ShellCast Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General ----
1. How do I know when ShellCast was last updated?On the Map page, you will see the date and time when ShellCast was last updated at the top of the page, just under the menu bar.
2. What date corresponds to “today”, “tomorrow” and “in 2 days”?On the Map page, just under the menu bar, you will see the dates corresponding to forecasts for today, tomorrow, and in 2 days.
3. How do I see forecast information for my leases?On the Map page, you will see white pins on the map for each of the leases you added to your account. To see the risk of closure forecasts for a particular lease on the map, click on the map pin. By doing this you will be able to see the risk of closure for today, tomorrow, and 2 days from now for the lease pin you select.
4. How do I see forecast information on the map for 2 days from now?On the middle-left of the map, there is a button that says “In 2 days”. Click this button to see the forecast information for 2-days from now.
5. When I click on the “Today”, “Tomorrow”, and “In 2 days” buttons on the map, nothing happens. Is something wrong?If the map does not change when you click on “Today”, “Tomorrow”, and “In 2 days”, this likely means that the forecast is the same for the next few days. If you want to make sure the app is working properly, check the “Last updated” date and time at the top of the Map page. If the date shown by “last updated” is for the current day, then the app is functioning properly.
6. How do I move around on the map?You can zoom in and out of the map using the plus and minus buttons on the lower right corner. To move the map, click anywhere in the map, and drag the map while still clicking down on your mouse. Drag the map in the direction you would like it to move.
7. Do you plan to expand the geographic scope of ShellCast to include shellfish waters outside of North Carolina?Yes. In 2023, we are piloting ShellCast in South Carolina, and will then work on an expansion into Florida. If you are interested in having ShellCast in your area, please let us know by contacting us.
8. Is ShellCast open source?Yes! You can find all ShellCast code on our GitHub repository.
Account ----
9. Do I need a Google account to create a ShellCast account?Yes. You must have a Gmail/Google email address to sign into ShellCast at this time. We use Google so we can avoid storing your personal information.
10. How do I add leases to my account?To add leases, search for your lease by its North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries ID in the search bar under “My Leases” on the Preferences page. If you aren’t sure what your lease ID number is, you can search for it on the Shellfish Leasing Application. Once you have this application open, navigate to the location of your lease, click on the lease, and record the “Lease ID” value from the information that pops up.
11. I added a lease to my account, but the shellfish growing area and rainfall threshold are incorrect.We receive lease information directly from the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). If you see an error in the information, we encourage you to contact DMF.
12. Can I delete leases from my account?Yes. If you would like to delete a lease from your account, go to the “My Leases” section of the Preferences page. To remove a lease from your account, click on the red “Delete” button to the right of your lease number.
13. How do I delete my account?At the top of the Preferences page, you will see a red “Delete Account” button. Click this button to delete your account. Once you delete your account, your email address, phone number, mobile phone service provider, and notification preferences will be removed from our database. You can choose to make a new account with the same information later.
Notification Preferences ----
14. How do I get to the Preferences page?Click on your email address in the top-right corner of the menu bar, and then click on Preferences.
15. How do I set text notifications for my leases?Add your phone number and mobile service provider under “My Notification Preferences” on the Preferences page. Check off “Text” under “I want to receive the following notifications:”. Be sure to click on “Save” at the bottom-right of the “My Notification Preferences” section. If you do not click save, your phone number and service provider will not be saved.
16. How do I set email notifications for my leases?Under “My Notification Preferences” on the Preferences page, check off “Email” under “I want to receive the following notifications:”. The emails will be sent to the Google address associated with your ShellCast account, which you will see listed under “Email address”. Be sure to click on “Save” at the bottom-right of the “My Notification Preferences” section. If you do not click save, your preferences will not be saved.
17. Can I receive both text and email notifications?Yes. Check off both “Email” and “Text” under “I want to receive the following notifications:” under the “My Notification Preferences” section of the Preferences page. Be sure to click on “Save” at the bottom-right of the “My Notification Preferences” section. If you do not click “Save”, your preferences will not be saved.
18. How do I stop receiving notifications?Under “My Notification Preferences” on the Preferences page, check off “I do not want to receive notifications”. Be sure to click on “Save” at the bottom-right of the “My Notification Preferences” section. If you do not click “Save”, your preferences will not be saved.
19. Why do you ask for a mobile service provider? What if I don’t know my mobile service provider?We ask for your mobile service provider to make sure they have the required technology to send you text message notifications. If your mobile service provider is not listed, you cannot receive text messages notifications at this time. If you know that your mobile service provider relies on another carrier, select that carrier (for example, if your service provider uses Sprint towers, then select Sprint).
20. What risk factor of temporary harvest closure should I select under “My Notification Preferences”?Select the threshold risk of closure value for when you would like to receive notifications. Your options are Moderate, High, and Very High. If you choose Very High, you will get text messages when the risk of your leases for today, tomorrow, or two days from now are equal to or higher than Very High. Put another way, if you want to receive notifications more frequently, choose Moderate; however, if you want to receive notifications less frequently, choose Very High. We use this selection to adjust notification settings for all of your leases.
21. I haven’t received any notifications. Is something wrong?ShellCast notifications depend on the risk of closure threshold you set in your notification settings, as well as the rainfall forecast for the next few days. ShellCast notifications are only issued when the risk of temporary harvest closure is above the threshold you specified in your notification preferences. If you would like to receive notifications more frequently, choose Moderate as the threshold under “My Notification Preferences” on the Preferences page.
Do you have lingering question about ShellCast that we didn’t answer here? If so, please contact us.