Comment from Woods Hole Group
Woods Hole GroupSupportBusiness
Summary: Woods Hole Group & CLS, a provider of fisheries monitoring and management solutions, supports the proposed electronic logbook reporting. They highlight their integrated technology that combines VMS and electronic logbook reporting with privacy features for fishers.
As a previous supplier to SEFHIER, I thought it would be valuable to share the progress that has been made over the last few years. During SEFHIER the VMS equipment suppliers were not the same as the "app" suppliers. Now there is an integrated solution that supports VMS and electronic logbook reporting from a single provider and the data can be shared via private API data feed into the regulator for more efficient delivery of the e-logs. The fisher users their own smart phone device and downloads the app from the Google Play store. The smart phone is conveniently linked via Bluetooth to their VMS system (a hybrid sat/cell tracker) and can send their e-logs over the cellular network of the VMS tracker. There was a lot of effort that went into the initial SEFHIER program and it's a pity it was overturned. This ruling was primarily based upon the lack of privacy of the fisher. For this reason, a privacy-zone has been created to protect the fisherman's personal privacy when not fishing. Once their vessel returns to port, they send no more positions for as long as they remain inside their designated home port area. Regular position reporting then resumes when their vessel exits their home port and fishing operations resume outside of their "privacy-zone".