Frequently asked questions about electronic reporting by federal for-hire vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic.
Disclaimer: This publication was last updated 8/20/2021 for general information purposes only. Any discrepancies between this information and the regulations as published in official sources of information, such as the Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations will be resolved in favor of the official sources.
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Owners or operators of vessels that have a Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic/Atlantic issued federal Charter/Headboat permit. The SEFHIER program started in January 2021. Reporting is now required for all charter/headboat trips, regardless of where fishing occurs, including other regional or state waters.
For vessels with both Gulf and South Atlantic federal for-hire permits, you will follow the Gulf regulations, no matter where you fish. For example, if you are fishing in North Carolina you will declare your fishing trip, land at an approved location, and submit the logbook before offloading. The Gulf reporting requirements will fulfill South Atlantic requirements; there is no need to report twice.
Yes. While both programs require trip-level logbook information, there are differences in reporting frequency and additional reporting requirements for vessels with a Gulf federal for-hire permit.
|
|
Gulf of Mexico permit |
South Atlantic/Atlantic permit |
|
Declarations |
Yes, each time vessel moves on water |
No |
|
Trip-level logbooks |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No fishing reports |
No |
Yes |
|
Landing Locations |
Yes, only land at approved locations |
No |
|
Positioning devices |
Yes, 24/7 operation |
No |
|
Validation Survey |
Yes |
No |
|
Reporting Frequency |
Prior to offload (or within 30 minutes if no fish were harvested) |
Weekly on Tuesday, for the previous fishing week (Monday-Sunday) |
The South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils approved Amendments, then implemented by NOAA Fisheries, to require federally permitted for-hire vessels to report catch and effort. Both Councils determined that trip-level reporting may provide improved monitoring of recreational quotas for timely and efficient management of the recreational fishing seasons. The new reporting requirements are expected to help improve population assessments by providing a more accurate record of for-hire vessel landings and locations. For example, the detailed economic data entered by fishermen in real time through the additional questions added to the eTrips application will enhance the ability of NOAA Fisheries and the Councils to understand the potential impacts of proposed management and regulatory change(s) on the federally permitted for-hire sector (e.g. changing bag limits, area closures). These data will also allow NOAA Fisheries to better monitor the economic health of the industry over time.
The Gulf requirements for trip declarations, location tracking devices, and validation surveys are expected to provide increased accuracy of data and aid in program compliance and monitoring.
More information on each program
Find more information about the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Amendment, including informational videos, toolkits, a webinar schedule, and other pertinent information.
A customer service line is also available weekdays from 8am to 4:30 pm ET at (833) 707-1632 or through e-mail at SER.ElectronicReporting@noaa.gov.
The South Atlantic federal for-hire permits are open-access. The Southeast Region Permits Office initially issues new open access permit(s) for periods as short as 6 months to as long as 17 months, depending on the different factors used to calculate the permit's expiration date. Existing permits that are renewed before the expiration date are valid for 1 year after the effective date of the renewed permit. Vessels with federal for-hire permits are required to report to the SEFHIER program. If you wish to stop harvesting species covered by the South Atlantic federal for-hire permit(s), and your permit(s) are not already expired, you must surrender your permit(s) by mailing them to the Permits Office along with a letter, signed by the permit holder, stating that you are surrendering your permit(s). Please allow up to 3 weeks from the time your application is received to complete the surrendering process. For more information, visit the Permits website.
Mail may be sent to the Permit Office at:
US Department of Commerce, NOAA
NMFS Permit Office (F/SER14)
263 13th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 877-376-4877
Many vessels in the Gulf and South Atlantic are selected for reporting to the Southeast Region Headboat Survey. If you are selected to participate in, or already report to the survey, you must use the VESL software and the headboat survey reporting form to satisfy the federal for-hire permit reporting requirements.
More information on how to switch forms when using VESL to report to multiple agencies
Survey vessels must now report prior to offloading, consistent with the rest of the for-hire fleet.
The weekly reporting requirement changed from Sunday to Tuesday. This reduced the time when reports are due from seven to two days following a fishing week (Monday-Sunday).
