Association for Professional Observers

The Association for Professional Observers (APO) is an association of Fisheries Observers, comprised mainly for observers of the United States. It is the first association on fisheries observation.

Mission and Objectives

The [http://www.apo-observers.org Association for Professional Observers (APO)] is a non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to strengthen observer programs through advocacy and education. Their goal is to facilitate the exchange of fisheries information while providing an important source of fisheries observer program and fisheries observer data-use information. It is the intention that the results of their activities may encourage the recruitment and retention of professional observers and foster the best quality observer data for the purposes of conservation and the responsible management of marine living resources. Further details regarding the goals be found within the [http://www.apo-observers.org/docs/bylaws.pdf Bylaws] .

Membership

The APO has 2 membership classes:Observer Member: The first class of membership consists of those individuals who are either current or prior observers. To qualify as an observer member, the individual must currently be collecting or have collected fisheries data for any state, federal or international agency.Observer members will have the right to vote for APO officers. The annual membership fee for observer members is $15.00.

Supporting Member: The second class of membership consists of members of the public who support APO’s mission and goals. Any member of the public may be a supporting member.Supporting members do not have officer voting rights. The annual membership fee for supporting members is $10.00.

All members receive the newsletter, the [http://apo-observers.org/mailbuoy.html Mail Buoy] , by regular (if requested) and electronic mail.

Mailing

PO Box 30167Seattle, WA 98105 USA

e-mail: [e-mail]

Bibliography

*Anon. 2001. Proceedings of the Canada - US Fisheries Observer Program Workshop, June 26-29, 2000, St. John's Newfoundland. U.S. Dep. Commerce, Silver Spring, MD.

*Credle, V. R., D. P. DeMaster, M. M. Merklein, M. B. Hanson, W. A. Karp, and S. M. Fitzgerald. 1994. NMFS Observer Programs: Minutes and Recommendations from a Workshop. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-OPR-94-1, NOAA, Galveston, TX.

*Cornish, V., J. Alysius Didier, J. Nance, M. Tork, J. Lafargue, M. Toner, T. Turk, B. Donahue, B. Rogers, and E. David Kulka (eds.). 2004. Proceedings of the Third International Fisheries Observer Conference. NOAA Tech. Memo NMFS-F/SPO-64, U.S. Dep. Commerce, Silver Spring, MD.

*MCELDERRY, H., W. A. KARP, J. TWOMEY, M. MERKLEIN, V. CORNISH, and M. SAUNDERS. 1999. Proceedings of the first biennial Canada/U.S. observer program workshop, 113 p. NTIS No. PB99-146482.

*McVea, T. A., and S. J. Kennelly (eds.),. 2005. Proceedings of the 4th International Fisheries Observer Conference, Sydney Australia, 8-11 November, 2004. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, Cronulla, Australia.

*McVea, T. A., and S. J. Kennelly (eds.),. 2007. Proceedings of the 5th International Fisheries Observer Conference, 15-18 May 2007, Victoria, BC Canada. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, Cronulla, Australia.

*MRAG (Marine Resource Assessment Group) Americas. 2000. Independent Review of the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program. Prepared for NMFS North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program.

External links

* [http://www.apo-observers.org Association for Professional Observers]
* [http://www.observernet.org ObserverNet.org]
* [http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/ctc/otc/index.cfm Observer Training Center]