CCA Florida STAR Tournament
(Coastal Conservation Association - Florida)
CCA Florida STAR presented by Yamaha, boasts amazing prizes, is the largest family-friendly saltwater fishing competition in Florida and begins Memorial Day weekend. A unique combination of conservation, data collection and education, plus prizes and scholarships valued at almost $500,000, makes CCA Florida STAR the states can’t-miss summer-long fishing competition. No other fishing tournament in Florida engages anglers of all ages and experience levels and includes non-anglers who can participate and win simply by collecting trash and debris.
The STAR competition launched in Florida in 2015 with a focus on technology and conservation. STAR uses the social media-based event to educate the public on the importance of protecting Florida’s marine resources. Recognized as a ‘catch, photo and release’ competition, STAR’s smart phone app, developed my Elemental Methods, eliminates the requirement for anglers to harvest or capture and transport fish and constantly promotes the proper handling of all species in the competition.
To date, STAR has awarded over 1.2 million dollars in prizes with $600,000 of that being in college scholarships. Non-angling participants have gathered over 6,600 five-gallon buckets of garbage in the tournament’s “Trash Division”.
Elemental Methods developed the web portal containing angler and administrative functions, and the mobile application (iOS and Android) used by the anglers to record and submit their catch information. Participants in the “Trash Division” use the mobile application to log the trash collected on the water and shoreline, along with the type of trash collected (paper, plastic, cans, discarded fishing equipment, etc.). The GPS location of large items can also be recorded and transmitted for local collection.
REDFISHTag - Conserve Florida Fisheries License Plate
(Coastal Conservation Association - Florida)
Florida residents can now show support for the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) with the purchase of the new Conserve Florida Fisheries license plate.
The specialty plate features a mangrove shoreline with the partial tail of a redfish out of the water. Redfish are a wildly popular gamefish due to their abundance, strength, and excellent table fare. The fish are not
only found throughout Florida but much of the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico.
The new plates are now available for purchase online or at local tax collector’s offices. Monies collected from sales of the tags will be utilized to fund protection and enhancement of saltwater-marine resources, expanding habitat restoration efforts, and promoting coastal environmental education programs as well as fish-stocking projects undertaken by the CCA.
Elemental Methods implemented and hosts the e-Commerce infrastructure and web portal (https://redfishtag.com) supporting the sales of the license plates. This includes the integration of the retail application with the state’s Tax Assessor system for online ordering and fulfilment.
Tails n' Scales
(Mississippi Department of Marine Resources)
Based on its expertise in the development of catch logging systems for marine research and government monitoring programs, Elemental Methods was selected by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to develop a system for monitoring the recreational fishing of Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. The “Tails n’ Scales” web portal and mobile application are used by recreational anglers in Mississippi to obtain the required authorization to fish for Red Snapper in state and federal waters.
The Mississippi Marine Patrol also uses the system to monitor fishing activity and enforce state laws regarding the landing of Red Snapper in the state.
In addition to developing the “Tails n’ Scales” web portal and mobile applications (iOS and Android), Elemental Methods provides cloud hosting services for the system.
Variations of the website dashboard are displayed by users based on their role. The roles created include licensed anglers, administrators from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and authorized members of the Mississippi State Marine Patrol.
GulfSeeLife
(University of Mississippi)
In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the University of Mississippi was tasked with developing a system empowering “citizen scientists” to conduct marine assessments on the north central coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The GulfSeeLife web portal and mobile application were developed to allow Gulf Coast residents and visitors to upload photos, measurements, GPS location and other data regarding specimens they have captured, observed, and identified. Users are also able to submit photos of endangered or unusual specimens of fish, marine mammals, birds, invertebrates, plants, and other species for identification, track the abundance and health of those species seasonally and regionally, document invasive species in Gulf waters, and monitor changes in the health of coastal ecosystems and shoreline erosional changes.
