NMFS Fishery-Independent Survey System

Phone Or Email

Phone or Email

FINSS is the metadata system for surveys that cover all the regional ecosystems within the U.S. EEZ and beyond, such as Antarctics.

FINSS Application web login page

Provides the basic mechanics of viewing and creating reports using the web application screens and serves as training material for new public users.

FINSS information at the NMFS Office of Science and Technology website.

A descriptor of a time series of similar cruises (same region, vessel type, target species, principal gears deployed, etc.). Survey conducted in different season shall be listed as separate survey.

Year when the survey is completed.

The source where the funding comes from to support the survey. Four funding categories are identified in FINSS: OMAO Base Fund, NOAA Program Fund, Non-NOAA Fund, and Other/Unknown Fund.

Variables observed during a cruise of a particular survey in following categories: oceanographic, Biological, Habitat, and Protected Species.

Name of the species that are targeted (not actually caught) during a survey. The name shall be selected from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) list, Marine Mammal Protected Act (MMPA) list, or Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI) list. If the targeted species are not listed in any of these lists, user can enter the species common name and scientific name manually in the column labeled “Others”.

An actual trip composed of one or more legs on a Single vessel. It's an event of a survey. A cruise will have a start and end data, more detail on gears deployed and parameters observed, etc.

Science days including transit days and days lost to the weather and mechanical breakdown after the ship left the home port. Estimated in full days. doesn't include staging and de-staging days (days when the ship is alongside a pier and a significant portion of the ship’s compliment is needed to load or unload scientific equipment, set up or tear down scientific working stations, calibrate or store scientific equipment or any other activity that involves staging or de-staging for a project.)

What is a Fishery - independent survey?

A fishery-independent survey is a systematic sampling project carried out by research vessels or contracted commercial fishing vessels for gathering biological or environmental information separately from commercial fishing operations.

What was the impetus for creating the FINSS - SI?

Fishery-independent observation information is one of the fundamental components of NMFS data sets. The system was developed to 1) integrate the survey information across the science centers; 2) support fishery management decisions on budget-related analyses and cross-program collaborations; 3) meet the increasing need for an authoritative information source about the fishery-independent surveys at the national level; and 4) to promote the effective communication among the fishery data steward and stakeholders.

What is the timeframe of surveys covered by the FINSS - SI?

The current system covers NMFS surveys conducted starting 2004 and is updated at least once a year to make the information up to date.

How are the FINSS - SI data collected

The initial FINSS - SI data (FY2004 - FY2008) were provided by the data managers or survey leaders in the NMFS Science Centers and were coordinated / compiled by the NMFS Office of Science and Technology.