Motivation
Archipelago Marine Research (AMR) presented University of Victoria several key issues that they were interested in pursuing a solution for. Long-line fishermen on the Pacific coast of Canada need an efficient and accurate way of recording and tracking their fish catch at sea. Currently, it is personal preference as to how to record their catches. These methods can be unreliable and innacurate. Inaccurate counts can yield penalties from the Department of Fisheries in the way of fines or mandatory at-sea observation.AMR set the following requirements for the system:
- Must be able to withstand the harsh environment of a seafaring vessel.
- Indicate each time that the user has started and finished hauling a line
- Able to indicate that the user has caught up to 12 different species of fish
- Able to communicate with existing observation system
- Ability to quickly correct a mistake
- Feedback to confirm last entry and confirmation of successful input
- Simple and quick to use requiring few movements for quantity entry
- Ability to be used with gloves and with slippery surface conditions
Our team proposed a solution that was welcomed by the staff. This ruggedized catch counter would be used in conjunction with existing observation technologies employed at sea as a method of validating catch data. A design was obtained by focusing on the functions required to count fish on a long-line fishing vessel. The design takes into account the need for an inovative and easy to use interface, along with the environmental factors that fishermen encounter.