Limited Access (LA) vessels:
To declare your intent to fish, you must call at least 72 hours before the intended sail date. We will not grant date requests within the 72 hours’ notice window.
Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and LAGC Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) vessels:
To declare your intent to fish during the upcoming calendar week (Sunday through Saturday), you must call by the previous Thursday (72 hours before the start of the week). We require only one call per calendar week. We will not back-date calls received after the calendar week has begun.
STEP I: Call the Automated IVR System at (508) 495-2100
1. Press 1 to report a trip and follow the message prompts
2. Gear type
- Press 1 for Scallop Dredge
- Press 2 for Scallop Trawl
3. Permit type
- Press 1 for a Limited Access trip
- Press 2 for a General Category trip
4. Area
- For Area II Access Area, press 2, followed by the # key
- For Mid Atlantic Open Area, press 4, followed by the # key
- For Georges Bank Open Area, press 5, followed by the # key
- For Nantucket Lightship North Access Area, press 12, followed by the # key
- For Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area, press 14, followed by the # key
5. Phone Number
- Enter your 10 digit phone number (DO NOT enter ‘1’ before the area code)
6. Permit Number
- Enter your 6 digit permit number
7. Name
- Please clearly speak your first and last name, then press # key
8. Port
- Please say the city and state you intend to sail from, then press # key
9. Sail Date
- LA: Providing at least 72 hours’ notice, please state the month, day, and year you want to fish, then press # key
- LACG: Please state the month, day, and year of the Sunday starting the week you want to fish, then press # key
You must retain the confirmation number you receive. The system will send a waiver or observer selection email to your VMS unit within 24 hours. If you do not receive a notification within 24 hours, contact the IFS Vessel Call-In Coordinator (VCIC) at (508) 560-3550. If you receive a waiver, you may begin your trip. If you receive an observer requirement, please follow the instructions in Step II.
STEP II: When selected to carry an observer
If selected for observer coverage you must provide at least 48 hours’ notice to the observer providers.
You are required to call all three of the IFS observer providers in an attempt to obtain coverage, but you may choose to hire any provider with an available IFS observer.
Current Industry Funded Scallop Observer Providers
- A.I.S. Inc. (774) 200-1688
- East West Technical Services Inc. (860) 910-4957
- Fathom Resources LLC. (508) 990-0997
Please call the VCIC at (508) 560-3550 to request a waiver (LA Vessels Only) if no observers are available from any of the providers, if you are canceling or delaying your trip more than 48 hours beyond the intended sail date, or if you are changing the area fished.
