32	0
TUNA BIGEYE	All	1992	2023	32	0
TUNA BLACKFIN	All	1993	2023	28	3
TUNA BLUEFIN	All	1992	2023	30	2
TUNA SKIPJACK	All	1992	2023	32	0
TUNA YELLOWFIN	All	1992	2023	32	0
TURTLE GREEN	All	1992	1994	2	1
TURTLE HAWKSBILL	All	1992	1998	2	5
TURTLE KEMP'S RIDLEY	All	1994	1994	1	0
TURTLE LEATHERBACK	All	1992	2023	31	1
TURTLE LOGGERHEAD	All	1992	2023	30	2
UNCODED ANIMAL	All	2008	2023	4	12
UNKNOWN	All	1995	2023	28	1
WAHOO	All	1992	2023	31	1
WHALE BEAKED	All	2008	2008	1	0
WHALE PILOT	All	1992	2023	31	1
WHALE PILOT LONGFIN	All	2011	2011	1	0
WHALE PILOT SHORTFIN	All	1992	2020	10	19
WHALE SPERM PYGMY	All	2011	2011	1	0
WHITE MARLIN / R.S. SPEARFISH	All	2007	2023	17	0

2.1.2.3 Spatial location, scale and extent

General overview: Data are extracted from the MAB and NEC fishing areas

Indicator specifics:

Indicator	EPU
AMBERJACK	All
BARRACUDA	All
BLUEFISH	All
BONITO	All
CIGARFISH	All
COBIA	All
DEALFISH	All
DOLPHIN ATLANTIC SPOTTED	All
DOLPHIN BOTTLENOSE	All
DOLPHIN COMMON	All
DOLPHIN FISH	All
DOLPHIN PANTROPICAL SPOTTED	All
DOLPHIN RISSOS	All
ESCOLAR (SMOOTH SKIN)	All
GANNET NORTHERN	All
GULL	All
GULL GREAT BLACK BACKED	All
GULL HERRING	All
JACK	All
LANCETFISH	All
LITTLE TUNNY	All
MACKERAL SNAKE	All
MACKEREL KING	All
MANTA RAY	All
MARINE FINFISH	All
MARLIN BLUE	All
MARLIN WHITE	All
OILFISH (ROUGH SKIN)	All
OPAH	All
PELAGIC STINGRAY	All
POMFRET	All
PUFFER	All
RAINBOW RUNNER	All
REMORA	All
SAILFISH ATLANTIC	All
SHARK	All
SHARK ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE	All
SHARK BIGNOSE	All
SHARK BLACKNOSE	All
SHARK BLACKTIP	All
SHARK BLUE	All
SHARK BULL	All
SHARK CROCODILE	All
SHARK DOGFISH	All
SHARK DOGFISH COLLARED	All
SHARK DOGFISH SMOOTH	All
SHARK DOGFISH SPINEY	All
SHARK DUSKY	All
SHARK FINETOOTH	All
SHARK HAMMERHEAD	All
SHARK HAMMERHEAD GREAT	All
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SCALLOPED	All
SHARK HAMMERHEAD SMOOTH	All
SHARK MAKO	All
SHARK MAKO LONGFIN	All
SHARK MAKO SHORTFIN	All
SHARK NIGHT	All
SHARK OCEANIC WHITETIP	All
SHARK PORBEAGLE	All
SHARK REQUIEM	All
SHARK SAND TIGER	All
SHARK SANDBAR	All
SHARK SILKY	All
SHARK SPINNER	All
SHARK THRESHER	All
SHARK THRESHER BIGEYE	All
SHARK THRESHER COMMON	All
SHARK TIGER	All
SHEARWATER	All
SHEARWATER CORY'S	All
SHEARWATER GREATER	All
SKATES/RAYS	All
SPEARFISH	All
SPEARFISH LONGBILL	All
SPEARFISH ROUNDSCALE	All
SQUID	All
STORM PETREL	All
SUNFISH	All
SUNFISH OCEAN	All
SUNFISH SHARPTIAL	All
SWORDFISH	All
TUNA ALBACORE	All
TUNA BIGEYE	All
TUNA BLACKFIN	All
TUNA BLUEFIN	All
TUNA SKIPJACK	All
TUNA YELLOWFIN	All
TURTLE GREEN	All
TURTLE HAWKSBILL	All
TURTLE KEMP'S RIDLEY	All
TURTLE LEATHERBACK	All
TURTLE LOGGERHEAD	All
UNCODED ANIMAL	All
UNKNOWN	All
WAHOO	All
WHALE BEAKED	All
WHALE PILOT	All
WHALE PILOT LONGFIN	All
WHALE PILOT SHORTFIN	All
WHALE SPERM PYGMY	All
WHITE MARLIN / R.S. SPEARFISH	All

