OBPRELIM Observer Preliminary Data System

Paper logs are the primary data collection tool used by observers of the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program and Industry Funded Scallop Program deployed on commercial fishing vessels. Data collected on paper logs are used to enter critical data fields into a web-based data entry program, OBPRELIM, and loads data directly into Oracle tables. OBPRELIM is used to enter trip, incidental take, and haul level data for in-season quota monitored fisheries and discard log data for the herring and longfin squid fisheries to track slippage events. OBPRELIM contains built in audit checks to increase data quality. OBPRELIM is also used for post-entry Fisheries Sampling Branch processing and verification.

Provide critical data elements to end users for in-season quota monitored fisheries and incidental takes within a week of completion of observer deployment.

NEFSC Data Access Procedure:

1. Formal request in writing usually to the data owner/contact or Center Director;

2. Requester is contacted by data owner to review and verify the request content and details for data delivery options.

3. If data is confidential then owner will determine if the data may be released to the requester;

4. If data can be released, the data is downloaded and packaged for delivery electronically; or the requester may be directed to where the data is available online.

NEFSC Data Access Constraint:

If data is stored on an internal NEFSC network, the requester may not have direct access to query the data unless they are also authorized for network access.

Oracle database, centralized data management

During data entry, data quality checks are automatically performed on the data. These checks include comparisons between data fields and restricting data entry choices with radio buttons or drop down menus containing only valid data. Upon receipt of the full data set, the data goes through extensive data auditing.

Archival of source data preserving unaltered collected data, Scheduled backups, Remote storage backups, Password protection

Fishery observers and Industry funded scallop observers record trip, haul, catch and incidental take data on observed fishing trips using defined protocols. Preliminary observer data is entered electronically, complete observer data is entered on paper logs. Observers are debriefed by data editors.