Validation of Self-Reported Logbooks Using Electronic Monitoring Technology: A Case Study Involving 6 South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Commercial Bandit Fishing Vessels from NC to GA

The South Atlantic snapper grouper commercial fishery includes 73 species caught primarily with vertical hook and line (bandit) gear.  Many species within the complex exhibit slow growth, delayed maturation, long life spans, and predictable aggregative behaviors allowing for efficient harvesting.  One of the most significant challenges affecting management is the difficulty in determining the actual number and fate of regulatory discards that are common with this fishery.  Self-reported logbooks and occasionally at-sea observers are used to characterize the fishery – but a better, more comprehensive and cost effective approach may be available to monitor fishing activity on a continuing basis.  Electronic video monitoring systems can be configured to address a wide spectrum of at-sea fishing activities.   In this study, we asked captains and crews of 6 fishing vessels outfitted with electronic monitoring gear to use paper logbooks to record catch and bycatch information on selected species for an extended period of time, and later compared those accounts with video and sensor data (vessel movement via a Global Positioning System and electronic recognition of fishing activity) collected onboard the vessel.  Here we demonstrate that significant cost savings can be had when the monitoring program is tailored to fit the specific monitoring requirements of managers and the needs of fishermen.