The Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN) provides timely and accurate data essential for effective fisheries management. The nation’s first regional fisheries data network, PacFIN, provides information enabling agencies and industries to track commercial fish catches by area, and to manage and plan more effectively. The need for this data has become more critical as the intensity of U.S. fisheries has increased.

Data from fisheries occurring in ocean areas off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and British Columbia are provided to the PacFIN central database.

The PacFIN central database includes fish-ticket and vessel registration data provided by the Washington, Oregon, and California (W-O-C) state fishery agencies. In addition the W-O-C data sources supply species-composition and catch-by-area proportions developed from their port sampling and trawl logbook data systems.

The NMFS/NWR supplies the central database with limited-entry permit data and the U.S. Coast Guard vessel data is also incorporated. The NMFS/AFSC inputs weekly aggregates developed from their tow-by-tow observer database.

The data for the Alaska groundfish fishery are provided by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADFG) and the NMFS/AKR in the form of monthly and weekly aggregates.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada also makes a contribution to this West Coast fisheries data system.

The best estimates of catch for each groundfish species by month, area, and gear-type are developed from the source data mentioned above.