Frequently asked questions

Electronic logbooks (ELOGs) are gradually replacing paper logbooks across Canada. ELOG client applications are used by harvesters to submit their required logbook data as outlined in their licence conditions. These ELOG applications are created by third-party providers and may be produced in different forms, such as computer software or a mobile application. By using ELOG client applications, harvesters can enter and transmit their catch and effort information to Fisheries and Oceans Canada electronically.

Each fishery may have different reporting requirements regarding the mandatory or voluntary use of an ELOG client application. It’s always best to consult the wording in your licence conditions.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is moving towards the use of ELOGs as part of a wider effort to modernize data collection. ELOGs will allow for efficient reporting of catch and effort information to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, real-time data access, and improved ability to gather data for traceability.
Use of this innovative technology will allow for improvements in the way that Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages catch and effort information that it receives from harvesters. It will also allow harvesters to use a variety of new tools to report their catch and effort information in a more efficient manner.

Qualified applications are those that have been approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s National ELOG team after the service provider has met a set of rigorous standards.

A list of qualified ELOG client applications can be found on the Qualified electronic logbooks (ELOG) client applications page. This list will always be kept up to date with the most recent versions that are available. Note that your licence conditions may require you to ensure you have the most recent version of your ELOG client application.

Any fees associated with an ELOG application, or the necessary hardware, are the responsibility of harvesters. Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not reimburse or pay for ELOG applications or any necessary hardware.
A list of ELOG applications available for purchase can be found on the Qualified electronic logbooks (ELOG) client applications page.

ELOGs costs vary, depending on the application and the features available. These costs are set by the third-party service providers. Providers are required to meet Fisheries and Oceans Canada standards that ensure client applications are cost-effective for all stakeholders.
Harvesters should evaluate their options and choose the ELOG that best meets their needs and budget.
It is important to note that paper logbooks also come with costs. In some regions, these costs are covered by associations, while in others, harvesters pay directly. Across Canada, the average price for paper logbooks and associated fees is comparable to the ELOG purchase price.

No, Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not endorse one application over another. All ELOG client applications listed on the Qualified electronic logbook (ELOG) client applications page have met Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s standards for the fisheries indicated.

Device compatibility may differ according to the technology used by ELOG providers. Please contact the ELOG application provider for more information about the application you want to use.

Once ELOGs data is submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, only authorized employees can access it . Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s standards for developing ELOG client applications require the third-party providers to use specific security measure to keep your data safe.
Service agreements for applications developed by the third-party providers are between the provider and harvester, as the end user. Harvesters are advised to review service agreements carefully and choose an ELOG provider with a data-sharing agreement that aligns with their preferences.

An ELOG key is a string of 24 characters that must be copied and pasted into your ELOG application account before transmitting logbook information to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This key serves as your digital signature. You can copy the ELOG key right from the Department’s website and paste it into your application.
To create an ELOG key, users must either obtain a GCKey or use a sign-in partner, such as your financial institution.
For instructions on obtaining an ELOG Key, please visit the Electronic logbooks (ELOGs) - Get started.

You will require an ELOG key to ensure personal authentication, so that your catch and effort reporting is properly allocated. An ELOG key is also required to allow for the transmission to be done in a secure and protected manner.

Yes.

This information allows the Department to recognize the identity of a person using the system in a secure manner.

Please visit GCKey Support to find the contact information for GCKey customer service representatives. They will be available to assist you by telephone. You will be asked questions to validate your identity before a new password is issued. Be sure to have on hand the answers that you provided during the GCKey registration process. Alternatively, you may visit the web page GCKey help - Canada.ca for more information.

An ELOG key is not specific to one licence holder, however, it is specific to an individual. In this context, an "individual" means a specific person who is actually responsible for completing and submitting the ELOG. For example, while a licence may be held by a company or organization, any individual fish harvester responsible for completing an ELOG must have their own unique ELOG key. This means that, even if several people fish under the same organization licence, each individual who is completing an ELOG must have their own unique ELOG key.

Each harvester needs to have their own ELOG key.
If a harvester is fishing on behalf of an Indigenous group or organization, they are referred to as that group’s “designated harvester”. An Indigenous group or organization can have more than one designated harvester fishing under the group/organization’s licence. Each designated harvester must enter their personal ELOG key into their personal ELOG application when fishing on behalf of an Indigenous group or organization. The designated harvester(s) must also enter the Indigenous group or organization’s Fisher Identification Number (FIN) and licence number when submitting data into their personal ELOG application.
For more information on how to set up an account for Indigenous fishery purposes, please contact your ELOG application provider.

Your ELOG key is still valid if it has been used at least once in the last 13 months. Your ELOG key is considered active once you send an ELOG to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. You may verify the validity of your key through the ELOG key System. If your key does not appear, you will need to obtain a new one.

No, you only require one ELOG key, regardless of the number of licences you hold. Your ELOG key will be set at the account level of your application, meaning that even if you have additional licences under which you fish (e.g., lobster, crab, and tuna) you will still be using the same ELOG key.

