


Vessel Trip Reports capture important information about commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishing trips.
Operators of most GARFO-permitted commercial, for-hire, and private recreational tilefish vessels must submit a vessel trip report (VTR) for each fishing trip.
Vessels that only possess an American Lobster and no other GARFO-issued permit are exempt from VTR reporting requirements. See Vessel Trip Reporting Requirement by Permit Type table below for trip report details for each permit.
For general questions about vessel trip reporting, call (978) 281-9246 or email us.
Most federally permitted commercial fisheries and New England For-Hire fisheries are required to submit all of their vessel trip reports electronically, beginning November 10, 2021. This action does not apply to lobster-only permitted vessels, which currently have no mandatory reporting requirement. However, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has recommended and we are considering federal trip reporting requirements for Federal lobster-only vessels.
For more information, see the rule summary. Educational and outreach materials are available on our websites and shared through our social media outlets.
If you have any of the permits listed below, you have vessel trip reporting requirements and must submit trip reports for all trips taken, regardless of targeted species or waters fished. Some of the permits have eVTR requirements, or soon will.
Permit |
eVTR Required? |
ATLANTIC MACKEREL |
Yes |
BLACK SEA BASS |
Yes |
BLUEFISH |
Yes |
HERRING |
Yes |
MAINE MAHOGANY QUAHOG |
Yes |
MONKFISH |
Yes |
NAFO REGULATORY AREA AUTHORIZATION |
Yes |
NE MULTISPECIES |
Yes |
OCEAN QUAHOG |
Yes |
RED CRAB |
Yes |
SCALLOP |
Yes |
SCUP |
Yes |
SKATE |
Yes |
SPINY DOGFISH |
Yes |
SQUID/MACKEREL/BUTTERFISH |
Yes |
SUMMER FLOUNDER |
Yes |
SURF CLAM |
Yes |
TILEFISH |
Yes |
PRIVATE RECREATIONAL TILEFISH |
Yes |
If you have one of the following permits and no others, you have no vessel trip reporting requirements
|
|
INCIDENTAL HMS SQUID TRAWL |
No |
AMERICAN LOBSTER |
No |
If you are the operator of a federally permitted commercial or for-hire vessel or the operator of a federally-permitted private recreational tilefish vessel, you are required to submit an electronic Vessel Trip Report (eVTR). Vessels that only possess an American Lobster and no other GARFO-issued permit are exempt from VTR reporting requirements. Electronic reporting makes the collection of data more efficient, convenient, and timely for the fishing industry, fishery managers, and other data users.
Do I Need to Use Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting?
Commercial eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR App for iOS
Commercial eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR Web App
For-hire eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR App for iOS
For-hire eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR Web App
Private Recreational eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR App for iOS
Private Recreational eVTR Using Fish Online eVTR Web App
Starting April 1, 2021 IVR users must report using our Fish Online eVTR App for iOS or Fish Online Web App. To access these reporting systems, you must have a Fish Online account. See the pages below for more information.