Straight talk about going digital – without the tech nonsense
Let’s Start with the Real Question
You’re running a small fishing business. Maybe it’s just you, a boat, and a dream that’s been in the family for generations. Or maybe you’ve got a couple of crew and you’re making it work season by season.
Either way, you’ve got enough on your plate without worrying about fancy software. The weather. The quotas. The fuel prices. The maintenance. The paperwork.
So when someone starts talking about “electronic logbooks” and “digital transformation,” your first thought is probably: “How much is this going to cost me? And do I really need it?”
Fair questions. Let’s answer them straight.
The Reality of Small Fishing Today
Before we talk about solutions, let’s talk about what small operators are actually facing.
In the US, there are over 54,000 fishing businesses and most of them are small operations. The average fishing business in America brings in about $61,000 in annual revenue. That’s not a lot of room for extra expenses.
In Australia, small fishing businesses are under serious pressure too. Some are barely scraping by. A representative marine scalefish business in South Australia earns about $125,000 annually, but after fixed costs of around $45,000, there’s often no profit left. When environmental shocks hit—like the algal bloom that’s been devastating South Australian waters—some operators are making as little as $15 a day.
Every dollar counts. Every hour matters.
So the question isn’t “Can I afford an electronic logbook?” It’s “Can I afford not to have one? “
The Time You’re Losing to Paper
Let’s be honest about paper logbooks.
They’re free. You know how to use them. They don’t crash or need updates.
But they also take time. Time you could be spending on the water. Time you could be sleeping. Time you could be with your family.
One skipper said: “Deckhand saves me hours every trip. It works the way I work—whether I’ve got a signal or not.”
Time you could spend fishing. Or maintaining your gear. Or, as one skipper put it, “focusing on other essential tasks, like sleeping.”
What an Electronic Logbook Actually Does (In Plain English)
Let’s skip the tech jargon.
An electronic logbook is just a digital version of your paper logbook—but smarter. It does a few things that paper can’t:
1. It remembers for you. Once you enter your vessel details and permit numbers, you never have to type them again. The app pre-fills repetitive information automatically.
2. It works where you fish. You don’t need cell service. Deckhand works offline, storing your data securely on your iPad until you’re back in range. Then it syncs automatically.
3. It submits to regulators for you. Instead of mailing forms or hand-delivering paper, you press one button and your report goes straight to NOAA, AFMA, or your state agency.
That’s it. No complicated setup. No IT degree required. Just a tool that makes your life easier.
Your Data Is Yours. Period.
Now, let’s talk about something that matters to every fisherman: who owns your information.
We get it. You’ve worked hard to find your fishing grounds. You’ve learned where the fish are, when they run, and how to work your gear. That knowledge is valuable.
So here’s the deal: You own your data.
Not us. Not anyone else. You.
Deckhand was founded by fishermen, for fishermen. Our mission is simple: “to empower fishermen to collect and report their own data — we are not in the business of owning it or using it for any purpose” .
Your data stays on your device or on secure servers that only you can access. When you need to report to regulators, that data is encrypted and sent securely to the fishery managers who need it, no one else.
We don’t sell your information. We don’t track your movements. We don’t harvest your fishing history.
Your secrets stay yours.
What About the Cost?
Here’s the honest truth: electronic logbooks aren’t free.
But neither is paper, when you add up the time.
NOAA has acknowledged that electronic logbooks take less time to prepare, submit, and process than paper ones. Some estimates suggest electronic reporting takes about one-third less time than paper.
Deckhand is designed to be affordable for small operators. You can reach out to us for pricing details, but here’s what to expect: a modest subscription that pays for itself in time savings alone.
Compare that to what you’re already spending on paper—the hours of manual entry, the mailing costs, the risk of errors that lead to rejected submissions. When you look at the full picture, the question isn’t “Can I afford an electronic logbook?” It’s “Can I afford to keep doing things the hard way?”
What About Regulations?
Here’s something else to consider: electronic reporting isn’t optional anymore in many fisheries.
In the US, NOAA is actively moving toward mandatory electronic reporting for federally permitted commercial vessels. The agency has proposed amendments that would require electronic fishing reports for Gulf of America and South Atlantic fisheries.
In Australia, AFMA has invested over $20 million in digital transformation, including electronic logbook submission for Commonwealth fishers.
The shift is happening. Getting ahead of it now means you’re not scrambling later.
The Bottom Line: Is It Worth It?
Here’s how we think about it.
If your current system works for you, if you’re happy with paper, if you have the time, if you never make mistakes, if you don’t mind mailing forms, then maybe you don’t need an electronic logbook.
But if you’re tired of:
- Squinting at your own handwriting
- Worrying about missed deadlines
- Wasting time on repetitive data entry
- Carrying around stacks of paper
- Explaining to regulators why something got missed
…then it’s worth taking a look.
Deckhand is for the people who work on the water. People who need tools that work as hard as they do.
We keep it simple. We keep your data yours. And we help you spend less time on paperwork and more time doing what you love.
Ready to Give It a Try?
You don’t have to commit to anything. Just see how it works.
Deckhand runs on iPad, works offline, and takes about five minutes to set up. You can download it from the Apple App Store and take it for a spin on your next trip.
Download Deckhand Pro on the App Store →
Or visit our website to learn more:
www.deckhandlogbook.com
Built on the flexible Catchflow™ IDE, Deckhand’s core language, this seafood processor built an electronic invoicing system for tender vessels at sea.
By using a Deckhand device in a ruggedized case on deck, tender operators are able to service vessels quickly over the rail, print out these invoices, and submit the data to corporate offices allowing office staff to improve their own processing systems.
This new e-fish ticket system allows for the increased capabilities and efficiency of office staff on land to batch, key, edit, and burst stacks of hundreds of invoices at a time.
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