A Long-Term Partnership Strengthening Fisheries Management
In Brief
Modernizing Fisheries Management Through Technology
Faced with the challenge of managing vast and complex fisheries data across multiple states, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) has partnered with Resource Data since 2000 to implement transformative solutions. From developing advanced data warehouses to creating the first web-based system for electronic fish ticket reporting in the Western U.S., our work has strengthened PSMFC’s ability to fulfill its mission for more sustainable fisheries management.
Key Takeaways
24 Years of Partnership and Innovation
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Advancing fisheries data management
Advanced digital solutions like eTix and ORCA continue to modernize PSMFC’s data collection, reporting, and sharing processes. These tools replace outdated, manual systems, ensuring faster, more accurate data reporting, improving efficiency across the fishing industry.
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Building reliable, scalable data warehouses
By redesigning critical systems like PacFIN, AKFIN, and RecFIN, Resource Data has enabled PSMFC to efficiently consolidate, validate, and analyze vast amounts of fisheries data, providing actionable insights for sustainable fisheries management.
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Empowering conservation through technology
Backed by modern data solutions, PSMFC coordinates research and monitoring activities, facilitates projects, and maintains central repositories on critical fishing industry data. With reliable data, PSMFC better supports policies and actions to conserve, develop and manage Pacific Ocean resources.
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A long-term, trusted partnership
Over 24 years, Resource Data’s collaborative approach has evolved with PSMFC’s needs, supporting ongoing innovation, such as cloud migration and observer program advancements. This trusted partnership ensures PSMFC’s technology supports its mission.
Meet Our Client
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC)
Based in Portland, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) supports government resource agencies and the fishing industry in managing fishery resources sustainably across California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Hawaii.
With a mission to conserve, develop, and manage these resources, PSMFC coordinates research activities, monitors fishing operations, and oversees diverse projects. Their databases on fish and other marine species provide critical insights for fishery managers and the fishing industry.
Since 2000, PSMFC has partnered with Resource Data to collect, manage, and analyze vast amounts of fisheries data more accurately and efficiently.
Solutions
Innovating Fisheries Data Collection, Analysis, and Management
The following solutions highlight some of the major work we’ve done for PSMFC and how it’s helped them achieve their goals.
PacFIN
Nation's First Regional Fisheries Data Network
Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFIN), the nation’s first regional fisheries data network, aggregates and analyzes commercial fishery data to support management of West Coast fisheries. This data is critical for fishery managers, state agencies, and the Pacific Fishery Management Council to track catches and respond to increasing demands on fishery resources.
Resource Data completely redesigned the PacFIN data warehouse, conducting an in-depth analysis of user reporting needs and designing a new architecture, including updated schemas, data flows, and models. We managed the migration and audit of over 30 years of historical data and developed a web portal for state agencies to submit data easily.
Since the redesign, we’ve continued to maintain and enhance the system, adding analytical tools to meet evolving requirements. The modernized warehouse and portal have significantly improved the accuracy and accessibility of data, resulting in better fisheries management along the West Coast.
RecFIN
Uniting State and Federal Fishery Management Efforts
Recreational Fisheries Information Network (RecFIN) unites state and federal efforts to monitor recreational fishing harvests, effort, and distribution. This integrated approach provides essential data for fisheries management and stock assessment needs.
Resource Data modernized RecFIN’s outdated data storage system, creating a robust data warehouse to meet contemporary organizational standards. We designed and implemented a new database, migrated existing data, and developed standardized ETL processes for enhanced integration of data from multiple sources. Our team also introduced comprehensive data marts to make that data available to analysts.
The upgraded system enhances RecFIN’s ability to collect, analyze, and report on recreational fisheries data, ensuring better support for management and conservation initiatives.
E-Tix
First Web-Based Fish Ticket Reporting System in the Region
PSMFC needed a modern solution to replace disparate, error-prone systems for reporting fish ticket data along the West Coast. Resource Data developed E-Tix, the first web-based system for electronic fish ticket reporting in the region, enabling fish dealers in Oregon, Washington, and California to submit data online easily.
Our team redesigned the legacy systems, building a unified web portal and database to capture and report fish ticket data efficiently. Since its launch, Resource Data has provided ongoing support and enhancements, including updates for regulation changes and feature improvements based on PSMFC’s needs.
