
Environmental Laboratory for Forensics
Contaminant detection of toxic substances.
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34236
Ph: (941) 388-4441
Hours: 10AM - 5PM
A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
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Fishing is a $200-billion industry in the United States, providing 1.7 million jobs. The economically important Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery includes more than 890 commercial reef fish permitted vessels and comprises 31 species managed using Annual Catch Limits. Objective, scientific data are necessary to ensure the fishery’s health, but currently, the NOAA Fisheries Observer Program is only able to monitor about 2% of vessels' fishing effort in the fishery.
To complement this important program and fill monitoring gaps—a need emphasized by federal fisheries managers and the commercial industry—the independent, nonprofit Mote Marine Laboratory operates the Center for Fisheries Electronic Monitoring at Mote (CFEMM).
CFEMM is the only program dedicated to developing and assessing electronic monitoring (EM) technology as a tool in the Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery to better meet the demand by industry and management for accurate, independent data to ensure long-term fishery health.
CFEMM is a leader in advancing electronic monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico commercial reef fish fishery in partnership with the fishing industry, management organizations, an EM equipment and software provider, and other stakeholders.
Volunteer commercial fishing vessel owners and captains partner with CFEMM scientists and Saltwater Inc., an EM equipment and software provider based in Anchorage, Alaska, to have specialized cameras, a computer processor, and sensors installed on their fishing vessels (left photo above, left photo below). These systems record the trip length, speed, hydraulic pressure, location, and fishing events (sets, soaks and hauls) on a timeline. Video recordings (with no sound) are reviewed confidentially by the CFEMM Team (right photo below) to document fishing effort, total catch and bycatch of species per event and trip, species kept/discarded, species disposition at capture, including depredated (damage by predators) catch, and discards.
CFEMM scientists and partner Waterinterface LLC analyze the collected data to demonstrate and improve the available technology and data products—including much-needed bycatch and discard data—for management of the valuable Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery. CFEMM scientists correlate their EM trip data with identifiers for other fisheries monitoring data from the same trips, including observer logs, dealer trip tickets, and biological sampling to augment datasets for management needs.
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We invite our colleagues from resource management agencies, Fishery Management Councils, scientific institutions and the fishing industry to contact CFEMM to explore opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.
As part of the independent, nonprofit Mote Marine Laboratory, CFEMM depends on competitive grants and philanthropic support, along with a team of dedicated, trained community scientists (citizen scientists).
Carole L. Neidig, M.S.
Staff Scientist
cneidig@mote.org
941-704-7663
Artificial Intelligence Supported Management: Optimized Retention in the Gulf of Mexico
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Electronic Monitoring and Recording Program (EMR) Collaborators: CVision AI; GoM Reef Fish Shareholders Alliance
Sustainable Gulf of Mexico Multispecies Fisheries
Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Ocean Leadership Microgrant
Electronic Monitoring for Sustainability in a Gulf of Mexico Multispecies Fishery
Sea Pact
Impacts of Hook Size Modifications on Catch and Bycatch Rates in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) Bottom Longline (BLL) Reef Fish Fishery
NOAA Bycatch Reduction and Engineering Program (BREP)
Leveraging Electronic Monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery for an Innovative Minimal Human-Contact Collection of Biological Samples from Data-Poor Species
NOAA Cooperative Research Program (CRP)
Collaborators: NOAA Southeast Fishery Science Center, Panama City, FL; Texas A&M University
Streamlining Electronic Monitoring Data Acquisition in the GoM Reef Fish Fishery Using Artificial Intelligence
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Electronic Monitoring and Recording (EMR) Program
Collaborators: CVision AI; NOAA Southeast Fishery Science Center, Galveston, TX; University of Washington
Application and Advancement of Innovative Technologies for Electronic Monitoring (EM) in Support of Best Fishing Practices for the Commercial Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Snapper-Grouper Fishery - Phase II
NOAA NMFS Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP)
Collaborators: NOAA Southeast Fishery Science Center, Galveston, TX, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center; SeaSucker LLC.; SubAqua Imaging Systems Inc.; Waterinterface, LLC.
Electronic Monitoring Applications and Data Solutions for Sustainability in a Gulf of Mexico Multispecies Fishery, Phase II
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Electronic Monitoring and Recording (EMR) Program
Collaborator: Waterinterface, LLC.
Functional Electronic Monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery, Phase II: Tactical Assessment of Bycatch, Discards, and Community Structure including Highly Migratory and Data Limited Species
Grant from NOAA’s Cooperative Research Program (CRP)
Collaborator: Waterinterface, LLC.
Building Linkages for Use of Electronic and Human Observer Data in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery
Net Gains Alliance
Collaborator: Waterinterface LLC.
Gulf-Wide Electronic Monitoring for a Sustainable Commercial Reef Fish Fishery
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Electronic Monitoring and Recording (EMR) Program
Collaborator: Waterinterface, LLC.,
Best Fishing Practices for Bycatch Reduction in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery: Employing Innovation Underwater Cameras and the Refined Modeling to Further the Use of Electronic Monitoring
NOAA Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP)
Collaborators: SeaSucker; Sub Aqua Imaging Systems Inc., Waterinterface, LLC,
Reducing Bycatch and Optimizing Efficiency in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery, Phase I: Accurately Assessing the Bycatch Problem Using Electronic Monitoring in Cooperative Research
NOAA NMFS Cooperative Research Project (CRP)
Collaborator: Waterinterface LLC
Accurately Assessing Catch and Bycatch with Electronic Monitoring (EM): The Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery as a Model for EM Application and Improvement
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
Regional Capacity Building for Gulf Electronic Monitoring
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Innovation Fund
Collaborators: Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Foundation, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, Waterinterface LLC, and Archipelago Marine Research Ltd.
