November 13, 2020 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
NOAA Fisheries has approved a recommendation from the Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils to require federally permitted commercial fishing vessels to submit vessel trip reports electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip. This requirement will take effect November 10, 2021.
This action affects all commercial vessels holding federal permits for any species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Fishery Management Councils (see this bulletin for a complete list of species). The requirement will also be extended to vessels issued for-hire (charter/party) permits for New England Council-managed fisheries (i.e., Northeast multispecies). Vessels issued a Mid-Atlantic Council for-hire permit have been required to submit vessel trip reports electronically since March 2018.
The effective date of this action is being delayed for 1 year, until November 10, 2021, to allow ample time for training on the various electronic reporting applications and to allow vessel owners and operators the time to find the appropriate application for their operations. Information on eVTR applications is available on the GARFO website. Additional information on training opportunities will be posted on the Mid-Atlantic Council’s Commercial eVTR page throughout the upcoming year.
Additional Information
- Final Rule (published 11/10/20)
- NOAA Fisheries Bulletin
- Commercial eVTR Frequently Asked Questions
- MAFMC Commercial eVTR Page (Note: you can sign up to receive email updates in the “Stay Informed” section)
- GARFO Vessel Trip Reporting Page
Questions?
- Fishermen: Contact Moira Kelly, Sustainable Fisheries, 978-281-9218
- Media: Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, 978-281-9175