More volunteers needed for lobster logging

The P.E.I. Fishermen's Association is looking for some more volunteers to try out a new app to log their lobster catches.

In the spring the PEIFA launched testing of the app with fishermen volunteering to electronically gather information on their phones, along with the usual paper logging.

The app was developed for an expected implementation of electronic logging in 2019, but that has been delayed indefinitely.

Melanie Giffin, a marine biologist and program planner at PEIFA, said 15 lobster fishermen took part in the pilot project during the spring fishery, and they're hoping for 50 volunteers from the fall lobster fishery.

Giffin said despite the delayed implementation by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, testing for the app is critical.

"It does give us a little more time which is great, but the earlier we can do this and get the bugs out, the better," she said.

"It would be ideal to get a good number of volunteers this season."

Electronically logging is expected to provide much faster information both to government and fishermen about the fishery. With the current paper system, data on catches is usually not available until the season is almost over.

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