2.1.2.4 Management scale: all species, FMP level, species level, can it be aggregated or separated to different scales?

[Classify by hand, note gridded data if available could be applied to different species ranges]

2.1.2.5 Uncertainty metrics

Uncertainty is captured in these variables:

[1] “DOLPHIN BOTTLENOSE” “SHARK ATLANTIC SHARPNOSE” “SHARK BIGNOSE” “SHARK BLACKNOSE”

2.1.3 Are methods clearly documented to obtain source data and calculate indicators?

Yes

2.1.3.1 Can the indicator be calculated from current documentation?

Catch per unit effort was calculated as number of individuals per haul and summarized by year and species. The species groupings are available in the table below.

2.1.3.2 Is code publicly available? up to date?

2.1.3.3 Have methods changed over time?

2.1.4 Are indicator underlying source data linked or easy to find?

Source data are NOT publicly available. Pelagic observer data is considered confidential data, and must be screened to ensure that data meet requirements for “rule of three” at the set and vessel level before they can be distributed.

2.1.4.1 Where are source data stored?

Data for this indicator are sourced from the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Pelagic Observer Program. These data come from the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center databases holding the Atlantic highly migratory species information from the pelagic observer program. The Southeast Pelagic Observer Program monitors the pelagic longline fleet all along the Northeast U.S. Shelf. This covers approximately 1000 hauls per year and targets 8% coverage of the fishing effort.

2.1.4.2 How/by whom are source data updated? Are future updates likely?

Jennifer Cudney, Tobey Curtis, Daniel Daye

[likelihood of source data updates requires judgement, enter by hand]

2.1.4.3 How often are they updated?

[Update by hand, look for source, may require judgement]

2.2 Indicator analysis/testing or history of use

2.2.1 What decision or advice processes are the indicators currently used in?

The Pelagic Observer Program (POP) is operated out of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, but provides observers in all regions (including the high seas) where U.S. flagged and HMS-permitted vessels fish under regulations for the HMS pelagic longline fishery. Data from the POP is collected during trips on pelagic longline vessels that are generally targeting swordfish, and yellowfin and bigeye tunas. Once a set is retrieved, information like the length, dressed weight, sex, and tag number of each individual fish is recorded. There have been times and areas where the agency has required 100-percent coverage over specific times or areas such as during bluefin tuna spawning time period in the Gulf and Atlantic for a number of years and in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, specifically. Between 2017 and 2021, observer coverage for the entire pelagic longline fleet (i.e., from Maine to Texas, and the U.S. Caribbean and high seas) ranged from 9 to 13 percent of total overall reported sets.

2.2.2 What implications of the indicators are currently listed?

Pelagic observer data summarizes catch per unit effort information for a subset of total pelagic longline effort in the U.S. EEZ, and should not be interpreted as total interaction information for the northeast region pelagic longline fleet. CPUE trends can be used to evaluate whether the number of interactions with longline vessels has changed through time.

2.2.3 Do target, limit, or threshold values already exist for the indicator?

Target, limit, or threshold terms detected

2.2.4 Have the indicators been tested to ensure they respond proportionally to a change in the underlying process?

2.2.5 Are the indicators sensitive to a small change in the process, or what is the threshold of change that is detectable?

Unknown

2.2.6 Is there a time lag between the process change and the indicator change? How long?