GulfSeeLife provides instant access to natural history information for the most common plant and animal species found on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, including dune plants and seaweeds, fishes, birds, marine and land mammals, and invertebrates such as jellyfish, crabs, shells, and insects. Users can share their observations of wild species with the GulfSeeLife community by uploading photos and videos. The ID Wizard feature helps users to identify which species they have observed, and then other users weigh-in on species identification by voting. Users can use filtering and mapping to track where and when their favorite wildlife have been observed by the community. GulfSeeLife creates a community around our shared appreciation for the Gulf's natural resources. Educators can build lesson plans around GulfSeeLife content and learners of all ages can contribute to the species observations data base. Scientists and community members can also set up citizen science projects to crowd-source data collection to improve our understanding and management of the Gulf.
Implementation of the GulfSeeLife platform (web portal and mobile application) required the development of a complex Content Management System for the administration and curation of observations submitted by the citizen scientists.
Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook
(Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA))
The “Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook” mobile application was developed to expand the reach and usability of the tool by incorporating mobile technology and taking advantage of the proliferation of smartphone use in the United States. According to data obtained in ongoing studies by Pew Research, a substantial majority of Americans are cellphone owners. In 2021, 85% of Americans owned smartphones. This represents a substantial, and still-growing, majority of citizens across a wide range of demographic groups. While smartphone ownership exhibits disparities based on age, household income, and educational attainment, the gaps are declining. Mobile technology use among rural adults and minorities has also risen rapidly, with the share of those owning smartphones increasing sharply since 2011.
The original set of Coastal Homeowner’s Handbooks were developed in 2010 as a project of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Coastal Community Resilience (CCR) Team, a partnership of federal, state, and local organizations that share a vision for healthy and resilient communities. The handbooks were designed specifically for homeowners in the Gulf of Mexico coastal states (Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida), to promote individual resilience; thereby creating a fortified community. The handbook covers essential information on emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, flood/wind insurance, and steps to protect life and property.
The implementation of the “Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook” on smartphones (Apple and Android) provides new opportunities to reach and assist the public and communities in preparing for and responding to disasters. Customizable electronic checklists allow users to create and update preparation checklists for multiple situations and properties. Immediate access to preparation status allows users to constantly plan, monitor, and progress in completing their tasks. An online weather data feed allows users to monitor current conditions and alerts for their geographic areas.
The incorporation of electronic messaging in the application allows communities to have constant contact with the public. Community administrators can provide information and assistance in preparing the public for impending disasters, in addition to providing guidance and assistance after disasters. Targeted messages can be transmitted to large and small segments of the affected communities.
The development of the “Coastal Homeowner’s Handbook” mobile application provides a new opportunity to expand public access and assist in the preparation for and recovery from coastal disasters, along with the ability to monitor and assess usage of the tools.
iAngler Tournament
(iAngler Tournament Systems)
In 2014, Elemental Methods partnered with the Snook & Gamefish Foundation to develop a system for the management of “Catch and Release” fishing tournaments. The system was designed with the assistance of recreational anglers, fishing guides, and marine biologists from the Florida Wildlife Research Institute. In 2015, Elemental Methods became sole owner of the iAngler Tournament System. “iAngler Tournament” was introduced as a product and incorporated as a subsidiary of Elemental Methods.
The "iAngler Tournament" system is a comprehensive system for the operation and management of Fishing Tournaments. The system also collects vital angling data for marine research. The "iAngler Tournament" mobile application allows anglers participating in registered fishing tournaments to log their catch data while still on the water.
During tournaments, the anglers use the mobile app to photo their catch and record basic information while on the water. The catch record is immediately transmitted to the web portal for review by the Tournament Director (if there is an active internet connection). The transmission takes seconds. If an internet connection (usually cellular) is not available, the catch record is saved for transmission later.
The Tournament Director is immediately notified when an angler logs a catch. He can review the catch photo and information, then accept or reject the submission. Accepted catch records are immediately scored and posted to the Live Leaderboard. Anglers are immediately notified, via email and within the app, when a catch record is rejected. The rejection notice contains a message from the Tournament Director on why the record was rejected. If possible, the catch record can be corrected and resubmitted.
