Shining Sea Fisheries Consulting, 23 Summit Dr, Warren, RI 02885, US

AIS, founded in 1988, is a management organization that provides observer and inspectional services to private, government and commercial maritime agencies. Its observers protect marine mammals and sea turtles during dredging in coastal channels. The organization hires and manages marine biologists to observe fishery operations aboard commercial fishing vessels. It also trains and certifies observers to record information about the vessel, fishing gear, and catch data. The observer s duties include recording catch and discard data on each haul and incidental catches of marine mammals and sea turtles. Its staff includes management personnel, professional observers, fisheries biologists, marine mammal experts and data specialists. The organization is located in New Bedford, Mass.