Practicum: Electronic Reporting Process for Commercial Saltwater Landings

April 12, 2012NRLI Class XICaptain Gregg Eason and Major Camille SoverelFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

What is Electronic Reporting for Commercial Landings Chapter 68E-5 (F.A.C.) requires that

all Florida wholesale dealers maintain records of each purchase of saltwater products. Retailers who produce their own product must also maintain records of the saltwater products that they produce for sale through their retail license.

How is electronic reporting done?

Electronically and Hard Copy

“Trip Tickets”

Why is it important to collect and analyze data?

Data Base Management tool Resource allocation for limited quantity Supply vs. Demand

How State and Federal Conservation Agencies enforce landing requirements

IFQ’s-Individual Fishing Quota

Overt Law Enforcement Presence

Covert Law Enforcement investigations

FWC’s Commitment to align statewide efforts to:

•Maximize Economic Growth •Reduce regulatory obstacles• Stimulate job creation•Balanced approach to species

conservation• Improve licensing procedures

Commercial Landings are part of the Licensing requirements

• Intent was to stream line reporting requirements

• Electronic methods appeared to be the easiest for user

• Evaluate if there would be an impact from doing this

• Provides more accurate information

Gather facts on Impact or Conflict for utilizing full automation

Stakeholder Analysis:Identify different groups1. Power to Affect (FWC and NMFS)2. Being Affected (WSD and SPL)3. People with Expertise ( Trade Groups)

Gather facts on Impact or Conflict for utilizing full automation

Wholesaler/Dealer Triangle

Psychological:1. It could be scary to

learn a new system2. I have never used a

computer3. Big Brother setting up

new ways to spy

Wholesaler/Dealer Triangle

Interests1. We have always

done it this way2. We like doing it this

way3. It is easy to do this

way4. Can be manipulated

Wholesaler/Dealer Triangle

Procedural:1. I don’t have a computer2. I don’t have internet3. I don’t want to use my

personal computer4. The system currently

works why switch

Internal Team formed to design the survey

• 6 weeks needed just to schedule a joint meeting

• Designed an agenda for a two hour meeting• Objectives included: discuss and decide

survey questions, indentify stakeholder groups , method for survey collection and analysis

• Dates to send out and collect surveys

Steps taken to develop survey

Survey Method Written: 7 - 10 questions on word

document How: FWC Website, Email and Postal

Mail Who: Wholesale Fish Dealers

Steps taken to develop survey

Wholesale Fish Dealer 1300 dealers 312 report electronically and account

for 2/3 of all landings 692 report with written trip tickets 300 did not need to report (importing)

Next Steps:1. Send survey questions to team for final

survey analysis – Due 5/11/122. Notify trade groups to send

stakeholder notice of intent to survey-Due 5/30/12

3. Surveys are sent on 6/15/124. Due date for return is 7/1/125. 7/1-8/1 complete survey analysis and

record results

To Do (cont):

6. 8/2/12 meeting with work group to make recommendations for Division Directors

7. Decision will be made whether or not issue goes to rulemaking process (which would include public meetings, workshops and eventually commission vote).

To Do (cont):

8. Commission rule making process is at least 6-12 months

Questions ???