Overview

Owners and the operators of vessels registered for use under any Federal longline permit in the western Pacific region must attend and be certified for completion of annual protected species workshops. A valid workshop certificate (card) is necessary for owners to renew their permits. While conducting longline fishing operations at sea, vessel operators are required to possess a valid workshop card. Each year, over 200 fishermen and vessel owners are trained in Hawaii, and almost 100 are trained in American Samoa.

Sustainable Fisheries Division staff conduct these workshops. This training includes:

• Protected species identification;
• Handling and release techniques; and
• Regulatory requirements. 

The protected species that are covered in the workshops include

• Sea turtles;
• Marine mammals ; and
• Seabirds.

Classroom training uses various techniques and materials to convey critical knowledge to fishermen, including verbal presentations, hands-on demonstrations, videos, and printed reference materials. 

An online training web site has been developed to facilitate learning and as a more flexible option to the classroom training sessions. Owners and operators who have never been certified must attend a classroom first before taking the online course. After the initial classroom session, owners may take the online course indefinitely. Operators (captains) may take the online course for two years in a row before being required to take a classroom course, as a review, to show they understand protected species handling techniques, at least every three years.

How to Register for Training

To register for either the classroom or online training, you must send an email to piropsw@noaa.gov to provide your contact information and reserve a seat for the training session. Please provide your full name, vessel name, mailing address, and phone number(s). You must register at least one business day prior to attending a classroom workshop to ensure enough materials are available for all participants. Due to limited seating, if registration is not completed, we may not be able to accommodate walk-ins.