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- Reduced cycle time for submitting catch data. The reduction in cycle time is expected to be dramatic. Under the previous paper-based system lag times from vessel landing until catch data was available for analysis were typically measured in months. Based on the e-logbook fish ticket pilot and experience from other jurisdictions we expect to reduce this lag time to a few days, if not a few hours. This is an endangered overly constrained fishery because some bycatch species which have historically been a part of this fishery have been determined to be over-fished stocks. Under the MSRA NMFS is committed to ending overfishing, establishing recovery plans for overfished stocks, and ultimately executing the recovery plans to restore the viability of the overfished stocks. Timely reporting will reduce the chance of over fishing because fisheries managers will have an opportunity to monitor the fishery and intervene if necessary. Timely reporting will also support the more intensive management which is likely to be required under recovery plans.
- Reduced reporting burden. Compared to traditional manual logbook paper fish ticket reporting, the electronic reporting process should be more convenient and take less time. Many commercial fishers buyers already use technology to track their catch as a means to increase their productivitypurchases. This electronic reporting alternative may allow those fishers buyers to leverage their investment in electronic catch logging technology to also address their record keeping and reporting obligations. The potential also exists for independent software vendors to provide integration with navigation devices allowing direct recording of fishing locations which would reduce data entry workload and improve data accuracy. Electronic logbook pilot project findings were that electronic logbooks take one third less time than previous paper forms. Based on estimated numbers of trips and sets per year, this yields an estimated savings of 2.9 days per year per participating vesselbusiness systems to provide some unspecified benefit to the buyer.
- Cleaner data and more data analysis opportunities. Having the logbook data fish ticket collected electronically, with comprehensive edit-checks for valid or reasonable data, and immediate feedback on detection of questionable data, will ensure cleaner data. Cleaner data, available more rapidly, will provide more data analysis opportunities.
- Increase in employee productivity. Receiving the data electronically obviates the need to key in logbook data fish ticket data by the regulatory agencies (because the buyers are keying it in) to be used for analysis. Also, edit checks and immediate feedback on detectable errors make for more efficient data entry. Based on e-logbook pilot projects the combination of time saved from having fewer NMFS staff on the dock and reduced errors in data reported is estimated to saving 21.8 days per year for NMFS staff in this region.
- Greater information benefits to the public. Because this is an endangered overly constrained fishery due to overfished stocks, the fishing public is likely to have a high degree of interest in this data. Electronic data capture will provide potential for in-season analysis, and possibly modeling differing fishing behaviors and showing the fishing public how they could optimize their opportunity to fish by avoiding areas with high bycatch of overfished stocks, etc.