Falkland Islands Fisheries observer database

The observer database contains position and biological data from vessels which either carry Falklands flag, or have got the licence of fishing in the Falklands' waters or are associated to the Falklands fisheries. Hence, the dabase covers a geographic area that comprises Falkland Islands conservation zones (FICZ and FOCZ) and waters outside those areas up to Lat 45 degrees of latitude (towards North) and 54 degrees latitude (towards South). The data were collected regularly from January 1988 in the framework of what is locally called "the observer programme". The position data stored in the database corresponds to the positions of fishing vessels such as trawlers, jiggers and longliners while they are fishing. Depth and temperature is taken at every station recorded by the vessels. It is worth mentioning that also CDT's data are collected but are not saved in the database. They can be requested but comes as separated files. Each station has got associated the figures of catches (in kilo), species names, plus sample weight and discard weight if applicable. The biological data inform on sex, maturity, size and weight of the species sampled by the observers. In addition, age is recorded from the otoliths and there is also other specialisised information (such as fish diet, gonad, liver weight, fish tagging) whose recording has started in the last 13 years. It is worth mentioning that the level of detail of the catches has improved throughout the years since more identification works have been carried out by the observers on board the vessels. Finally, since about 2008 bird abundance and interaction data have been collected and seabird & mammal mortality data were recorded since 1988. Data can be provided in an anonymysed and summarised format