PacFIN Brief for 1997

[Complete 1997 PSMFC Annual Report (180 KB pdf)]

During 1997, some conversion efforts were completed and some were continued, some new software capabilities were added, some new data tables were added to the central database, some training was conducted, and various system analyses were performed. During 1997 the PacFIN Office processed 229 datafeeds from eight data sources, responded to 187 requests-for-information. There were also 18,139 visits to the PSMFC PacFIN web site for an average of 1,512 visits per month.

In January a seminar/workshop was conducted in Newport, Oregon for NMFS and ODFW personnel.

The Quota Species Monitoring (QSM) subsystem was expanded to include additional reports for the Limited-entry and Open-access fleets. This expansion also included additional data source inputs.

Support for the NMFS/NWR's Sablefish Endorsement/3-tier project occurred throughout the year and included software development and requirements analysis.

The annual vessel summary data for all years (81-97) was incorporated into the central database and refreshing of this data was added to the regular monthly production workload.

The subsystem that maintains on-line summaries for NMFS's Fisheries of the U.S. task was improved twice during the year: once at the request of the NMFS/NWR and again at the request of the NMFS/ST1 organization. These improvements included: changes to data tables and associated software upgrades; and re-structuring of some of the species code relations.

The NMFS staff in Newport, Oregon conducting stock assessments for sablefish and thornyheads were provided data retrieval, software development, and analysis support.

A major analysis of West Coast vessel identification, registration, and data systems was conducted and an alternate proposal on this subject was submitted to the NMFS.

The AKFIN project was supported in various ways including: participation in various meetings; one-on-one question and answer sessions; and demonstrations of certain software routines and data structures.

Catch-by-area and species composition proportions for 1981-1986 were input by WDFW for the first time and these were incorporated into the database. Species composition proportions for CDFG for 1981-1986 were also input for the first time and proportions for 1987-1995 were completely refreshed. The incorporation of these proportions within the central database improved the trawl groundfish catch-by-area estimates and the estimates of catch by individual rockfish species.

The conversion effort to re-develop the set of six programs that produce the standard PacFIN reports was completed and monthly production of the usual set of standard reports for WDFW, ODFW, and CDFG was re-instituted.

A new table consisting of W-O-C counties and their relation to existing PacFIN port codes was incorporated and software was developed to summarize catch data by county.

The PacFIN staff once again supplied the economists conducting the West Coast Fishing Fleet Study with specialized vessel summary data and performed analyses of certain data anomalies for this project.