|
The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) would like to remind all of our federally permitted vessel owners and dealers that they must be up-to-date with all fishing trip reports and dealer reports in order to renew their permits. Vessels are required to complete an eVTR for every fishing trip in both state and federal waters. This is true for all trips, no matter the species being fished or caught, including American lobster, and includes trips with fishing efforts in which no fish are caught.
Vessel operators for commercial and for-hire vessels must have their reporting device onboard the fishing vessel and have all effort and catch information entered on that device before arriving at port. The vessel operator then has 48 to submit their eVTR to GARFO. For owners and operators of private recreational tilefish vessels, they must submit an electronic trip report within 24 hours of returning to port after any trip where they fished for or retained tilefish. Federal Dealers must submit their dealer reports weekly by midnight Tuesday, the following week. If a federal dealer does not purchase any fish from a vessel, then they must submit a negative report for that reporting week
The dealer that purchases fish directly from a vessel should be reported on that vessel’s eVTR. This same dealer is required to submit a dealer report. Packout facilities not involved in the purchase do not need to be listed in the eVTR and have no reporting requirements.
The eVTR number is critical in linking dealer reports to eVTRs. Federal vessels must provide dealers with the full 14 digit eVTR number for each trip being offloaded. Federal dealers are required to report the eVTR numbers from all purchases from federally permitted vessels. They also must report the name, permit number, and hull number of vessels from which landings are purchased. To ensure we get the most accurate information, federal dealers must report the most up to date vessel information in their reporting software. Dealers who report through SAFIS should routinely update and ensure that their “favorites” (Vessels and Fishers) and file conversion tables are correct.
GARFO Port Agents will be available in person at the Massachusetts Lobstermans Association Annual Weekend at the Margaritaville Cape Cod Resort in Hyannis, MA from January 30 - February 1 2025 and at the Maine Fishermen's Forum at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine from February 27 - March 1 2025 to answer questions industry may have.
Finally, as of January 31, 2025, the Fish Online iOS eVTR reporting app will no longer be accepted for submitting eVTRs. Operators may use any other approved reporting devices including the FishOnline eVTR Web app.
|
