Most of the benefits from enabling e-signatures gained by NMFS and NMFS' end users are qualitative in nature. In large part, the benefits to e-signatures accrue from making it easier for end users to report or file electronically thereby minimizing paper reporting and filing of information. Some of the following benefits apply generally to the use of e-signatures to the shift from paper to electronic filing and some are specific to using e-signatures to improve the Hawaii Non-Commercial Bottomfish Logbook application.
- Reduced cycle time for submitting logbook data. Because this is an endangered fishery, timeliness of reporting will help reduce the change of over fishing for certain species.
- An increase in constituent participation and satisfaction. This is a new reporting requirement for day fishers, who are either subsistence or recreational fishers, so using a web interface with e-signatures is intended to make it easy and convenient for users to report their catch at the end of the day.
- Cleaner data and more data analysis opportunities (Unless there are edit checks in the logbooks, not sure that "cleaner data" applies.) Having the logbook data collected electronically should enable NMFS staff to analyze the data using basic office productivity tools like spreadsheet.
- Increase in employee productivity. Receiving the data electronically obviates the need to key in logbook data to be used for analysis.
- Greater information benefits to the public. (This is somewhat speculative, but is it possible to post better information sooner if there are changes to fishery management practices if the logbook data are more easily aggregated?)