Mississippi Trip Ticket Programs

Trip Ticket Manual

Trip Ticket Forms

What is a trip ticket?

The Trip Ticket Program is a system to collect commercial landings and associated information by trip. Trip tickets will probably replace the current system used to collect Mississippi commercial landings.

Why do we need trip tickets?

Trip tickets are quickly becoming the standard method of marine commercial landings collection throughout the nation. Individual trip information provides fishery scientists with gear and area specific catch information that will improve the accuracy of stock assessments. Individual trip information will also provide fishery managers information on the impact of environmental changes and catastrophic events (such as hurricanes) on the fishery.

Who has to report?

A trip ticket must be completed by the commercial fisherman when the fisherman transfers (sells) their catch to a dealer or processor. A commercial fisherman must also complete a trip ticket when they land their catch and are not transferring their catch to a licensed dealer or processor (i.e. selling catch directly to public).

When are trip tickets due?

Trip tickets are due by the 10th of the month for the preceding month. Trip tickets can be sent as often as you like as long as all the trip tickets generated in a month are sent to the MS Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) by the 10th of the following month. This will not apply to oyster trip ticket forms (OTT forms).

Trip Ticket Summary Form

A Trip Ticket Summary Form must be filled out and sent to the department at least once a month. The trip ticket summary form documents the number of trip tickets filled out each time trip tickets are sent to the MDMR. If no trips are taken for a given month,you are still required to send a monthly submission sheet indicating "0" trips were obtained for that month

Confidentiality and Reporting Requirement?

state confidentiality Ordinance 9.003.

Section 1. CONFIDENTIALITY: All data collected or otherwise obtained by statistical personnel in the course of their duties and other landings data collected by information confidentiality officers of the Department of Marine Resources are confidential, and unless specific authorization is given are not to be divulged, except in aggregate form, to any person except employees of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources designated as information confidentiality officers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA/NMFS), or agencies of other states that have executed a memorandum of understanding for the sharing of statistical information with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the NMFS; whose duties require this information, and have provisions at least as protective for maintaining the confidentiality of such information, except as permitted by law or court order. Information confidentiality officers for the Department of Marine Resources shall be designated as such in writing by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Executive Director. Aggregate form, with respect to data, shall mean data or information submitted by three or more persons that have been summed or assembled in such a manner so as not to reveal, directly or indirectly, the identity or business of any such person.

The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will not voluntarily release confidential information to other state or federal agencies, except as provided for above, and to the fullest extent possible, will oppose other agency and congressional subpoenas to obtain confidential information. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will not disclose confidential statistics under court order without specific approval by the State Attorney General's Office.

Section 4. FINFISH: Each firm or individual, whether or not licensed by the DMR, purchasing finfish from fishermen will keep a record of quantity and species purchased from each fisherman. The DMR may provide forms to record finfish purchases. Completed forms are to be submitted to information confidentiality officers upon request. Information confidentiality officers may also require each captain to furnish sample trip interviews on the quantity of each species taken, the method of fishing, the area and depth fished, and number of hours fished.

Response to questionnaires will be required of fishermen on demand, reporting catch by species and area of capture when requested by an information confidentiality officer, regardless of whether the fish were sold, given away or consumed by the fisherman. Reporting may be by questionnaire mailed to each fisherman.

TRIP TICKET FORM TYPE 100 (SINGLE-TRIP TICKET)

Type 100 forms are used to record information from any type of single fishing trip.

Where are completed Trip Ticket Forms sent?

Please send your Trip Ticket Forms to Attn: Trip Ticket Coordinator at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

Attn: Trip Ticket Coordinator

1141 Bayview Ave

Biloxi, MS 39530

Obtaining trip tickets

The MDMR will provide all forms. Obtaining report forms is the responsibility of the dealer, processor or commercial fisherman. The dealer, processor or commercial fisherman must determine the type and number of forms he/she will need to last about 6 months. A dealer or fisherman must not wait until he/she runs out of forms before requesting additional forms. Trip tickets are assigned to a dealer or fisherman and cannot be shared among each other.

To obtain forms call the MDMR Office of Fisheries, Finfish Division at (228) 374-5000 during regular working hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.). Have your dealer/processor or commercial fishing license number ready when you call.