Pilot study of the use of electronic monitoring systems in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fishery
Ocean Conservancy (Project Lead), through National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Innovation Fund
Collaborators: Archipelago Marine Research Ltd., Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, East West Technical Services, and Mote Marine Laboratory
Lee, M., G. Patrick, C. Neidig, R. Schloesser. 2022. Electronic Monitoring Documentation of Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis) in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Bottom Longline Fishery. SEDAR79-DW-05. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 8 pp. http://sedarweb.org/docs/wpapers/S79_DW_05_CFEMM%20BLL.pdf
Lee, M., C. Neidig, D. Roberts. 2022. Electronic Monitoring Documentation of Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) Catches in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Bottom Longline Fishery. SEDAR74-DW-08. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 10 pp.
Lee, M., C. Neidig, K. Harrington. 2022. Electronic Monitoring Documentation of Gray Snapper (Lutjanus griseus) Catches in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Bottom Longline Fishery. SEDAR75-WP-04. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 6 pp. http://sedarweb.org/docs/wpapers/S75_WP_04_CFEMM_Gray%20Snapper.pdf
Neidig, C., D. Roberts, M. Lee, R. Schloesser. 2021. Preliminary Non-Technical Fishery Profile and Limited Data Summary for Scamp, Mycteroperca phenax with Focus on the West Florida Shelf: Application of Electronic Monitoring on Commercial Snapper Grouper Bottom Longline Vessels. SEDAR68-DW-22. 8 pp. https://sedarweb.org/docs/wpapers/S68_DW_22_electronic_monitoring.pdf
Lee, M., G. Patrick, C. Neidig, and R. Schloesser. 2021. Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna spp.) Electronic Monitoring Data Review from the Gulf of Mexico Bottom Longline Reef Fish Fishery. SEDAR77-DW05. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 9 pp. https://sedarweb.org/docs/sar/S70_SAR_FINAL.pdf
Lee, M., G. Patrick, C. Neidig, and R. Schloesser. 2021. Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna spp.) Electronic Monitoring Data Review from the Gulf of Mexico Bottom Longline Reef Fish Fishery. SEDAR77-DW05. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 9 pp. https://sedarweb.org/docs/sar/S70_SAR_FINAL.pdf
Neidig, C., M. Lee, R. Schloesser, D. Roberts. 2020. Bottom Longline Discard Summary for Greater Amberjack, Seriola dumerili, with Focus on the West Florida Shelf: Application of Electronic Monitoring. SEDAR70-WP-08. SEDAR, North Charleston, SC. 6 pp.)
C. Neidig*, M. Lee, K. Harrington*. 21 -24 June 2022. Center for Fisheries Electronic Monitoring at Mote. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting. Fort Myers, FL. In person. (invited - table display)
M. Lee*, G. Patrick, C. Neidig, R. Schloesser. 15 April 2022. Electronic Monitoring Cooperative Research in the Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Fishery - Hammerhead Shark Catch and Mortality. SEDAR 77.
R. Schloesser*, M. Lee, C. Neidig. 20 March 2022. Hotspot Analysis using Electronic Monitoring. The Hotspots Mapping Initiative Workshop. New Orleans, LA.
C. Neidig*, M. Lee, R. Schloesser. 2 February 2022. Electronic Monitoring of Fisheries. Poster. Oceans Day, Mote Presentations to State Representatives. Tallahassee, FL.
C. Neidig*, M. Lee. 17 November 2021. Building Linkages for Use of Electronic Monitoring and Human Observer Data in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery. Net Gains Alliance (NGA).
C. Neidig*. 12 October 2021. CFEMM Overview of EM Gulf Progress. University of Florida Center for Coastal Solutions Workshop.
C. Neidig*. 5 October 2021. Mote Marine Laboratory and Bank of America Online Presentation Series - C. Neidig was recognized as a “Women of Mote - Trailblazer”, in segment two of a three part series. Presentation included EM work, and recognition of NOAA and NFWF support.
C. Neidig*, M. Lee, D. Roberts, R. Schloesser, T. King. 15 September 2021. Electronic Monitoring (EM) Cooperative Research in the Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Fishery - Bycatch, Discards, and Community Structure. NOAA Cooperative Research Program (CRP) National Workshop.
C. Neidig*, Lee, M. and Roberts, D. 21 March 2021. Introduction to Electronic Monitoring-Center for Fisheries Electronic Monitoring. Global Seafood Alliance's Workshop.
C. Neidig*, D. Roberts, M. Lee, R. Schloesser. 6 October 2020. EM - Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish Fishery. International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Technology Integration for Fisheries Dependent Data (WGTIFD) Workshop.
C. Neidig*, D. Roberts, M. Lee. 18 August 2020. Eyes on the Gulf of Mexico Snapper-Grouper Fishery - Linking EM Trip Data to Other Commercial Fisheries Data. Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistical Program (ACCSP). Commercial Technical Working Group.
International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Technology Integration for Fisheries Dependent Data (WGTIFD) Working Group
Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Program (ACCSP) Commercial Technical (ComTech)EM Working Group