The iAngler Tournament system allows Tournament Directors to very quickly finalize tournament results. Allowing online monitoring of the leaderboard also increases the tournament audience. Since its introduction, the system has been used to manage tournaments throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Scotland, and Chile.
“Sparkyard Ecosystem” Web Portal and Content Management
(University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC))
Sparkyard.co is a platform developed by University of North Texas that connect entrepreneurs with resources and provides information about the local startup community through data analysis and other informational sources. As part of the Sparkyard Ecosystem project, UNT wanted to build a highly configurable dashboard (https://www.sparkyard.co/dashboard/) consisting of comparative data related to startup eco-system.
The Elemental Methods team helped build these interactive components where the animated graphs/charts could be generated with just data and each chart/graph could be placed in any website as an embeddable widget. The system supports building of dynamic graphs, charts, pies, heat maps, tables, countdown timers, maps, images, and videos without any programming.
The system also supports an interactive insight builder which supports drag and drop pivoting with large datasets from US government, Pitchbook, Employment and wage data.
iScore
(International Women’s Fishing Association (IWFA))
The International Women’s Fishing Association was established in 1955 to promote women’s fishing in an arena primarily dominated by men. Over the years it has become one of women’s most prestigious fishing clubs, setting the standards for conservation and promoting angling competition among women. To help further one of its chartered objectives, the field of conservation, the IWFA established the IWFA Scholarship Trust to provide financial aid to marine science graduate students.
Elemental Methods developed a cloud-based system for capturing IWFA member catch submissions for their annual tournament. The data is analyzed to produce the IWFA monthly and annual awards based on released catches from the IGFA species list.
eWatch
(SiteWatch, LLC)
SiteWatch, LLC, a Texas-based provider of security guards for Oil and Gas drilling sites, contracted Elemental Methods to design, develop, implement and host an iPad Application and Web Portal for the monitoring the entry and exit of personnel and equipment from client drill sites. This application allows SiteWatch’s clients to manage access to their drill sites and, in times of emergency, locate all company personnel and contractors.
“Elemental Methods Serves on Blue Ribbon Panel for the Modernization of Fisheries Information Systems”
In 2016, Michael Christopher, Managing Director of Irving- based Elemental Methods, LLC was selected to join a Blue Ribbon Panel of fishery stakeholders, scientists, and technology experts to provide recommendations for the enhancement of federal, state, and local fisheries data collection and information systems.
United States fisheries are now among the most sustainable in the world. Yet as commercial fishermen, recreational anglers and seafood businesses work to reap the benefits, outdated information systems and practices are presenting an enduring barrier.
Amidst growing interest in addressing this problem by modernizing our nation's fishery information infrastructure, a coalition of experts came together to make recommendations for change to Congress and the incoming Trump Administration. The twenty-member panel brought together a diverse group of fisheries information experts including local, state, and national fisheries managers, charter and fleet operators, fisheries information systems providers, seafood processors, industry consultants, national philanthropic foundations, and administration technology experts. The panel identified key, high level actions that would sustain, enhance and complement existing National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) efforts and accelerate the modernization of fishery information systems.
"Improving Net Gains" is a call to advance data-driven innovation for America's fishing future. This report reviews progress to date, assesses the experiences of fisheries stakeholders, considers best practices from elsewhere, and makes recommendations for how the National Marine Fisheries Service can work with partners to move us forward.
The report is available for download and review at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d962dcacd5e945f608125e0/t/5f089919391ac620ebf61eab/1594399004861/Tab%2BD1_Data%2BMondernization_Improving%2BNet%2BGains%2BReport.pdf
iAngler
(The Angler Action Foundation)
Elemental Methods developed a web portal and mobile applications to allow recreational fishermen to record their fishing data. The project, funded by the Florida Wildlife Commission, resulted in the creation of a catch database for multiple fish species. The data is currently being used by the State of Florida to calculate seasonal fishing limits for sport fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Marine researchers at the University of Florida are also using the data to do spatial analysis of marine fisheries.
