Port Sampler Agreement

Project: American Samoa Pelagic Fisheries Monitoring Requisition No. NFFT5000-14-01453 *THIS IS A SOLE SOURCE* STATEMENT OF WORK 1. Background Under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, the United States has a Treaty obligation to monitor and measure fish being unloaded in American Samoa (as well as other Pacific ports) to provide the Pacific Island Parties estimates of the species composition and the size of fish being taken by U.S. Treaty Licensed purse seine vessels. 2. Scope of Work The Port Sampler (actual position title) reports to the Tuna Biologist, National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) in American Samoa in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) will provide transportation, as required for the Port Sampler to insure he or she will be able to carry out duties as assigned by the NMFS Tuna Biologist. The Port Sampler will assist staff of the American Samoa Government's DMWR and NMFS in sampling activities with the primary aim of improving the collection of length frequency data from longliners landing albacore at the canneries of American Samoa. When this fleet is not in town, then the port sampler will assist in collection of data from other fleets in the following order of importance: - The domestic alia fleet - Larger domestic longliners - Other foreign longliners landing albacore in Pago Pago Guides for prioritizing work, duties and sampling strategies are described as follows: 1. On arrival of vessels, meet with company and vessel representative to discuss access to fishing vessel logsheets and the strategy for sampling the catch of the vessel. Liaise with suitable authorities and fishing vessel agents to determine unloading times. 2. Collect length measurements of up to 150 albacore from each block of fish identified. Record measurements on the South Pacific Regional Longline Unloading to Cannery Port Sampling forms, using one form for each sample. 3. Record information on the vessel, sampler, date and port of sampling, sampling strategy, total count for each species for all fish unloaded, general fishing area and time of catch as required on the South Pacific Regional Longline Port Sampling form or Unloading to Cannery Port Sampling form. Other General Duties: - Assist the Tuna Biologist to collate the collected data and to assess monthly total catch estimates. - Conduct other biological sampling of catches as requested. - Perform other field duties within the scope of the catch-monitoring program as required. American Samoa Pelagic Fisheries Monitoring, cont. Special Skills and Knowledge: The DMWR has ready access to a pool of qualified individuals who are trained in port sampling and are intimately aware of the physical setting in which this potentially arduous work is to occur (on board Korean, Taiwanese and local longline vessels). The staff of DMWR are trained in pelagic sampling techniques, have transportation readily available as well as the administrative support required to carry out the anticipated work in the most efficient and cost effective manner. The contracted services are unique in that it requires the use of individuals with requisite pelagic fisheries sampling skills, as well as the ability to interact with individuals from a diverse socio-economic spectrum. Deliverables: At the direction of the Supervisory Fishery Biologist on station in American Samoa, the incumbent provides length frequency and species identifications per an agreed upon sampling protocol throughout the duration of this agreement. 3. Objectives NMFS has a field station in American Samoa, which among other duties, is responsible for: - Monitoring purse seine catches - Species composition - Length frequency of the fish landed at that vital port Although there is a senior biologist and two technicians assigned to the field station to complete this task, at times the volume of work requires that additional labor is accessed to ensure that fish can be measured in a timely, safe and efficient manner. This need has been determined not to require the hiring of a NMFS FTE but this procurement seeks to have sampling services provided by the American Samoan Government on an as needed basis, while other sampling activities that are the responsibility of the American Samoan Government can also be completed. This action ensures efficient use of sampling dollars and that both parties benefit from its implementation. 4. Period of Performance For the period of October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015.