Saving Seafood

November 20th Webinar on Options for Electronic Reporting of Commercial Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) in the Greater Atlantic

November 4, 2019 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) are considering an action that will require commercial fishing operators holding federal permits for species managed by either Council to report their Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) electronically rather than on paper. Fisheries covered include:

  • Atlantic Bluefish
  • Black Sea Bass
  • Scup
  • Summer Flounder
  • Spiny Dogfish
  • Tilefish
  • Squid
  • Atlantic Mackerel
  • Butterfish
  • Surfclam
  • Ocean Quahog
  • Northeast Multispecies (groundfish)
  • Monkfish
  • Atlantic Herring
  • Skates
  • Small-Mesh Multispecies (whiting/hake)
  • Red Crab
  • Sea Scallop

Electronic Vessel Trip Reports (eVTRs) allow direct entry of data by the vessel operator using an electronic-based system (computer, smart phone, tablet). They have been an option for some fisheries since 2011 and all fisheries since 2013. These eVTRs have been required for all of the Mid-Atlantic and some of the New England for-hire fleet (due to also holding MAFMC permits) since 2018.
November 20 Commercial eVTR Webinar

In preparation for a possible transition to required electronic reporting for the commercial fleet, the MAFMC will host a webinar to review eVTR options, initial steps necessary for commercial operators to begin reporting electronically, and a demonstration of two of the most popular electronic reporting applications (with limited time for questions).
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 20, 2019, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., EST
To Connect: Via webinar http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/evtr_publicmtg/ with a telephone audio connection (provided when connecting).
Audio only access: Conference phone number: 1–800–832–0736; Room Number: 5765379.
Note: The webinar will be recorded and made available on the MAFMC website (www.mafmc.org) for later viewing.

For additional information on the proposed action and resources for commercial fishing operators, or to sign up for notices specific to the eVTR action, visit http://www.mafmc.org/actions/commercial-evtr-framework.

Mid-Atlantic Council to Offer Training Workshops on Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting for the For-Hire Community

January 16, 2018 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold two workshops in February to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for upcoming electronic reporting requirements. 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.

While all software options for electronic reporting will be briefly discussed, the workshops will primarily focus on training for the SAFIS eTrips/mobile and eTrips Online systems developed by the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP). Participants will receive hands-on assistance with navigating the eTrips application, setting up favorites, and creating and editing trip reports. Instruction will be led by Rick Bellavance, Owner/Operator of Priority Fishing Charters in Point Judith, Rhode Island, and ACCSP staff.

For more information about for-hire electronic reporting requirements and software options, visit http://www.mafmc.org/for-hire-evtr/.

Workshop Dates and Locations

  • Saturday, February 10, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd., Danvers, MA, 978-777-2500
  • Saturday, February 24, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, 815 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ, 732-341-6101

Instruction for SAFIS eTrips/mobile (for use on tablets) will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m. Instruction for eTrips Online (for use on desktop or laptop computers) will begin at 1:00 and conclude by 4:30. Each session will be preceded by a discussion of all options for reporting. In the event that demand for eTrips Online instruction is low, a second eTrips/mobile session may be added in the afternoon.

Registration

To register for one of the workshops, complete the registration form at  http://www.mafmc.org/forms/evtr-workshop-registration or email the workshop coordinator at aloftus@andrewloftus.com. There are a limited number of spaces available. Participants are strongly encouraged to register early so that workshop personnel can work with each individual prior to the workshop to establish needed accounts for reporting systems.

What to Bring

Participants should bring an electronic tablet or laptop capable of connecting to the internet via W-Fi. For the mobile-based version, participants will need either a Google account (for Android systems) or an iTunes account (for Apple systems) to download the eTrips/mobile app. This will allow you to work along with the instructors and be set up and ready to begin electronic reporting once you leave the workshop.

Please direct any questions to workshop coordinator Andrew Loftus, aloftus@andrewloftus.com, (410) 295-5997.

PDF version / Web Version

NOAA: Charter fishing vessels must submit electronic trip reports

September 12, 2017 — Charter and party fishing vessels that hold certain federal permits will be required next year to electronically submit reports for all passenger-for-hire trips.

The requirement is intended to reduce “recall bias” associated with delayed paper report submissions, according to NOAA.

The federal agency issued an alert about its new requirement, calling it an administrative modification rather than a reporting requirement change.

Read the full story from State House News Service at the Gloucester Times