The Mainland Catch app is ready for use in the South Island
Fish Mainland Inc. is pleased to advise you that the Mainland Catch app has been approved for release on Google Play for Android devices and on the Apple App Store for iOS devices.
Marine recreational fishers throughout the South Island can now self-record data on their catch, effort and catch location.
The app records GPS location, date, time, fish species, fish size, fish numbers and photos. Fishers’ collective data can be used to broadly signal localised trends in abundance, size distribution and availability of species.
The benefit for fishers is knowing that their data is aiding the management of fisheries that are important to them, including substantiating the importance of a fishery for recreational use and preferred fishing grounds.
In other words, the data provided through the app can strengthen fishers’ positions on important fisheries management decisions; far more importance is placed on data than mere opinions.
Furthermore, South Island fishers can be involved in fisheries management changes that are starting to occur worldwide. These changes start with governments acknowledging the relevance and importance of recreational fisheries and the need for better governance and management. The first step toward improving management is collecting better data on recreational catch, effort, and catch location.
Fish Mainland is encouraged by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Hon. Shane Jones, asserting that he is pleased with developing the Mainland Catch app as part of our collaborative and innovative approach towards managing fisheries.
The Mainland Catch app is free of charge; its use does not require Fish Mainland membership, though app users are encouraged to become members.
Apps of all sorts require users to first register. For the Mainland Catch app, users must register to:
Receive app updates. Receive data upon request. Restore data should the app user change phones (but keep the same phone number). Registration is also required so that Fish Mainland can: Verify the data if there are doubts about data accuracy, reliability, etc. Use the data for fisheries management research purposes ONLY, not for any advertising purposes. Help inform Search & Rescue of the app user’s location if any safety issues arise. Fishers’ data will be available as a personal diary. Data will be confidential and not made available to the public unless the app is used in a fishing competition.
Data will only be available to the public and Fisheries New Zealand in aggregated form (e.g., reporting area, region). The data collected will be securely stored in the Microsoft Cloud.
Before receiving Google and Apple approval, Datacom, the app’s developer, undertook rigorous internal testing procedures to ensure the app works as intended and to accommodate testers’ feedback. This feedback led to several improvements that have made the app users’ experiences more accessible and intuitive.
Also, testers sent data from throughout the South Island, including remote locations along the Kaikoura coastline where the public can access paua during the PAU3A opening (22 April to 21 June).
Fish Mainland encourages fishers participating in the PAU3A fishery to record their data, as it will be invaluable for improving the management of this iconic fishery.
The Mainland Catch app is possible only because of the financial support provided by MPI’s Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures and the Myers Foundation Trust.
Instructions for registration, app downloading, and videos on the easy-to-use app are at this link: https://www. fishmainland.nz/ mainland-catch-app.
Should you encounter any problems when registering or downloading the app, please contact info@ fishmainland.nz
