Electronic reporting, or E-Reporting, is a quick and easy way to submit your commercial harvest information to the department. The Fishing Activity & Catch Tracking System (FACTSTM) is an online harvest reporting system that has been customized to meet the needs of Maryland commercial watermen by working with industry partners. It is a real-time reporting option that provides accurate and verifiable harvest data. This is what makes the program’s special harvest flexibilities possible.
E-Reporting with FACTSTM can save you time. It provides 24/7 secure access to all of your trip information and harvest history. With the FACTSTM online system, your computer, tablet or phone becomes a convenient way to report your daily harvest activity. Contact us at
[email protected].
Program Updates:
Watch this space for exciting updates as FACTS grows!
Special Harvest Flexibilities for Pilot Program Participants!
View the
FACTS Flexibilites FAQ to see the special harvest flexibility details for each of the fisheries.
- Option for crab potters to start 2 hours before sunrise
NOTE: In order to use the Early Start Time harvest flexibility, all license holders on the vessel (each reporting their own individual harvest) must be FACTS users. Each of those license holders would submit their own Start and End Hails.
- Flexible Day Off From Crabbing – You get to pick your day off each week and it can vary week to week based on what works best for you.
NOTE: In order to use the Day off flexibility, all license holders on the vessel (each reporting their own individual harvest) must be FACTS users. Otherwise, the harvesters must abide by the day off declared by the paper reporter and the vessel marking must reflect the correct day off (SUN or MON).
- Only report on the days you go out to crab.
- Use FACTSTM to meet your daily Menhaden reporting requirement
- Next-Day Check-in of Harvest – You can keep fish from one day of fishing and check it in on the following day
(either in the morning before you start your next trip or as combined harvest at the end of the day).
- Authorized Representatives – You can designate a representative(s) to check-in your daily harvest for you
at a check station (Cannot be used with next day check-in incentive).
- No longer need a Striped Bass Harvest Permit card to track your quota – FACTSTM will track your quota
for you when you check-in your catch, making it easy to see exactly how much quota you have remaining.
- Easily and quickly transfer striped bass quota electronically with other FACTSTM users.
- Only report on the days you go out to actively harvest.
- Allows the Use of Box Tags - Free box tags are provided for pilot program participants. 2025 Yellow Perch Box Tag Instructions
- No daily calls to the Yellow Perch Hotline when you use FACTSTM to report your trips.
- No longer need a Yellow Perch Harvest Permit card to track your quota shares - FACTSTM will track your quota for you.
- Only report on the days you go out to actively harvest.
- The captain and one mate can each possess up to one striped bass per person per day, within the open recreational striped bass season after May 15
- Only report on the days that your run for-hire trips
- Authorized Representatives - You can designate a representative(s) to take your harvest to a dealer for you
- Option to start 1/2 hour before sunrise
NOTE: In order to use the Early Start Time harvest flexibility, all license holders on the vessel (each reporting their own individual harvest) must be FACTS users. Each of those license holders would submit their own Start and End Hails
- Only report on the days that you go out to harvest
FACTS users display the identifying letters “EHR” (Electronic Harvest Reporting) on their vessel, with individual letters added for each fishery they are reporting in FACTS. (Example: “EHRCF” is someone using FACTS for Crabbing and Finfishing).
- C = Crab
- F = Finfish
- G = for-hire fishing Guide (Charter)
- S = Shellfish (oyster/clam)
These letters should be painted or firmly attached to the port side near the stern of the vessel in plain vertical block letters at least 3 inches in height in a contrasting color from the hull.
For more information on the FACTS program requirements please review our
FACTS FAQ.
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