40. Logbook and other systems of data collection describing fishing activity provide the essential information for catch certification.
41. Fishing logbooks contain data such as the positions of the fishing vessel, its catches and activities. The level of detail varies from fishery to fishery and generally the information contained in individual logbooks is regarded as confidential.
42. The era of electronic documentation has already affected the fishing industry and is most apparent in the implementation of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). It is now estimated that more than 8,000 fishing vessels throughout the world are presently reporting their positions by VMS to flag States or fisheries agencies. The future development of VMS was discussed at length at the International Conference on Integrated Fisheries Monitoring in Sydney, Australia (1 - 5 February 1999).
43. The Consultation noted that electronic logbooks could facilitate the preparation of catch certificates. Various electronic logbooks have been developed by IOTC and the US National Marine Fisheries Service among others. The New Electronic Fishery-Dependent Information System (EFCL) which included at sea data entry, web interface access, and a database supporting report generation was demonstrated to the participants. Such a system could readily generate trade documents or catch certificates.
44. There was general agreement that logbooks could not be harmonized as evidenced by many attempts in the past, but it was agreed that the output from electronic logbooks could be structured so that they could automatically provide the information required for catch certificates and eventually the required information for trade documentation.
