Framework Action: Modifications to Location Reporting Requirements for For-Hire Vessels in the Gulf of Mexico
Summary
The proposed rule would implement a framework action developed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to provide flexibility to for-hire operators with a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish or Gulf coastal migratory pelagic species who report a malfunction with a vessel’s location-positioning device. The rule would allow permit holders to obtain an exemption to the requirement that the device function continuously while the device is repaired. To minimize the loss of data provided by the devices, the rule would limit number of exemptions that could be requested each year and the duration of each exemption.
At its August 2022 meeting, the Council unanimously approved the Framework Action for Secretarial review. The proposed rule would implement the framework action.
The purpose of this action is to establish a mechanism for owners and operators of vessels with a federal charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf reef fish or Gulf CMP species to report a malfunction with a vessel’s location-positioning device and provide the ability for permit holders to obtain a limited exemption to location-positioning requirements. The need is to mitigate trip delays or cancellations and subsequent loss of revenue due to the inability of onboard VMS equipment to record and transmit location-positioning information.