In your ELOG application, be sure to enter your;

• Administrative region,
• Fisher Identification Number (FIN),
• Vessel Registration Number (VRN) or Vessel Identification Number (VIN),
• Licence number.

To make the transition for harvesters easier, the information that harvesters enter for ELOGs mirrors what was required in the paper logbooks as closely as possible, with some minor digital enhancements. These enhancements help make the data more organized, and to make sure that fisheries across Canada collect the same type of information. This helps keep things consistent, and easier to compare.
For more information, you may call Fisheries and Oceans Canada at 1-877-535-7307 or email fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. (Please include your name and the DFO Region in which you are located). The support agent will then transfer your request to your respective region.

Included in your client application are instructions from Fisheries and Oceans Canada that will help you in understanding the meaning of the electronic logbook fields. Please refer to these instructions first.
Specific answers will depend on the region that you are fishing out of. For more information, you may call Fisheries and Oceans Canada at 1-877-535-7307 or email fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Please include your name and the DFO Region in which you are located). The support agent will then transfer your request to your respective region.

If you are unsure of how to complete any specific section or field in your ELOG, refer to the DFO instructions that are available in your application. These instructions will inform you of the information that should be entered.
To learn how to use your chosen application, please contact your ELOG provider for technical support. Contact information for your provider can be found at Qualified electronic logbooks (ELOG) client applications.

Assistance with technical support, installation, use and product support for all ELOG client applications will be provided solely by the client application providers. Third-party providers are mandated to offer ongoing customer support, including in-person and online training sessions. Contact information for ELOG providers can be found on the Qualified electronic logbooks (ELOG) client applications page.
For more information and assistance harvesters can access our online support tools, step-by-step guides and Frequently Asked Questions or contact Client Support. Harvesters can also visit our Electronic Logbooks webpage for more information.

• Answering frequently asked questions regarding GCKey, ELOG Key, and the ELOG program;
• Providing assistance related to obtaining an ELOG Key from the National ELOG Key System; and,
• Transferring client requests to appropriate regions/resources for questions on ELOG fields, data modification, licence condition information, or other ELOG issues.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not own the qualified ELOG applications and so does not provide support for these applications. Given the variety of available products, the third party providers are best suited to be the experts on their own products.

Harvesters requiring additional support to use new technologies should consult with ELOG providers for product support. It's recommended that harvesters participate in pre-season training sessions, offered either online or in-person by the provider.
ELOG provider websites also provide training materials and videos to help harvesters understand their products better.
It's acceptable for the licence holder to seek help from crew members, or other harvesters, to enter ELOG data, as long as the final responsibility for data accuracy lies with the licence holder.

ELOG applications are required to function without the need for continuous internet connectivity for data entry, requiring connection only during information submission.
To better address harvester questions and concerns about how to submit ELOGs in areas with poor network coverage or other challenges associated with harvesters’ work patterns, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is tailoring licence conditions to provide harvesters with clearer instructions.

All error messages should be verified with your ELOG client application provider. If you have received a message that the system is down and your ELOG client application provider has confirmed there is a problem on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s side, please try transmitting your ELOG again later.
If the provider previously told you to try again later and 24 hours have passed without you being able to complete transmissions (i.e., a transmission error message or no transmission response/confirmation), then you should follow the instructions in your licence conditions.

Harvesters can show their ELOG data to the officer using their phone/electronic device.
For more information on how to display your ELOG data, please contact your service provider.

Harvesters may be required to show their ELOG data to dockside monitoring companies. Dockside monitoring companies have been informed of the introduction of ELOGs in regions that allow for either voluntary or mandatory ELOG usage.
For more information on how to display your ELOG data, please contact your service provider.

Timelines for submission are determined regionally and will be stated in your licence conditions.

No, once a section is closed in the electronic logbook, it cannot be opened to edit again. It can only be viewed.

No, once an electronic logbook has been submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, harvesters themselves cannot edit their data. They can only view their logbook.
Once you have submitted your logbook, you may contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada at 1-877-535-7307 or by email at fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca to request a correction to your submitted information (Please include your name and the DFO Region in which you are located). The support agent will transfer your request to your respective region.

Yes, once an ELOG is successfully submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, it will be considered official and signed as per your licence conditions. Your ELOG key will act as a digital verification.

There will be specific requirements in the licence conditions for those fisheries where ELOGS are applicable.

You may manually enter coordinates into your electronic logbook; your ELOG client application provider can provide more information on how this can be done.

The answer depends on your regional licence conditions. You must refer to the specific licence conditions, and if unclear, call 1-877-535-7307 or email fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca to confirm what the procedure is in your region (Please include your name and the DFO Region in which you are located). The support agent will then transfer your request to your respective region.

The answer depends on your regional licence conditions. You must refer to the specific licence conditions, and if unclear, call 1-877-535-7307 or email fishing-peche@dfo-mpo.gc.ca to confirm what the procedure is in your region. (Please include your name and the DFO Region in which you are located). The support agent will then transfer your request to your respective region.