HLL Benefits Statement

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 in the shift from paper to electronic filing and some are specific to using e-signatures to improve the Hawaii Longline Logbook application.

Reduced cycle time for submitting logbook data. The reduction in cycle time is expected to be dramatic. Under the previous paper-based system lag times from vessel landing until logbook data was available for analysis were typically measured in months. (Primarily attributed to challenges transcribing hand-written logbook entries and the error detection/correction cycle.) Based on the e-logbook pilot and experience from other jurisdictions we expect to reduce this lag time to a few days, if not a few hours. This is a constrained fishery in which a few species have been determined to be experiencing overfishing. 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 any 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 reporting, the electronic reporting process should be more convenient and take less time. Many commercial fishers already use technology to track their catch as a means to increase their productivity. This electronic reporting alternative may allow those fishers to leverage their investment in electronic catch logging 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 vessel.
Cleaner data and more data analysis opportunities. Having the logbook data 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 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 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, 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.