NOAA Fisheries has mailed a For-Hire Reporting toolkit to each permit holder. If you have not received one, you can request one from the program (833) 707-1632 or email at ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov), or access the digital version. The toolkit provides information on which software providers are approved for use, how to create user accounts, and resources for how to actually submit a report. NOAA Fisheries staff are holding webinar outreach sessions to provide training to interested fishermen.
Find out about outreach sessions
Federally permitted for-hire vessels are required to submit information on catch and effort, such as, but not limited to: trip start and end dates, trip start and end times, end port, vessel and captain identification, number of anglers, number of crew, method of fishing, hours fished, primary depth fished, species kept, species discarded, charter fee, fuel used, and fuel price per gallon. This information is required to be reported regardless of where the vessel is fishing.
For vessels with South Atlantic federal for-hire permits, a no-fishing report must be submitted if a vessel does not go fishing in a reporting week (Monday through Sunday). All reports must be filed electronically through approved software.
NOAA Fisheries has approved a number of vendors that have the required software to report for both Gulf and South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permitted vessels. The current list can be found on our website, under Approved Software or VMS Type Approved Units.
While the final rules for both amendments require trip-level reporting, submission depends on the vessel’s associated federal for-hire permits.
Logbooks should be submitted prior to removing fish from the vessel. If no fish were harvested, the logbook must be submitted within 30 minutes of landing.
Logbooks should be submitted weekly, by 11:59 pm, local time, the Tuesday following a reporting week (Monday-Sunday).
If the federal for-hire vessel is delinquent in submitting the reports, the vessel will be prohibited from continuing to harvest and possess fish covered by those federal for-hire permits, until all required reports have been submitted. The federal for-hire permit would not be renewed until all required reports are submitted. Reporting violations would be subject to the NOAA Policy for Assessment of Penalties and Permit Sanctions.
If there is no cellular service at the departing port, you may either submit your trip declaration before you leave your house or use a satellite VMS system with forms. You must have cellular service to submit your logbook upon your return prior to offloading. If cellular service is not available at your landing location, you must submit your logbooks through a satellite VMS system. Lack of cellular service does not exempt you from submitting all required information in the time allotted.
The requirement for Gulf permit holders to have a VMS on board their vessel went into effect in March 1st, 2022; as such, permit holders need to purchase and install an approved VMS unit. You can then submit a Power Down Exemption (PDE) that will allow you to turn off the unit while it is continuously out of the water or in port for a minimum of 72 consecutive hours.
Vessels that move over the water are required to submit a declaration for each trip, regardless of fishing activity. Logbooks are only required for for-hire fishing trips.
The PDE form can be found here.
If the vessel does not engage in any for-hire fishing activity in a given reporting week (Monday through Sunday), a no fishing report for that week is required by the following Tuesday. No fishing reports can only be submitted up to 30 days in advance. For all no fishing reports, please ensure that you complete the vessel field in the application you are using for submission. The vessel field is critical to confirming compliance with the program.
The economic data includes trip fee, fuel used, price per gallon, and the number passengers and crew.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act and the National Environmental Policy Act require NOAA Fisheries to assess the biological, economic, and social impacts of management actions. Price and revenue data for commercial fishing and fuel cost data for headboats have been comprehensively collected by NOAA Fisheries, but there has been nothing comparable for charter fishing. Most of the detailed economic information collected for charter vessels is episodic and is usually based on small samples. Information is often outdated when analyses are conducted for regulatory actions.
Detailed economic data, collected in real time, will enhance our ability to understand how the federally permitted for-hire industry is impacted when regulatory change is considered. These impacts are often caused by changing fishing regulations such as trip limits, bag limits, season and area closures, and external factors such as red tides and oil spills. These data will also allow us to better monitor the economic health of the industry over time. In addition, the economic information will help fisheries managers and scientists assess the value of the for-hire sector that will allow for economic recovery from fishery disasters. NOAA Fisheries economists will use the data in their cost-benefit and economic impact analyses for actions and amendments that propose regulatory changes, and always in a confidential manner. The information can also be used to inform quota allocation decisions, fisheries research, and disaster recovery damage assessments.
