February 23, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar on Friday, March 2, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for upcoming electronic reporting requirements. This webinar will be recorded and made available on the Council’s website for later viewing for those who cannot attend.
Beginning March 12, 2018, all vessels with Federal charter or party permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Council will be required to submit electronic vessel trip reports (eVTRs) while on trips carrying passengers for hire. eVTRs must be submitted through a NOAA-approved software application within 48 hours following the completion of a fishing trip. This action only changes the required method of transmitting VTRs and the submission date; the required data elements and all other existing reporting requirements will not change. This regulation impacts any for-hire vessel holding Federal charter or party permits for Council-managed species, regardless of home port or fishing location. For more information about for-hire electronic reporting requirements, visit the For-Hire eVTR page or review the For-Hire eVTR Q&A summary.
This webinar will provide participants with information on the new requirements and training on select systems in preparation for this action. While all options for electronic reporting will be briefly discussed, the webinar will focus primarily on training for the SAFIS eTrips/mobile system developed by the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP). Instruction will be led by Rick Bellavance, Owner/Operator of Priority Fishing Charters in Point Judith, Rhode Island, and ACCSP staff.
Registration: Pre-registration is encouraged at www.mafmc.org/for-hire-evtr/. Pre-registration will allow us to assist you with setting up accounts and systems needed to comply with this requirement.
To join the webinar, go to http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/evtr2018/, select “Enter as Guest,” and type your name in the box. Telephone instructions are provided upon connecting, or you can call direct: 800-832-0736, Rm: *7833942#.
View the release from the MAFMC in its entirety here.