Status - Northeast Cooperative Research Study Fleets and Electronic Reporting

The development and testing of vessel based electronic reporting and study fleets was identified as a long-term research priority for the NEFSC Northeast Cooperative Research Program (NCRP) in 2000. Initial prototype development tested a variety of hardware and software (elogbook) options on 15 vessels. Further system development by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center included a standardized eVTR database, VMS and other data transmission protocols, secure web-based data access providing opportunities for data confirmation, editing, and catch and effort visualization. Additional refinements to the vessel based logbook system were guided by the priority need to satisfy all Federal permit reporting requirements, while maintaining adaptable capacity to support additional detailed research and assessment data needs. As additional vessels were added to the study fleet, the logbook system was adapted to new gears and revised based on fishermen’s comments to improve ease of use. Sub-trip reporting options were developed and tested to support fisheries where tow-by-tow reporting was impractical or unnecessary. Between 2008 and 2010, electronic reporting at the sub-trip level, primarily by day boats, accounted for @ 4,940 submitted trips. During that same period, the NCRP study fleet has grown to @ 30 vessels which have provided tow-by-tow records for 2,150 trips accounting for more than 15,800 tow records. In most cases, trip and tow records can be accessed by vessel Captains within 2 – 3 hours of the trip ending and logbook transmission via VMS. Tow records are subsequently integrated with GPS polling data recorded automatically by the logbook and temperature - depth data recorded at 90 second intervals by probes enclosed in steel housings welded to the trawl doors. Study Fleet vessels also provide opportunities for enhanced biological sampling and this is supported by the latest logbook system modifications. While additional logbook system capabilities are being expanded, the IT infrastructure that has been built with substantial Cooperative Research investment and direct industry involvement is available to support the enhanced fishery dependent data reporting required to support management under annual catch limits in the Northeast.