Saving Seafood

Captains and vessel owners are climbing the learning curve of electronic vessel trip reporting

July 7, 2022 — Among the biggest problems with effective fisheries management has always been lack of relevant data and the time lag between information retrieval and action.

One tool the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hopes to use to close those gaps is electronic vessel trip reporting or eVTR.

Using the carrot and the stick approach, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service has begun requiring many fishermen to submit vessel trip reports electronically. NMFS’s carrot is that the results may eventually benefit all, and in some fisheries recreational fishermen’s data is being added to the mix, but for small-scale fishermen, the stick of punishment for non-compliance can feel too much, especially when the failure is generated by new technologies.

While the eVTR learning curve and buggy apps create problems for some fishermen, the bigger and broader data picture that eVTR offers resource managers means that eVTR is likely here to stay. But it would appear from Facebook comments that NOAA, app developers, and fishermen need to have a conversation.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Mid-Atlantic council to host eVTR training workshop

September 10, 2021 — The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is hosting a Sept. 15 online training session on how to submit electronic vessel trip reports, the new digital system that commercial vessels with federal species permits will be required to use starting this fall.

Beginning Nov. 10, 2021, all vessels with federal permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Council will be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting: Upcoming Training Opportunities

September 7, 2021 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

Beginning on November 10, 2021, all commercial vessels with federal permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic or New England Councils will be required to submit vessel trip reports (VTRs) electronically as eVTRs within 48 hours of the end of a trip. Additional information about the new requirements is available on the Mid-Atlantic Council’s Commercial eVTR page.

Vessel owners and operators are encouraged to transition to electronic reporting as soon as possible. There are several NOAA Fisheries-approved eVTR applications to choose from. Visit the NOAA Fisheries eVTR Software Options page for detailed information about approved applications and other aspects of electronic reporting. NOAA Fisheries has also developed a Decision Tree to help permit holders determine which reporting applications will best meet their needs.

eVTR Training Opportunities

MAFMC eTrips/Mobile 2 Training Webinar

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will host a training webinar on Wednesday, September 15th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. This webinar will include a step-by-step tutorial of ACCSP’s free software application eTrips/Mobile 2 followed by time for questions. This app is compatible with Windows 10 (PC), and both Apple/Android phone and tablet platforms. To benefit from this workshop, we recommend downloading the eTrips Mobile 2 app and obtaining a SAFIS Username and Password before the workshop. Visit the event page for details and webinar connection information. Contact Andy Loftus, MAFMC eVTR Outreach Liaison, with any questions.

NOAA Fisheries Instructional Webinars

NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office is holding weekly, regionally-focused instructional webinars throughout the remainder of the summer and into the fall until implementation on November 10, 2021. The next webinar will be held on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., and will focus on Northern New Jersey. Visit the event page for a complete list of webinar dates, connection information, and recordings from past webinars.

 

NEFMC Joins MAFMC in Commercial eVTR action

July 16, 2019 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council is taking steps to bring all commercial fishermen who hold federal permits for Council-managed species into the digital age by requiring vessel trip reports (VTRs) to be submitted electronically instead of on paper. These electronic reports are known as eVTRs, and this proposed action will apply to all of the Council’s fishery management plans.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) has been working since December of 2018 on a Commercial eVTR Omnibus Framework Action that would apply to all vessels with federal commercial permits for MAFMC-managed species, which include summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, Atlantic mackerel, squid, butterfish, surfclams, ocean quahogs, bluefish, and tilefish.

Read the full release here