CATCHLOG FOOD SAFETY MANAGER SIMPLIFIES AQIS REPORTING
Fishers who export their catch can now easily meet Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) requirements thanks to an AQIS endorsed enhancement of an innovative software package.
CatchLog Trading was established by a fisherman of many years, Dieter Bohm in response to fisher’s requests for software to help manage their business at sea. The company is based in Cairns. The CatchLog Pro software is now widely used by fishers interested in managing their vessels catch, crew, processing, unloads and quota in an electronic format from the wheelhouse. The Northern Prawn Fishery currently uses CatchLog to send electronic logbooks to AFMA.
In response to the need for a streamlined method of meeting the AQIS requirements for Food Safety, CatchLog Trading has developed a Food Safety Manager to make it easy for fishers to setup an Approved Arrangement (AA) and to meet reporting requirements.
How we have achieved this?
A setup wizard in the Food Safety Manager guides users through the steps needed to complete a Food Safety Program or AA. Only vessel specific changes will be required to generate your own AA. CatchLog can provide this service if required - either by programming in information from an existing AQIS approved AA or by assisting with the development of an AA for submission to AQIS for approval.
Day to day use to meet your AA requirements!
The Food Safety Manager is linked to the CatchLog Pro software which means that the monitoring and verification activities required to support your AA is documented when the daily catch is entered. Prompts will appear, with a check list, to make sure that the routine tasks required to maintain your AA are not overlooked. The skipper, after reading through the check list and being satisfied that all AA requirements have been meet, simply clicks on the Save button.
Depending on the vessels specific AA requirements the skipper may need to enter a few more details such as;
- Daily freezer temperatures
- Product temperature
- And any other parameters that you have set in the Setup Wizard.
The daily AA requirements have then been met. Simple.
Documents that can be generated include; Duty Statements for Crew, A Declaration of Occupiers Commitment (Policy Statement), Standard Operating Procedures and completed forms including unload details in a Transfer Certificate format, Audit Reports and Corrective Action Reports.
Skippers have unanimously endorsed this software and uptake has been rapid.
The Food Safety Manager module of CatchLog Pro does not release the fisher from his/her AQIS obligations in any way. The AQIS endorsement states: “The AQIS Fish Export Program acknowledges that version 7.5 of CatchLog will provide an acceptable format to assist registered vessels in meeting the legislative requirements for an Approved Arrangement as required by Part 3, Division II, Order 34 of the export Control (Fish & Fish Products) Orders 2005.”
"Establishments wishing to utilise CatchLog Version 7.5 to document their Approved Arrangement will be required to make application for approval of an Approved Arrangement to AQIS and will be subject to both desk audit and ongoing site audit to ensure that the operational details entered into CatchLog meet the applicable requirements of the legislation and that compliance with the controls specified will ensure that the requirements of the Order will be complied with.”
Accreditation with the Australian Showcase
The Australian Technology Showcase (ATS) is designed to promote leading edge, innovative Australian technologies globally. The ATS is a national program with initiatives driven at the state level to help members increase export and attract foreign and local venture capital.
The Queensland Government has been a keen supporter of the ATS since its inception in April 1997. The focus of the ATS demonstrates the state government's commitment to the promotion of Queensland science, engineering and technology internationally, and serves to increase awareness of Queensland's capabilities, world-class skills and technologies.
Membership of the ATS is reliant on the applicant's technology meeting certain criteria for eligibility. A panel of independent experts rigorously assess all technologies to ensure they meet the stringent standards set.
CatchLog is a member of the ATS and for CatchLog to obtain membership we had to be:
� Clearly innovative and represent a significant step forward in the technology itself or its utilisation.
� Scientifically credible based on secure principles and understanding.
� Of significant local content in terms of intellectual property or embodied skills.
� Demonstrative marketable with and identified existing or potential market advantage and a substantial identified market.
� Commercially attractive and likely to appeal to international investors of offer opportunities for joint venturing.
� Socially and environmentally beneficial by meeting community needs or standards.
CatchLog being a Member of the ATS, can now be found in the ATS's monthly service directory and at the ATS's web site. For more information about the ATS click http://www.ats.business.gov.au
SUCCESSFUL TRIAL OF E-LOGBOOK LIKELY TO PROMPT WIDER TAKE-UP OF THE TECHNOLOGY
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Using an electronic logbook to report catch and effort data to AFMA is proving to have real benefits for both AFMA and the industry.
After a year using e-Log software skipper Nick Williams prefers the new technology over the old paper-based reporting method.
Nick has just completed a one-year trial of the e-Log software developed by Cairns-based Company
"Catchlog Trading" in the Mooloolaba Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF).
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| Williams of the Samurai is one fisher who now prefers to use an electronic logbook over the paper-based method. |
He says he likes the convenience of electronic logbook submissions and the fact that they can be received by AFMA at the time of unloading.
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“I particularly value the backend database and the access to my past three or four years of fishing history,” he says.
“Having that historical data available to me at the click of a mouse is particularly valuable, as opposed to the alternative of having to thumb through a number of past logbooks when at sea, which is time-consuming and frustrating.”
If you are interested in switching to an electronic logbook system, there are currently two software vendors offering e-Log software to Commonwealth fishers, both in the form of comprehensive vessel business management software as well as “lite” versions that have e-Log capability.
If you are interested in switching to an electronic logbook system, there are currently two software vendors offering e-Log software to Commonwealth fishers, both in the form of comprehensive vessel business management software as well as “lite” versions that have e-Log capability.
Potentially, e-logs could be used in 16 of AFMA’s fisheries, since e-Log software has been developed for prawn trawl, scale fish trawling and line fishing.
CATCHLOG IS TAKING OVER SCOTLAND, ENGLAND AND IRELAND BY STORM !
With the introduction of UK’s Fishing Authority’s Electronic Logging, we have been able to move into the
UK market. Due to the fact, that there is very little typing required using CatchLog, and our software
has been designed to look after errors the users might make automatically (validation), it has become
classified a the easiest to use Electronic Logbook for fishermen. All these automated build in functions
have made CatchLog a pleasure to work with and the Fishing Industry in the UK just loves it. Hence it is
now seen and classified as the easiest electronic log book to use and best value for money.
THE SPANIARDS ARE DISCOVERING CATCHLOG NOW
With the easy use of CatchLog, and now also available in Spanish Language,
our software is now gaining popularity with the Spanish Fishing Industry. The first Spanish Vessels are
leaving Spain equipped with CatchLog and ready to go in March 2011.
CatchLog is available now in English, French and Spanish.