| A CCCFA and Net Gains Alliance Report: Incentivizing Accountability and Data Modernization in the New England Groundfish Fishery — Applications of Electronic Monitoring Information in Stock Assessment In New England, groundfish fishermen have been piloting electronic monitoring systems  since 2005. At first, their interest in EM related to the flexibility and safety that comes with having one less human aboard a small boat (35-40’) and the cost savings of using a camera instead of an observer. The ensuing 15-plus years have seen increasing discrepancies between what fishermen see on the water (in terms of fish populations) and what scientists say is available to catch. These discrepancies have led to chronic frustration with fisheries managers and also to an understanding among fishermen that EM isn’t just about cost-savings and bunk space, it also has an important role to play in improving the fisheries data and “best available science” that informs stock assessments. Increasingly, New  England fishermen believe that accountability, unbiased data (the camera never sleeps!), and a modernized data infrastructure can result in more-timely assessments and much-improved alignment between current fish populations and annual catch limits. Full article | 
