IVR EFP Database

This database contains trip-level reports submitted by vessels participating in Exempted Fishery projects with IVR reporting requirements.

To store trip-level data called into the NMFS IVR system by vessels participating in Exempted Fishery projects.

Tables include trip information, project and researcher information, species codes & state codes.

Information is stored in tables owned by IVR

Fisheries Data Services Division (FDSD)

55 Great Republic Drive

IVR reports are considered to be business confidential and may not be released without signed approval of the permit holder on record for the time period requested.

Access to IVR data is governed by 50CFR600 - Confidentiality of Information. Access by state fishery management agency staff and Fisheries Management Council staff may be allowed through Memorandum of Understanding that are signed by the NE Regional Administrator and Directors of the State Agency or Councils that describe the need and uses of the data and list the individuals who will have access to the data. Contractors may be granted access provided they are working under contract to NOAA or a cooperating partner (state, Council, Commission) on a specific project under the oversight of a partner.

Contact POC to request access.

Access is restricted to personnel authorized in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100. A signed non-disclosure agreement must be on file for all authorized personnel. The APSD Data Request staff are the POC for non-disclosure forms.

Access to individual reports is restricted to NOAA employees and our partners who have signed non-disclosure agreements. Summary data may be made available based on the "rule of 3", i.e., there must be at least three entities included in a summary for the summary information to be made publically available. Data may be made available if there is no information included that could uniquely link the information to an individual entity (person, vessel operating unit, business, etc.). Individually identifiable information may not be released without written authorization from the provider or by court order.

There are no constraints on the use of the metadata associated with this program.

Data is collected via an externally hosted phone call-in system, which transmits to a GARFO hosted web API and backend database.

Data is considered representative of the EFP program.

IVR Reported data is considered a hail or 'best estimate' of what the vessel landed. Vessel Trip Reports or dealer reported data should be used for more accurate reporting totals.

IVR reported data can be considered complete within the boundaries of IVR reporting requirements. Vessel Trip Reports or dealer reported data should be used for more accurate reporting totals.

GARFO has established an "industry data investigation" (IDI) team whose responsibility is to investigate and correct data errors on GARFO's critical datasets including vessel trip reports, dealer reports, and various associated fishing activity reports. This includes IVR datasets. QC on these datasets is performed regularly since data is securely displayed on various web portals to its owners. JIRA is the tool used for tracking quality control.

Access to this data is tightly controlled. Most access is read-only. Write access is given only after data owners have authorized (accompanied by a signed NDA), and data is usually edited via an access controlled application. Data is QAQC'd on a regular basis, and backed up both to disk and tape on a daily basis.

The IVR system is a telephone based reporting system which allows fishermen to call in data for their fishing activity. They authenticate with a permit number and PIN, then keypunch in responses to various questions. When the call is ended, data is automatically transmitted to GARFO databases. Data can then be edited or accessed via different methods, including direct table access, internal GUI access, internal fishtank access, and Fish Online access.

GARFO has recently deployed a web interface for collecting this data, an optional method for fishermen to report.