32°18′N · 64°47′WNorth Atlantic · Bermuda

Impact Study — Bermuda 🇧🇲

Electronic Reporting in Bermuda — Modernizing a National System Without Platform Dependency

01 — Context

Context

Bermuda has long recognized the importance of reliable, timely fisheries data for managing its commercial fisheries. Prior to this work, the country operated an earlier-generation electronic reporting system that provided baseline functionality but faced limitations in scalability, interoperability, and long-term adaptability.

At the same time, Bermuda's fisheries governance agenda was evolving — with increasing emphasis on data quality, digital integration, and the ability to collaborate with multiple technology providers over time.

This created an opportunity not simply to replace a tool, but to modernize the national electronic reporting system in a way that preserved institutional ownership and avoided future platform dependency.

02 — The Problem

Problem

The existing electronic reporting setup presented several challenges:

Limited flexibility to integrate with other digital fisheries tools

Increasing maintenance and upgrade constraints

Dependence on a single platform architecture

Difficulty expanding functionality beyond core reporting

Growing gap between reporting needs and available system capabilities

Any new solution needed to improve functionality without disrupting operations, while also creating space for future innovation and partnerships.

03 — Partnership

The Role of the Waitt Foundation and Blue Prosperity

A critical catalyst for this transition was the involvement of the Waitt Foundation through its Blue Prosperity initiative.

Identifying the opportunity to modernize Bermuda's fisheries data systems

Framing the upgrade as part of a broader, long-term governance strategy

Supporting coordination between government, technical partners, and stakeholders

Bringing Shellcatch onboard to contribute technical expertise in electronic reporting and system integration

This ensured that the system upgrade was strategic and nationally aligned, rather than a standalone technical intervention.

04 — Implementation

Implementation

The work in Bermuda focused on upgrading the existing electronic reporting system while preserving continuity for users and regulators.

Modernizing the reporting platform to support all commercial fisheries

Improving usability and data structure without increasing reporting burden

Ensuring system reliability for daily operational use

Designing the system to support future feature expansion

A central design requirement was to avoid locking Bermuda into a single technology provider.

To achieve this, the electronic reporting system was rebuilt using an API-first architecture, allowing the reporting platform to function as part of a broader digital ecosystem rather than as a closed solution.

05 — API

API-First Design and Platform Independence

Integration with other fisheries technologies as they emerge

Data exchange with external analytical or monitoring systems

Flexibility to work with multiple vendors over time

Clear separation between data ownership and service provision

This approach ensures that Bermuda's fisheries data remains under government control, while allowing the country to evolve its digital fisheries toolkit incrementally.

Rather than committing to a single platform roadmap, Bermuda now has the ability to connect, extend, or replace components as needs change — without rebuilding the system from scratch.

Modernizing a national electronic reporting system does not require abandoning existing investments or committing to a single platform.

06 — What Changed

What Changed

The upgraded electronic reporting system now:

Manages all commercial fisheries reporting at the national level

Provides more structured, reliable, and accessible data

Supports ongoing feature development without disrupting core operations

Serves as a foundation for integration with other digital fisheries tools

Reduces long-term technical and procurement risk

Electronic reporting shifted from a standalone application to a core piece of national fisheries infrastructure.

07 — Current Status

Current Status and Expansion

The electronic reporting platform is currently in active use across Bermuda's commercial fisheries and continues to evolve.

Additional reporting features requested by fisheries managers

Enhanced analytics and data access

Potential integration with monitoring, tracking, and traceability systems

Continued alignment with Bermuda's broader Blue Prosperity objectives

The API-first design ensures that these expansions can occur without creating new dependencies or silos.