On December 9, 2022, NOAA Fisheries published a final rule implementing Amendment 23 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Amendment 23 excludes trips fishing exclusively west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude from the human at-sea monitoring requirement. This bulletin contains the requirements for vessels that will receive a waiver.
When do these changes take effect?
Beginning December 15, 2022, trips exclusively fishing west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude will be excluded from the human at-sea monitoring requirement. Starting on December 13, 2022, the pre-trip notification system (PTNS) allows vessels to notify us that a trip will fish exclusively west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude.
What steps are necessary to receive a waiver from the human at-sea monitoring requirement?
PTNS Requirement
Vessels intending to fish exclusively west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude on a groundfish trip must select the "A23: FISHING WEST of 7130" option from the dropdown of the Exemption field in the PTNS. The dropdown option became available on December 13, 2022, for trips sailing December 15, 2022, or later. If vessels are unsure if they will fish exclusively west of the line on a given trip, they should select the NONE option in the PTNS Exemption field and communicate their plan with their assigned provider and/or the PTNS team if they later decide to fish exclusively west of the line. For any questions or adjustments to notifications, please contact the PTNS team at (855) 347-4371 or nefsc.ptns@noaa.gov.
All vessels must carry a Northeast Fishery Observer Program (NEFOP) observer when assigned one by NOAA Fisheries.
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Requirement
Vessels must notify us of their intent to fish exclusively west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude on a groundfish trip by submitting a Multispecies Trip Start Hail through their VMS unit prior to leaving port. On your VMS unit, open the VMS form, ‘Multispecies Trip Start Hail’, and select the ‘Sector Exemption/Option' D-1, which represents the declaration to fish exclusively west of 71 degrees 30 minutes west longitude. If you need assistance with your VMS, contact the VMS team at (978) 281-9213. If you have questions about this provision, contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (978) 281-9315.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