The data collected by the Trip Fee question in the logbook are used by NOAA Fisheries to measure the revenue that the vessel receives from a trip and estimate the average price per passenger, which is then used to estimate the economic value of for-hire trips (and trip attributes) using various economic analyses. Fisheries managers and scientists can also use the data to estimate losses in revenue in the event of a fishery disaster, which in turn can influence disaster determinations and the allocation of funds. NOAA Fisheries economists will use the data in their cost-benefit and other economic analyses for actions and amendments that propose regulatory changes, and always in a confidential manner. If a trip was offered for free on a charity basis or donated to a raffle (i.e., no revenue was received), then the user should enter $0 for the trip fee.
The data collected by the Fuel Price question are used by NOAA Fisheries to accurately estimate the fuel cost of a trip. Because Fuel Price varies by locality, date, quantity, and fuel type, data specific to the vessel at the trip level are required. Cost information, including fuel cost, helps NOAA Fisheries understand and explain (for management purposes) the economic performance of for-hire vessels, and how/why it differs between vessels. These data can later be used to predict vessel behavior. Therefore, please provide your best estimate of the price paid for fuel on each trip.
Please select an application that also has a computer-based version available. Vendors approved for computer-based reporting are listed on our website.
No, the Councils selected electronic reporting to improve the accuracy and timeliness of reporting. There is no option to submit reports via a phone call or paper. All reports need to be submitted electronically through an approved vendor for this program.
No. Any vessel with a Southeast issued federal for-hire permits that is completing a for-hire trip must use one of the approved reporting applications. More information on approved software can be found here. The commercial VMS declaration phone line is solely for commercial vessels or commercial vessels without federal for-hire permits.
You need to submit a declaration and select trip type “charter” and trip activity "non-fishing trip/no intention of fishing". You will not have to submit a logbook for non-fishing trips.
You will not have to submit a logbook for non-fishing trips. You should instead submit a Did Not Fish report for that week if no fishing trips took place.
You will need to submit a report for every fishing trip. However, you do not need to submit a Did Not Fish report for the week, as you had at least one fishing activity in that week.
If you are part of the Southeast Regional Headboat Survey, continue to report as usual. If you are not part of the headboat survey, select the appropriate trip type (charter or headboat) for the trip in the declaration (Gulf only) and logbook.
Federal regulations for coastal migratory pelagics and South Atlantic snapper-grouper do not prohibit captain and crew from retaining fish on federally permitted for-hire vessels. For federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, federal regulations regarding retention of species by captain and crew vary (see regulations at 622.38). We recommend captains know the bag, trip, vessel limits, and other federal regulations for the species they are targeting.
Yes. The MRIP For-Hire Survey will continue to operate; side-by-side comparisons between MRIP and the new program are required. The data will be used to calibrate MRIP to the logbook reports and may require several years for comparisons. After calibration, NOAA Fisheries will need to determine a transition plan if the logbook records can replace the MRIP information. The reporting programs differ between the Gulf and South Atlantic, and will be evaluated separately.
Yes, state programs will continue to be required as directed by each state. Similar to MRIP, comparisons and calibrations will need to be made with each state program.
Submit your electronic fishing report using a smart phone, tablet, computer, or Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) unit that allows for internet access and is approved for transmitting logbooks by NOAA Fisheries.
Lists of approved software and VMS vendors
For-hire vessels with federal Charter/Headboat Permit Holders for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics, Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo, Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Reef Fish or Gulf Coastal Migratory Pelagics are required to record catch and effort information as part of the logbook requirement. Below is the list of elements contained within the logbook and brief explanation of each field. Logbook information is required for any fishing trip, regardless of where the vessel is fishing.
