Ottawa, ON – Dependable and timely fisheries catch data is essential to supporting sustainable fisheries and strong coastal economies. Historically, fish harvesters have provided this catch data to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) via paper logbooks, slowing down decision-making for fisheries management and protection.
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, has announced that it will be mandatory to use electronic logbooks (ELOGs) in select fisheries in DFO’s Gulf and Quebec regions as of January 1, 2025. Mandatory ELOGs will also be rolled out in select fisheries in the Maritimes Region and Newfoundland and Labrador in the spring.
ELOGs collect data from fish harvesters on their fishing activities, helping DFO to determine measures like licence conditions and annual quotas for species, and ensuring good fisheries management and protection across Canada. This digital solution makes catch reporting faster, easier and more efficient for harvesters – no more having to fill out paperwork. And having their catch data in one centralized place means that harvesters can easily review their past submissions at any time.
The national mandatory roll-out of ELOGs is following a phased approach, in consultation with harvesters and industry stakeholders, and advancing as ELOG applications become available for various regional fisheries. DFO has been working with these groups over the last several years to address their concerns about the move to ELOGs, and appreciates their valuable feedback to date. We will continue to work with our partners through advisory committee meetings, to help them through this transition.
Continued voluntary use of ELOGS in non-mandatory fisheries will offer harvesters additional time to become familiar with the technology and research available products for their fisheries. For questions around implementation timelines in different regions, harvesters are encouraged to engage with DFO’s regional offices.
“I am proud of my department’s progress on the collection of catch information through more modern ELOGs. With ELOGs, harvesters can submit their data in near-real time, helping DFO to get accurate, effective, and consistent catch data from across the country. This means better business and fisheries management, conservation, and protection of our precious resources.” – Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard