Sea samplers are IPHC’s boots on the ground—fishing grounds, that is. For the management of the halibut fishery, sea samplers are key players who collect data, which are independent of commercial catch records. IPHC’s quantitative scientists use these independent data in concert with data collected from commercial halibut fishing logs to determine total allowable catch for the upcoming season.

The roughly 25 sea samplers hired each year work aboard a fleet of twelve to fifteen IPHC charter commercial longline vessel and conduct the standardized setline stock assessment survey, which ranges from the southern Oregon border, north through British Columbia to the Bering Sea, and west to Attu island in the Aleutian Islands.

The sea samplers’ primary directive is to collect catch per unit effort (CPUE) data; however, because the chartered vessels present a rare and valuable scientific research platform, samplers are also involved in mark and recapture experiments, sea bird studies, genetic sampling, oceanographic sampling, and much more. The IPHC collaborates with other agencies to take full advantage of the research opportunities made possible by the fleet of research vessels.

Please visit the IPHC employment opportunity page.