August 4, 2014 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council: Monday, August 11, 2014
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
W Hotel (map)
515 15th St., NW
Washington, DC 20004
Telephone 202-661-2400
Webinar:http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/august2014/.
Members of the public are invited to attend the Council’s next listening session at 5 p.m. on Monday, August 11th to learn about NOAA Fisheries’ Fishery-Dependent Data Visioning Project and provide input on how fishery-dependent data collection systems can be improved to better meet the needs of Mid-Atlantic stakeholders. The listening session will be held in conjunction with the Council’s August meeting in Washington, D.C. Individuals who can’t attend in person can listen and participate via webinar at the web address above.
Fishery-dependent data is information collected directly from participants in the fishery. In December 2013 NOAA Fisheries announced that it was undertaking a coordinated effort to improve the quality, usefulness, timeliness, and delivery of data collected from the fishing industry. Over the past few months, NOAA Fisheries has conducted surveys and interviews with stakeholders affected by regional fishery-dependent data. Responses from these surveys and interviews are being used to characterize data uses, evaluate existing data collection methods, and identify the characteristics of an improved system.
Interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend next week’s listening session to learn more about this initiative and share Mid-Atlantic perspectives on fishery-dependent data collection. Below is a list of trigger questions for you to think about and offer input on during the listening session.
Trigger Questions
Integrating Vessel and Dealer Data:
1. What’s the best way for DEALERS to get data (e.g., vessel trip identifier) from vessels?
2. What’s the best way for VESSELS to get data (e.g., price) from dealers?
3. How can we improve data collection from various landing scenarios?
Transition to Electronic Data Collection:
4. Are Mid-Atlantic fishermen ready for electronic reporting?
5. What do you see as the biggest challenge for reporting data electronically?
6. What’s the best way to submit data electronically (iPhone apps, websites)?
Missing Data Needs:
7. Are there any data that you want, but can’t get?
8. Is there a better way to provide you with the data you need?
More Precise Fishing Location:
9. How can we collect more precise fishing location?
10. When do you write down the area you fished (tow, end of trip, etc.)?
11. When is the earliest that you can or would send that information to us? Are there roadblocks to collecting more precise area information?
About Listening Sessions
Listening sessions are held during each Council meeting as an open and informal opportunity for the public to interact with Council members and leadership, as well as with experts in a range of relevant fields. Most listening sessions focus on a specific topic of current interest. Listening sessions are always accessible via webinar.
