Electronic Logbook Trial Run Expected to Begin This Year in Gulf of Alaska
Real Time Data, a fisherman-founded software company with offices in Bellingham, Wash. and Australia is looking for harvesters to test its electronic logbook, Deckhand Pro, in Gulf of Alaska fixed gear groundfish fisheries during the 2023 and 2024 fishing seasons.
Fishermen who are currently reporting on the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Daily Fishing Log and fishing for halibut and sablefish are eligible to fill the 30 spots to test Real Time Data’s Deckhand Pro electronic logbook in the Gulf of Alaska for the 2023-24 fishing seasons.
RTD Project Manager Lange Solberg said the company is ecstatic to be working with industry to get Deckhand Pro out on the water in fixed gear fisheries. Deckhand Pro is its flagship logbook project in the global electronic reporting market, an item the company sees as a ‘wheelhouse essential’ that would benefit fishermen and their businesses, similar to other everyday marine electronics.
The 30 harvesters selected to test the logbook are to be provided with weatherproof cases, mounts and iPads running the Deckhand platform loaded with the fixed gear logbook.
Participants will also receive a $500 stipend plus hardware to keep for participating for the full project length.
Deckhand is collaborating on the project with the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, Fishing Vessel Owners’ Association North Pacific Fisheries Association, Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union, National Marine Fisheries Service and the International Pacific Halibut Commission.
Fishermen interested in being an electronic logbook tester should contact one of these organizations or Solberg for more information and to sign up. Reach Solberg at (360) 399-6993 or [email protected].
More information on the company and its products are online at deckhandlogbook.com or @deckhandlogbook on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
