Saving Seafood

One Week Left! As of November 10, VTRs Will Be Required To Be Reported Electronically and Paper VTRs Will No Longer Be Accepted

October 3, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Beginning November 10, 2021, GARFO-permitted commercial fishing vessels will be required to have an electronic device onboard the vessel at the time of the trip and submit with that device a completed report electronically within 48 hours of the end of a trip. This also applies to vessels holding a NEFMC for-hire permit. This does not apply to vessels holding only an American lobster permit.

•Paper vessel trip reports packages will no longer be distributed by GARFO.

•We will only accept electronic VTRs for trips beginning on or after Nov 10.

•For a limited period of time after Nov 10, trips beginning prior to Nov 10 that are submitted on paper VTRs will be accepted.

•Vessel owners who submit paper VTRs for trips beginning prior to Nov 10 will be individually notified when we no longer will accept paper VTRs.

See our webpage for more information on the requirements, and use this decision tree to help you decide if you need to use eVTR.

How to Report

•GARFO, our partners, and several companies have developed applications that meet our eVTR reporting requirements. There are software apps for virtually all smart phones, tablets and computers.

•An up-to-date listing can be found on our Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting Software Options web page along with instructions on how to use GARFO’s apps and links to partner apps.

More Information and Resources

Port Agents:

•Based in offices from Maine through Virginia, Port Agents are available to provide remote and in-person eVTR app assistance to individuals or small groups throughout the region.

•You may contact a Port Agent directly, or through our Vessel Reporting Help Desk at (978) 281-9188 or nmfs.gar.reporting@noaa.gov.  Contact information for Port Agents and their areas of coverage can be found here.

Webinars:

•We have held a series of instructional webinars for vessel operators.

•Recordings of these can be found on our events webpage.

Other Resources:

To keep in touch on the latest information regarding eVTR implementation and other vessel reporting topics you can sign up for our bulletins. To sign up or to update your existing subscriptions, go to our sign up page. Once you are on the sign up page follow these directions:

•Bulletins are listed under the Regional Updates subscription topic.

•Under the New England/Mid-Atlantic Updates sub-topic.

•Click the + sign to expand the list, and select eVTR and VMS updates.

•Then click submit at the bottom.

Questions?

Contact your local Port Agent.

Resources Available to Assist Fishermen with Transition to Electronic Reporting

October 7, 2021 — The following was released  by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is moving away from paper vessel trip reporting requirements in the Greater Atlantic Region. Beginning on November 10, 2021, most fishermen permitted to fish federal marine waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to the Canadian border will be required to submit their vessel trip reports electronically. They must be submitted to NOAA Fisheries within 48 hours of the conclusion of a fishing trip. The new reporting requirement applies to all federally permitted vessels except those holding only a permit for American lobster.

There is a wealth of information for fishermen making the transition from paper to electronic reporting, including a number of detailed tutorials and recordings of previously held training webinars. Learn more and watch a new short video on how to use the new eVTR app on our website.

If you have additional questions about electronic reporting requirements in the Greater Atlantic region:

•Contact the Industry Support Line at (978) 281-9188.

•Contact your local Port Agent.

Read the full release from the NOAA Fisheries

 

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

 

eVTR Announcements: Upcoming Webinars and Web App Update

August 12, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

The next instructional eVTR webinars will be held Thursday, August 19 and Tuesday, August 24 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. These webinars will provide vessel operators and others with a walkthrough of the eTrips Mobile 2, Fish Online Apple iOS and Fish Online Web App as options for submitting your eVTRs.

How Do I Join?

More information can be found on our webpage for this series: How to Use Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting Apps. This page includes webinar login information.

Read the full release here

 

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