On May 24, 2021, NOAA Fisheries published a notice in the Federal Register to announce the availability of guidelines and a program manual for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Electronic Monitoring (EM) Program.
NOAA Fisheries is providing guidelines for the development of Electronic Monitoring Service Plans (EMSP) and Vessel Monitoring Plans (VMPs) by EM service providers and vessel owners applying to participate in the EM Program. An EMSP is required as part of an application for an EM service provider permit and endorsement and describes how an EM Service Provider will provide EM services to contracted vessels. A VMP is required as part of an application for a vessel owner seeking authorization to use EM in lieu of a human observer and documents how the EM system will be used to monitor the vessel. NOAA Fisheries is required to develop EM Program Guidelines and publish notice of their availability in the Federal Register.
The full Notice of Availability can be viewed in the Federal Register.
To view these guidelines, EM program manual, and other related information, visit our webpage for the West Coast Electronic Monitoring Program.