|
Required Data Element/Field |
Description |
|
Vessel name and ID |
The name of the vessel used on this trip as it appears on your SERO permit, and the vessel USCG number (or the state license number, if you do not have the USCG number). |
|
Captain name |
The full name of the captain on the trip. |
|
Trip type |
The type of trip being taken - typically (e.g. Charter or Headboat). |
|
Trip start |
The actual date and time when the vessel began the trip. |
|
Time zone |
The time zone associated with the trip (i.e., eastern = ET, or central = CT) |
|
Trip end |
The actual date and time when the vessel ended the trip. |
|
Start port |
The port from which the vessel began the trip. Ports are defined as part of a greater east coast compilation of effort through the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP). Port is different from the specific landing locations used in the trip declaration form (Gulf only). |
|
End port |
The ACCSP defined port to which the vessel returned. Typically the same as the start port. Port is different from the specific landing location used in the trip declaration form (Gulf only). |
|
Primary gear |
The primary gear used to catch your species (i.e., hook and line). Please select only one gear as primary, even if multiple gear types were used on the trip. |
|
Primary target species |
What was the primary target species for this trip? Please select only 1 species as primary, even if the trip targeted multiple species. Primary species should be entered, regardless of actual retained or discarded catch |
|
Fishing hours |
Amount of hours the gear was in the water. Do not include time spent traveling to or between fishing grounds. |
|
Number of anglers |
The number of people fishing on this trip. |
|
Number of paying passengers |
The total number of passengers (or customers) who paid for the trip, individually and/or collectively. This excludes captain and crew. See additional FAQs for more information of how to define paying passengers. |
|
Number of crew |
The number of crew members, including the captain, on the trip. |
|
Trip fee |
The total price paid for the trip. |
|
Fuel used |
The total number of gallons of fuel used on the trip. |
|
Price per gallon |
The price paid per gallon of fuel used on the trip. |
|
Minimum depth |
Shallowest bottom depth, in feet, where fishing occurred. |
|
Maximum depth |
Deepest bottom depth, in feet, where fishing occurred. |
|
Primary depth |
The most common depth, in feet, for where the fishing gear fished. |
|
Fishing location |
Select the latitude/longitude grid where the majority of fishing occurred. Depending on the application, this may use a map or have entry of latitude and longitude grids in decimal degrees. |
|
Species name |
Select the common name of each species caught (kept and released) on the trip. |
|
Number kept |
Indicate the number of individuals kept for each species caught. |
|
Number released |
Indicate the number of individuals released (discarded) for each species caught. Depending on the app, you may be requested to choose more detailed discard information, such as dead discard. |
All vendors are required to ask the core questions relating to the SEFHIER program, but are allowed leeway in how these questions are displayed and information collected. Some vessels have reporting requirements for multiple federal regions: Southeast Regional Office (SERO), Greater Atlantic Regional Fishing Office (GARFO), and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) federal for-hire permits. Vendors approved to reduce duplicative burden from multiple region requirements ((i.e., dually SERO and GARFO and/or HMS permits) through one-stop reporting capabilities may ask additional or more detailed questions. Some examples of these additional or more detailed questions are: Primary Area Fished (i.e., state waters inland, state waters inshore, federal waters, or international waters), Waters Fished, Gear Quantity, Unit of Measures, and Disposition Codes. Vessels that are dually permitted across regions are encouraged to use vendors that allow for one-stop reporting. If they choose to use a vendor not approved for one-stop reporting, they must submit separate logbooks for each permitted region.
If the for-hire vessel is taking a non-fishing trip, a private recreational fishing trip or a commercial fishing trip, then the vessel operator will declare the corresponding trip type on the electronic trip declaration form (from the drop-down list) and would not need to submit an electronic logbook.
If the vessel does not engage in any for-hire fishing activity in a given week, a no fishing report for that week is required. No fishing reports can be submitted up to 30 days in advance if you know you will not fish for that week (e.g., in dry dock, out of season).
If a South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessel does not go fishing in a particular week, a no-fishing report must be submitted. Logbooks must be filed electronically through an approved software.
Any crew that are fishing (not just hook-setting for the customer) should be counted towards the total number of anglers, to correctly capture the effort during the trip. Please see the FAQ “How do I define the number of paying passengers on my trip?” for some examples on how to estimate the number of anglers. Please refer to the regulations at 622.38 to determine when captain and crew may retain catch.
For the purposes of reporting, "paying passengers" refers to the number of passengers who were paid for on that trip. On trips where payments are made for a collective group, the captain should still report the total number of people being paid for regardless of whether they anticipate they will fish. An Observer is neither a crew member nor a paying passenger, and therefore should not be counted in any field of the logbook.
