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UK implementation of electronic logbook reporting

The obligation for the installation of an electronic logbook system is set out in:

A guide to manual reporting of electronic logbook reports

This guidance provides detailed instructions to manually report e-log data in the case where the onboard system is non-operational, this would include total failure or where individual messages cannot be sent, such as where messages are rejected and the skipper, with assistance of e-log supplier if possible, cannot rectify the problem

Read A guide to manual reporting of electronic logbook reports (PDF 80 KB).

Electronic logbook software systems (ELSS) industry guidance

A guide to reporting fishing activities: logbook, landing and transhipment declarations is now available.

This guidance is intended to assist UK fishing vessel masters when reporting fishing activities using ELSS. This guidance is not a comprehensive guide to the legislative requirements for completing logbooks and masters must ensure that they are aware of and adhere to all regulatory rules regarding the completion and transmission of logbook information.

Electronic logbooks will replace paper logbooks, which will be withdrawn. Vessels will have to submit all daily activity by midnight UTC. This applies whether a vessel is fishing or not during the voyage, and in any waters.

All fishing activity submitted electronically may be viewed by Royal Navy patrol vessels as well as fisheries administration and enforcement staff. The information submitted will be also available to inspectors of other member states of the EU and third countries while vessels are in their waters.

Approved software has been available in the UK since May 2010. We expect owners of vessels over 24 metres overall length to demonstrate their intention to comply no later than 1 October 2010, either by having approved software installed and working, or by being able to provide evidence of taking specific steps to having a system installed.

Vessels over 15 metres overall length are not currently required to be compliant, but should anticipate the dates by which they should by ordering electronic logbook systems within reasonable time. Vessels over 15 metres overall length that fish outside Community waters should have the software installed by 1 January 2011 and over 15 metres overall length that do not fish outside of Community waters should have the software installed by 1 July 2011.

Grant aid is currently available towards the cost of the electronic logbook software for vessels over 15 metres overall length. Only approved software is eligible for grant aid.

Approved software has been through an extensive testing process commissioned by the UK fisheries administrations testing agent, National Computer Centre Group. This is to ensure that it meets the published specification required to communicate with the central system – the UK Hub.

For more information, please see the step-by-step guide on how to comply with the electronic logbook legislation and apply for a grant aid.

Further information

Electronic logbooks questions and answers (PDF 45 KB)

Details of suppliers form (AP201) (PDF 831 KB)

Primary vessel owner registration form (ELB2a) (PDF 171 KB)

Electronic logbook grant claim form (ELB3) (PDF 177 KB)

English-administered vessels equipped with electronic logbooks (PDF 106 KB) updated 17 May 2012

Help with documents

Some of these documents are in the portable document format (PDF) for downloading. Adobe Acrobat Reader can be freely downloaded from www.adobe.co.uk