In 2011, Elemental Methods developed the Angler Action web portal and iAngler mobile applications to support the collection of recreational fishing data by the Snook & Gamefish Foundation (now, the Angler Action Foundation). Marine biologists from the University of Florida at Gainesville participated in the design of the application database. The data is being used by multiple organizations for marine research. The data is also being used by the State of Florida as one of the multiple inputs for establishing catch limits for some gamefish species. In 2014, Elemental Methods and the Angler Action Foundation developed the iAngler Lite mobile application. iAngler Lite provides even faster data entry of fishing trip and catch data by recreational anglers. This application was recognized as a valuable tool by multiple conservation organizations. It was selected by Guy Harvey Resorts and Chesapeake Catch as the foundation for the development of their own applications for the collection of recreational data.
The system currently provides recreational catch data used in establishing the stock assessments for Snook, Redfish, and Spotted Seatrout.
MyFishCount
(South Atlantic Fishery Management Council)
MyFishCount is a regional reporting project allowing recreational anglers to voluntarily report their catch through the MyFishCount website and/or smartphone app. After hearing the requests of fishermen across the region, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in partnership with the Angler Action Foundation, created MyFishCount.
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is responsible for the conservation and management of fish stocks within the federal 200-mile limit of the Atlantic off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and east Florida to Key West. The Council is responsible for Coastal Migratory Pelagics from New York to Florida and for Dolphin/Wahoo from Maine to Florida.
Anglers can use the mobile app or website to log information about trips and catches to help improve data used to manage our fisheries. MyFishCount is a tool that allows anglers to review past logged trips and catches. Since MyFishCount records information about time, location, and other details about the catch, anglers can use this information to discover trends or patterns from good and bad fishing days.
Joe Bay
(Florida International University and the National Park Service)
Joe Bay is one of Florida Bay’s main sources of freshwater. Closing it thirty years ago was key in helping the American crocodile recover from extinction. But the long-untouched Joe Bay, along with nearby Snag Bay, is now open to visitors on kayaks, canoes or paddle boards. The park’s first designated catch-and-release area, it also welcomes fishermen in search of snook, tarpon and more. Scientists in FIU’s Southeast Environmental Research Center (SERC) are studying the effects of the decades-long closure and recreational fishing on Joe Bay’s fish and recreational fisheries. Led by Dr. Jennifer Rehage, an environmental studies professor in FIU’s Department of Earth and Environment, the research team is using a combination of techniques, including net hauls, snorkeling and baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys, to examine the size, species and number of fish in Joe Bay and nearby Little Madeira Bay and Long Sound.
Delving deeper into Joe Bay, the scientists are also surveying local anglers, fishing guides and visitors on their fishing catches and experiences. Visitors to Joe Bay can fill out paper surveys at Trout Creek or Mooring Pilings, take the survey online, or complete the survey using the mobile application developed by Elemental Methods.
(SBLOP) - Tablet Application
Pelagic Observer Program - Tablet Application
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS))
Elemental Methods developed a tablet application for the monitoring of commercial fishing catches in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic Ocean. The tablet application allows NMFS observers to enter and transmit data while at-sea from fishing vessels using either an existing vessel monitoring system (VMS) or satellite transmission. The data collected is being used by the NMFS Panama City Lab in research relevant to the formulation of rational plans to manage the marine fishery resources of the U.S. South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico.
In 2015 and 2017, Elemental Methods was selected to update the application to include additional NMFS observer programs, including the research laboratories in Galveston, Tx and Miami, Fl.
iSnapper
(Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi)
Elemental Methods developed the “iSnapper” web portal and iPad application supporting a research project to prove the viability of electronic reporting of fishing catch data by charter and headboat captains. The catch data was recorded using iPads while the fishing vessels were at sea. When the fishing vessels returned to cellular range, the data was automatically transmitted to a web portal. Using the portal, the captains could edit and update their catch information. The data was automatically transmitted weekly to the Gulf of Mexico Fishing Council and the US Commerce Department. The system has been used to track Red Snapper catches from 2012 through 2104. In 2015, Elemental Methods partnered with the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi to develop a new version of the iSnapper system. This system is being used by the State of Texas to monitor Red Snapper fishing trips and catch data from the Recreational Fishing Sector.