Here are some examples on how to determine the number of paying passengers:
|
1) A vessel is chartered for 6 and 1 passenger pays. All 6 fish. |
Paying Passengers: 6 Anglers: 6 |
|
2) A vessel is chartered for 6 and 2 passengers split the payment. Only 5 fish. |
Paying Passengers: 6 Anglers: 5 |
|
3) A vessel is chartered for 6 and 1 passenger pays. 5 passengers and the deckhand fish. |
Paying Passengers: 6 Anglers: 6 |
|
4) A vessel is chartered for 6 and 1 passenger pays. All 6 passengers and the deckhand fish. |
Paying Passengers: 6 Anglers: 7 |
Trips with paying passengers on board (a Trip Type field designation of Charter or Headboat) must report all bait caught on the logbook for that trip, regardless of whether the bait was kept or discarded. Species that are used for bait are considered kept species. To report bait, select the species of bait fish using the species name field in the logbook. NOAA Fisheries recognizes that it may be difficult to count bait fish. Therefore, the number of bait fish reported may be estimated instead of requiring an exact count.
Trips that have no paying passengers on board that are solely fishing for bait (ex. you are collecting bait in preparation for a charter trip), including retrieving bait from traps, can be declared as a recreational trip and therefore no logbook would be required.
A target species is the primary species you are intending to catch. Caught species include everything caught (discards and landings). Target species information is always required, while caught species are only entered if fish are caught, this includes fish discarded. You should report accurate counts of any species you kept and/or that you released. If you are unsure how to report caught species you can call the SEFHIER program (1-833-707-1632) or the vendor.
The start and end ports are fields that are required by both the Gulf and South Atlantic/Atlantic electronic reporting programs that represent a general area where the boat starts and ends it’s trip. If you do not see your port on the list, please use the nearest port to you and contact the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) Program by email to report a missing port (ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov). Ports will facilitate future one-stop reporting across the entire east coast for vessels reporting to multiple regions. One-stop reporting will allow one logbook to satisfy logbook requirements in multiple regions for the same trip (e.g., Southeast, Greater Atlantic region, and HMS).
For vessels with Gulf federal for-hire permits (Gulf Reef Fish or Gulf Coastal Migratory Pelagics), specific landing locations are required in the declaration form. Vessels may only land at approved landing locations for offloading their catch. Landing locations are specific, and may even include a dock number or slip at large marinas. Landing locations must be approved and assigned a unique number. Before requesting a new landing location, check the existing list of approved landing locations. If your landing location is not currently on the approved list, you may submit a request to add a new landing location.
Logbook trip-level reporting is expected to provide more accurate and reliable catch and effort data, which will lead to improved monitoring and management of Gulf of Mexico species. The logbook data will be used along with the SEFHIER Validation Survey data to enhance estimates of annual catch and effort and account for misreported or under-reported catch and effort.
Once SEFHIER and the Validation Survey are certified and calibrated to existing data collections, the data may be used to estimate catch. Existing data collection methods will continue to be used for management until that time.
Trip declarations are also referred to as a “hail-out.” Trip declarations are used to notify NOAA Fisheries and partners (Office of Law Enforcement, etc.) that your vessel has left the dock and the type of trip being taken. For fishing trips, the trip declaration will ask for when and where you expect to return. Since the declaration is submitted in advance of the trip completion, the return time in the declaration is an estimate. Estimated times may be used by enforcement, port agents, and Validation Survey staff to meet the vessel upon return. The declaration estimated return time may differ than the actual time reported in the logbook. Both the estimated return time and landing location are critical components to validation of information collected by the SEFHIER program.
Different regulations govern the declarations required by fishing sector (for-hire versus commercial) in the Gulf. Both reef fish commercial and Gulf for-hire federal permit holders are required to submit a trip declaration. These declarations vary in the information submitted. The reef fish federally permitted commercial vessels must also submit a pre-landing notification 3 to 24 hours in advance of landing.