E-Tix has transformed fisheries data reporting, creating a reliable, accessible platform for managing submissions. By improving processes and reducing errors, the system supports PSMFC’s mission to improve fisheries management across the Western United States.
Economic Data Reporting
Reliable Reporting for Better Regulation
PSMFC oversees Economic Data Reporting (EDR) collections to analyze the economic effects of fisheries programs. These reports provide regulators with critical data on costs, revenues, ownership, and employment, informing program assessments and changes.
Since 2009, Resource Data has supported the EDR database with programming and maintenance to ensure reliable data storage and reporting. Our work includes developing tailored data collection solutions, such as fillable PDFs, Oracle (APEX) applications, and .NET XML forms—and adapting them to meet evolving needs and new program amendments.
By enabling efficient data collection and analysis, our solutions help PSMFC and regulators better understand program impacts on harvesters, processors, and communities. The result is more data-driven and cost-effective fisheries management across the region.
AKFIN
Consolidating Commercial Fishing Data
Alaska Fisheries Information Network (AKFIN) consolidates essential commercial fisheries data for North Pacific and Alaskan fisheries, enabling economists and scientists to assess the impacts of management decisions on individuals and communities.
Our team has played a key role in designing and developing AKFIN’s data warehouse, incorporating advanced ETL, data validation, and custom database structures for precise reporting. We collaborated with the AKFIN team to develop datamarts and evolve the system from raw data queries to a dimensional warehouse with a business intelligence repository and end-user query tools. These efforts have improved AKFIN’s ability to deliver actionable insights, strengthening fisheries management and sustainability in our northernmost fisheries.
ORCA
An App for Easy At-Sea Data Collection
On a boat in the rolling Pacific, obtaining clear and complete data with just pencils and paper poses a significant challenge. Despite this, NOAA Fisheries-trained observers on fishing vessels were successfully gathering essential scientific data using these traditional methods—but it was time consuming and difficult.
The West Coast Region Observer Program and Resource Data revolutionized marine data collection through the development of the Onboard Record Collection App (ORCA), a tablet-based application designed specifically to withstand temperamental at-sea conditions. Information integral to ensuring the sustainability of fisheries is now gathered more efficiently, significantly saving time and improving data quality for precise reporting.
Based on ORCA’s success, for deep set buoy gear, PSMFC and Resource Data recently partnered to develop a new version of ORCA for longline fishery Observer Programs for both the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Pacific Island Regional Office (PIRO) and West Coast Regional Office (WCRO).
Results
Improving processes to sustain fisheries
Through our partnership, PSMFC has modernized operations to better fulfill its mission of supporting sustainable fisheries. By transitioning from paper to electronic processes, our solutions have enabled faster, more accurate data reporting from ships, fishing processors, and other stakeholders. Projects like E-Tix have replaced decades of manual reporting, ensuring data quality and compliance across state and federal agencies.
Our data warehouse work has reinforced PSMFC’s role as a central repository of fisheries data, giving decision-makers the insights needed to assess policies. Their observer programs also benefit from the staffing we’ve provided and at-sea reporting tools we’ve built.
As PSMFC’s trusted partner in database development, IT strategy, and more, we’ve helped them stay ahead of technological trends. This has empowered PSMFC’s staff and clients to tackle critical initiatives.
“The more you can shorten the path between the data entry method and the database, the less likely you are to end up with inaccurate or bad data. You cut out those quality control slips. Observers can now spend more time on biological sampling and not worry about data forms getting soaked or blown away. It’s so much easier and efficient.”
- Jody Van Niekerk, ORCA Project co-lead & Biologist, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region
What's Next
New and Familiar Horizons
Our ongoing partnership with PSMFC is focused on advancing their technological capabilities. A key initiative involves migrating their Oracle-based, on-premises data warehouses to a high-performance cloud platform, enhancing efficiency while maintaining compatibility with their existing systems.
Hawaii recently joined PSMFC, and we are uniquely positioned to modernize their fisheries management and data collection systems, bringing them in line with the advanced infrastructure used across the West Coast. This progress will strengthen the unified mission of the Pacific states.
