SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONICALLY OBTAINING A FISH LENGTH

1 . A fish length measurement system, comprising:

a housing having a processor arranged therein;

a baseplate coupled to said housing and communicably coupled to said processor, said baseplate employing electronic fish length measuring means for determining a fish length measurement; and

display means coupled to said housing and communicably coupled to said processor for displaying said measured fish length.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said baseplate is capacitive and determines said fish length via capacitive measurements.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said fish length is measured based on a distance between two points of capacitance generated by said fish arranged on said baseplate.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) which obtains and reports a GPS position, said GPS being arranged within said housing and communicably coupled to said processor, and wherein said GPS position is displayed on said display means.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising database means configured for storing and reporting data comprising said fish length measurement, wherein said fish length measurement is associated with said fish and stored in said database means.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising database means for storing and reporting data comprising said fish length measurement, wherein said fish length measurement and said GPS position are associated with said fish and stored in said database means.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an automated cull system, wherein said automated cull system determines which fish to cull based at least in part on said measured fish length.

8 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an electronic fish weighing system that generates a fish weight, wherein said fish weight is associated with said fish and stored in said database means.

9 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a camera that captures an image of said fish while being measured on said baseplate, wherein said image is associated with said fish and stored in said database means.

10 . A method for measuring the length of a fish, comprising:

determining, with electronic fish length measurement means, a fish length measurement of a fish arranged on a baseplate, wherein said baseplate is couple to a housing having a processor arranged therein and communicably coupled to said processor; and

displaying said fish length measurement with display means coupled to said housing and communicably coupled to said processor.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein said baseplate is capacitive and determines said fish length via capacitive measurements.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said fish length measurement is determined based on said distance between said two farthest apart points of capacitance generated by said fish on said baseplate.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining and reporting, with a global positioning system (GPS), a GPS position, said GPS being arranged within said housing and communicably coupled to said processor; and

displaying said GPS position on said display means.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

associating said fish length measurement with said fish; and

storing said fish length measurement in database means configured for storing and reporting data comprising said fish length measurement.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

associating said fish length measurement and said GPS position with said fish; and

storing said fish length measurement and said GPS position in database means configured for storing and reporting data comprising said fish length measurement.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining which fish to cull with an automated cull system, wherein said determination is based at least in part on said measured fish length.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining a fish weight with an electronic fish weighing system, wherein said fish weight is associated with said fish and stored in said database means.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

capturing an image of said fish with a camera while said fish is being measured on said baseplate;

associating said image with said fish; and

storing said image in said database means.