Boat Logbooks: The Special Case of Fishing
- BoatOn
- Aug 6, 2024
- 3 min read
We have previously reviewed the rules and obligations relating to boat logbooks. The fishing sector is a special case. In addition to maintaining a navigation logbook, fishing vessels (trawlers, tuna boats, cockle boats, pot fishers, etc.) are also required to maintain the EFL (Electronic Fishing Logbook).
The Electronic Fishing Logbook: A Mandatory Tool for Professional Fishers
The Electronic Fishing Logbook (EFL) is a mandatory electronic logbook for all captains of fishing vessels over 12 metres. Certain vessels may nevertheless be exempt. There are several grounds for this; the vessel must:
have a length of between 12 metres (minimum) and 15 metres (maximum),
spend no more than 24 hours at sea,
or operate exclusively within territorial waters.
But what is the purpose of this electronic logbook? It enables automatic messages to be sent about a vessel's fishing activities, from its departure from port to its return. This is a reporting obligation introduced across the European Union in 2010 (Article 15 of Regulation EC 1224/2009). The integration of the EFL has a dual objective: to improve the monitoring and control of fishing vessels, and to manage fish stocks more effectively, with more frequent and higher-quality declarations.
How Does It Work?
First, it is worth noting that there are only 2 manufacturers supplying Electronic Fishing Logbook units in France: Agiltech (with their Turbocatch solution) and CLS (with their Iktus solution). Operating via a dedicated unit, the EFL is first installed and configured on the vessel before being tested.
A mandatory "test tide" must be carried out under real fishing conditions to verify the correct sending and reception of messages, and to ensure that at least one of the vessel's captains is familiar with and understands the system correctly.
Once correctly installed, the skipper is no longer required to keep a paper fishing logbook "maintaining a fishing logbook in paper format remains an option for the skipper, but solely for personal convenience".
Not all messages sent are mandatory. Here are the mandatory messages:
port departure (DEP)
fishing activity and catch declaration (FAR)
end of fishing (EOF)
return to port (RTP)
landing
end of tide
Depending on the type of fishery, additional messages may be sent, such as messages on entry to, exit from or transit through a zone, or messages during the transhipment of goods.
What About the Navigation Logbook?
One might wonder whether this electronic fishing logbook replaces the navigation logbook. The answer is no! They are complementary but do not serve the same requirements. The fishing logbook focuses on the fishing activity carried out by the vessels. As a reminder, a navigation logbook is mandatory whenever navigating beyond 6 nautical miles.
In 2021, there were 6,256 vessels registered for fishing. Not all of them, of course, are intended for offshore fishing. Offshore fishing, also known as deep-sea fishing, is carried out by trawlers of more than 24 metres and involves tides (the period of fishing activity from departure to return to port) of more than 96 hours. The vast majority of vessels engage in coastal or semi-offshore fishing and are required to keep a navigation logbook. For the applicable rules, please refer to our previous article.
The BoatOn Book Digital Logbook: The Complementary Solution for Fishers
Already required to have the electronic fishing logbook, the navigation logbook is an additional administrative task. That is why we have simplified this task to save time for fishing professionals, allowing them to focus on their activity.
The BoatOn Book logbook is accessible from your phone and automatically collects the AIS data of the vessel, provided it has an MMSI number. Simply keep it active throughout the tide (even without a mobile signal!), end the navigation when you return to port, and you will see the complete route sailed during your tide. No additional unit needs to be installed, avoiding complex installation procedures and required testing. The same applies to weather conditions in your fishing zone, which are automatically recorded in the logbook. It can be viewed and used as evidence at any time, and is also printable, if you prefer to keep it in paper format.
This is THE complementary solution to the EFL for staying compliant without constraints, for you and your crew. You don't waste time getting your tides started and you are protected in the event of an incident. Furthermore, it is directly linked to your maintenance logbook and you can generate incident reports from your logbook in the event of a problem. This allows them to be addressed as a priority once you have returned to dock. Don't wait any longer to simplify your life and try the BoatOn Book !
