Historical Logbook Catch and Effort in the Southeast Region Headboat Fishery; From Paper to Electronic Reporting

The Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS) has operated since 1972 and represents the longest continuous time series of recreational fisheries data on the east coast.  The SRHS data was recently evaluated in an attempt to identify misreporting using outlier detection methods.  The findings suggest the types and levels of misreporting are ultimately inconsequential to the computed estimates being used in stock assessments. The outlier detection methods used for this evaluation may prove useful for other self-reported data collection efforts.  The data analysis indicated increased reporting accuracy, reliability, compliance and a decrease in recall bias.  This can be attributed to the 2013 switch to electronically collected logbook data.  Headboat captains have the ability to submit logbooks through a secure website and mobile app using their personal computers, tablets, or smart phones.  Electronic reporting can limit misreporting through the design of the reporting system.  Quality control measures such as drop down selections with acceptable range limits and values placed on the “front end “ of reporting systems can limit unrealistic values and outliers.  In turn, this assists the captain by giving them options to choose from, thus reducing the reporting burden.