Electronic reporting of fishery dependent data: the EFCL

Carol A. Murray
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS

Fishery dependent data (from fishers, processors, observers and scientists) are typically reported manually, leading to multi-year delays in coordinating the various data streams. At the request of fishers and with funding provided by the Innovative Technology Fund, the NWFSC developed an integrated system for at sea and onshore reporting of these data. The system design and architecture are appropriate for any electronic field reporting and feature a front end application developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with a private sector company (Scientific Fisheries, Anchorage, AK). It is GPS enabled. Communication is accomplished by PC and is capable of using either cell phone or satellite (Imarsat) communications to the web interface. The backend is an Oracle database. The front end application is a module, designed with an open connectivity standard to sit on top of commercial charting/mapping applications. It provides real time positioning data for all fishing and reporting activities. PKI security protocols are featured.

This completed prototype, now being piloted by the State of California and the fledgling west coast observer program for the groundfish fishery, is sufficiently modular for any fisheries management entity to pick up discrete portions of the system. The Atlantic States, for example, have evaluated the system design and determined that the front end application is appropriate for use with their backend database; whereas other states are only interested in the fish ticket module or the web interface (ASP). The architecture is currently under review by the Coast Guard and the Department of Agriculture for their field reporting applications' developments.

Of special interest, are four capabilities provided by the system. The first is that fishers/processors would be able to view and use their data for their own business purposes. This, in turn, would for the first time give constituents a direct vested interest in the agency's IT infrastructure. We assume users of the system will always want it to be faster and easier to use which means we could expect support for upgrades - not just new projects. Second, the systems architecture creates a pro forma standardization of fishery dependent data - a current Congressional mandate to the agency. Third, the system enables real time or near-to-real-time fisheries management in ways that have not previously been available - since data streams are captured and can then be communicated based upon the needs of managers for timely reporting. And, the system opens up opportunities to geo-spacially focus research activities. Since the mapping component of the web interface will provide information on vessel tracks and so show when multiple vessels have transited and fished particular areas. The captured vessel tracks will allow researchers to evaluate the additive impacts of particular gear types in areas of essential fish habitat. The mapping component will also permit managers to use the information to create temporary reserves once there is a better scientific understanding of the impacts of gear on different bottom types.

The HPCC has provided the project team with funds to develop a handheld version of the front end application and to explore the utility of wireless communications in FY02.

BIO - Carol A. Murray A.B., University of CA Berkeley; J.D., Hastings College of Law; current Strategic Planner for NWFSC

Science Center Exhibit/Demo Wednesday - 3:40 - 4:00 P.M. Other demo times will be posted at the exhibit.