BIOREX coordinates for Fisheries and Oceans Canada At-sea Fisheries Observer Programs in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

At-sea fisheries observers collect on board Canadian and foreign vessels information on commercial, exploratory, experimental and scientific fisheries.

Most trips at sea are made in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and last less than 24 hours. Longer trips are also made on Canadian factory-trawlers and foreign vessels in the Atlantic Ocean.

Observers are based near major fishing ports and travel to remote areas for deployments that may last several weeks.

Observers are briefed on their specific tasks before each deployment. They transmit various types of information during deployments and deliver a comprehensive report on their work and observations at the end of each deployment.

Observers based in the Gulf of St. Lawrence work intensively from April to July and on a continuous but less intensive basis from August to November. During winter some of them are deployed for long trips on the Atlantic.

Working conditions are set in union agreements between BIOREX and the Seafarer' International Union of Canada.