Domestic Longline Data

This data set contains the individual carcass weights for swordfish and tunas, sharks and other species. Because of the market value of these species, each fish is individually weighed and recorded as the vessels are being unloaded. Vessels and/or dealers that have federal permits for these two fisheries are required to submit the information from these sales receipts (tally sheets) to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC). This program began as a research project conducted by researchers associated with universities. In 1994, the National Marine Fisheries Service began to manage the collection and processing of these data.

Although swordfish are the primary commercial species caught and recorded individually on the sales receipts, the weights of other species were also listed on the tally sheets. Prior to 1985, the weigh-out data for the other (non-swordfish) species were not recorded. Beginning in 1986, the SEFSC began to enter the individual carcass weights for all species listed on the tally sheets.

The data in this data set include the following; a unique code for each vessel that lands these species and report to the SEFSC, date of landing, state and port landed, code of the dealer purchasing the catch, gear fished, data source, location code of general fishing area, total hooks fished, days of actual fishing, total number of sets, and a species code along with the individual carcass weights for each species. All records from a specific trip are identified by their respective vessel codes and date of landing.

Prior to 1986, effort (hooks, days fished, number of sets) information was recorded from personal vessel logbooks voluntarily submitted by vessel captains/owners. Beginning in 1986, all pelagic longline vessels that actively fished are required to submit daily logbook set records for each trip. Based upon this information, fishing effort is determined and, subsequently, added to the domestic longline database.