Summary of reporting requirements for Atlantic highly migratory species.
Reporting requirements for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) depend on the fishery and permit type. For more information on HMS fishery requirements, download our recreational, commercial, or dealer compliance guide.
Recreational fishermen with an HMS Charter/Headboat or HMS Angling permit must report swordfish and billfish landings, as well as bluefin tuna landings and dead discards, within 24 hours of returning from a trip. In most cases, you can report using any of these options:
Anglers in Maryland and North Carolina must instead report at a state-operated reporting station. Call the numbers below for more information:
Additionally, you are required to participate if you are contacted by a representative of the Large Pelagic Survey or Marine Recreational Information Program. You could be surveyed at the dock, by phone, or by mail.
There is no general reporting requirement for sharks caught recreationally under an HMS Charter/Headboat or HMS Angling permit. However, anglers in Maryland must report all recreational shark landings to the state. North Carolina anglers must also report some pelagic shark species. Call the numbers below for more information:
Additionally, recreational shark fishermen are required to participate if contacted by a representative of the Large Pelagic Survey or Marine Recreational Information Program. You could be surveyed at the dock, by phone, or by mail.
| Region and Permit Type | Atlantic Tunas General or Harpoon, HMS Angling, HMS Charter/Headboat (with or without commercial endorsement) plus Regional Permit |
|
SERO Charter/Headboat permits
|
1) eTrips mobile OR 2) VESL + HMS Catch Reporting App of Permit Shop Website |
|
GARFO Party/Charter permits
|
1) eTrips mobile or online |
| NO REGIONAL PERMIT (HMS ONLY) | 1) HMS Catch Reporting App of Permit Shop Website |
Tournament operators are responsible for reporting all HMS catch—landed and released—within a week of the tournament's final day. This can be done online or by mailing a print form to:
Tournament Reporting
75 Virginia Beach Drive
Miami, FL 33149
tournaments@noaa.gov
Fax: (305) 361-4562
Tournament catch reporting form (PDF, 2 pages)
Regardless of your permit type, you can be selected for our logbook program or required to carry a NOAA Fisheries observer. Details on logbook and observer requirements are available in the compliance guide.
Reporting requirements for bluefin tuna by permit type are outlined below.
Vessel owners or operators with an HMS Charter/Headboat permit are required to report the number and length of all bluefin tuna retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing or end of each trip. This is in addition to any reports submitted by dealers.
Landings and dead discards must be reported online via the HMS Permit Shop or using the reporting app, or through SAFIS eTrips Mobile or Online.
The option to use SAFIS eTrips is available for HMS permit holders that also possess federal or state permits that require vessel reporting via SAFIS eTrips. Fishermen reporting via SAFIS eTrips need to list each harvested swordfish, billfish, or bluefin tuna individually within their trip report and report them in pounds rather than number caught. This may require changing the ‘Unit of Measure’ from Count to Pounds in SAFIS eTrips.
Vessel owners or operators with an Atlantic Tunas General category or Harpoon category permit are required to report the number and length of all bluefin tuna retained or discarded dead within 24 hours of the landing or end of each trip. This is in addition to any reports submitted by dealers.
Landings and dead discards must be reported online via the HMS Permit Shop or using the reporting app or through SAFIS eTrips Mobile or Online.
The option to use SAFIS eTrips is available for HMS permit holders that also possess federal or state permits that require vessel reporting via SAFIS eTrips. Fishermen reporting via SAFIS eTrips need to list each harvested swordfish, billfish, or bluefin tuna individually within their trip report and report them in pounds rather than number caught. This may require changing the ‘Unit of Measure’ from Count to Pounds in SAFIS eTrips.
Fishermen with an Atlantic Tunas Longline category or Purse Seine category permit must report through a vessel monitoring system within 12 hours of completing each set.
Vessel operators must also coordinate with the federal dealer purchasing their bluefin tuna and other HMS catch to verify the weight of all retained bluefin and enter the number and length of all bluefin discarded dead into the Individual Bluefin Quota Program online system.
Additional information is available in our commercial compliance guide.
Regardless of your permit type, you can be selected for our logbook program or required to carry a NOAA Fisheries observer. Details on logbook and observer requirements are available in the compliance guide.
If you land these tuna species on a vessel that also holds a permit issued by the Greater Atlantic Regional Office, you must record your landings of these species using the Northeast Vessel Trip Report system.
Selected fishermen with a commercial directed or incidental shark permit are required to report fishing activities in an approved logbook within 48 hours of completing that day’s fishing activities—of before offloading if that is sooner.
You will receive a letter from NOAA Fisheries if you are selected for a logbook program. Additional information is available in our commercial compliance guide.
Regardless of your permit type, vessels with pelagic longline gear on board must follow additional reporting requirements, including ones related to bluefin tuna interactions. Additional information is available in Section VII of our commercial compliance guide.
You may also be required to carry a NOAA Fisheries observer. Details on observer requirements are also available in the compliance guide.
Selected fishermen with a commercial directed or incidental swordfish permit are required to report fishing activities in an approved logbook within 48 hours of each day’s fishing activities—or before offloading for one-day trips if that is sooner. You must submit the logbook to NOAA Fisheries within seven days of offloading.
You will receive a letter from NOAA Fisheries if you are selected for a logbook program.
Additional information is available in our commercial compliance guide.
Vessels issued an Incidental Squid Trawl permit must report their swordfish landings using the Northeast Vessel Trip Report system.
Fishermen with a Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit must abide by their territorial reporting requirements and other applicable territorial commercial fishing requirements.
The information below is a summary of reporting requirements by species. Additional information is also available in our dealer compliance guide.
Learn more about Atlantic HMS dealer reporting
Dealer reporting frequently asked questions
Atlantic bluefin tuna dealers must submit:
If you purchase a bluefin tuna from a pelagic longline or purse seine fisherman, you must also report that purchase in the Individual Bluefin Quota Program online system.
Dealers must submit weekly electronic reports, even if you did not purchase one of these highly migratory species that week. Reports for each week must be submitted no later than midnight on Tuesday of the following week.
You cannot purchase an Atlantic swordfish, shark, or albacore, bigeye, skipjack, or yellowfin tuna unless you have submitted all required weekly electronic reports.
An oceanic whitetip shark swims near the surface of the water. Photo courtesy of John Carlson.
Blacktip sharks. Credit: iStock.
Releasing a sandbar shark on a shark survey.