The declaration for the Gulf federally permitted for-hire fleet combines information from a traditional declaration (e.g., type of trip) with information from pre-landing notifications (e.g., estimated return time, landing location). This combination eliminates the need for an at-sea notification to supply enforcement with an expected return time and location.
Trip declarations are required each time a Gulf permitted federal for-hire vessel moves on the water (i.e., bait/ice trips, transportation to/from private residences, sunset cruises). A trip declaration may be submitted in advance, but NOAA Fisheries encourages submission on the day of the trip or at the dock as weather, mechanical issues, or other factors might prevent the trip from occurring. For fishing trips, NOAA Fisheries staff matches trip declarations with the logbook from that trip.
For dually permitted Gulf for-hire and Gulf commercial reef fish federally permitted vessels, you must submit under each permit’s approved form. For example, a dually permitted vessel leaving on a commercial trip will declare both for the reef fish requirement and again through the for-hire permit. For both declarations, the user should select the appropriate fields to indicate a commercial trip. NOAA Fisheries recognizes this as a burden and is working to streamline this in the future. Remember that you are required to submit declarations regardless of the type of trip you are taking. Gulf federally permitted commercial reef fish declarations can be completed on any approved VMS unit for the commercial sector or the VMS call service line. Gulf federally permitted for-hire declarations can be completed on any approved VMS unit for the for-hire sector or through an approved application. Gulf for-hire declarations are not approved for submission on the VMS call service line.
For-hire trip declarations may only be submitted using approved software, and must use the appropriate for-hire trip declaration form.
List of approved software vendors
South Atlantic vessels report the start and end port as the location they are picking up and dropping off their customers.
Gulf vessels require a declaration each time the vessel leaves a dock, berth, seawall, etc. to move on water. For a for-hire fishing trip, you will be required to submit a landing location, which should use the customer’s drop off location (where fish are offloaded). For logbooks, the start port is where the vessel launched from for that trip and the end port is the location the vessel returns to at the end of the trip. Some applications may utilize your landing location in the declaration to fill in your end port.
No. Any vessel with a southeast issued Gulf federal for-hire permit that is completing a for-hire trip must use one of the for-hire approved reporting applications and forms. The commercial VMS declaration call service line is for commercial declarations by vessels with a federal commercial reef fish permit. If you have a have a commercial reef fish federal permit and a Gulf for-hire federal permit than you will need to submit a declaration for each sector.
At this time, there is no requirement to update the trip declaration that has already been submitted if the landing location or time changes. However, if you have a satellite-based VMS unit, or are using VESL, you will have an option to submit a new trip declaration with your modified landing time or location. If you are using eTrips, you have the option to cancel a trip declaration and submit a new one. It is recommended that if your time or location are changing from the original declaration that you submit a new declaration to supersede the existing one (VMS or VESL), or cancel and submit a new on through eTrips. Under any emergency condition, the for-hire vessel should return to port without worrying about changing the landing location or time.
If you are using eTrips, you have the option to cancel a trip declaration. In the VESL app, the trip declaration will remain as “pending” and no further action is necessary.
If you leave the dock but turn back for any reason without fishing during your trip, you should select “trip no effort” in the trip activity field of the logbook in either application, which will format the logbook correctly to reflect only the information that you need to report for this trip type. You will then submit the logbook and will be in compliance with program requirements.
A landing location states where the boat will be landing and offloading fish, so that NOAA Fisheries and partners (e.g. law enforcement personnel, port agents, Validation Survey agents) know where to find the vessel to conduct surveys and/or inspections. The landing locations are a crucial component of the SEFHIER Validation Survey and will help to improve sub-sampling of federally permitted for-hire vessels.
Check to see if your location is an approved landing location.
Landing locations must be approved and verified by NOAA Fisheries. Owners and operators of Gulf charter/headboat federally permitted vessels may request a location for approval. Once a landing location is verified, it is added to the approved landing location list. For those using a VMS unit to submit declarations, you must know the number of your landing location. This allows the VMS units to continuously be updated with new locations. New landing locations are typically verified and added to the list within 72 working hours, so submit your new location in advance of any planned trips.
Currently, all landing locations for the federally permitted reef fish vessels are available for use by federally permitted Gulf for-hire vessels, but the reverse is not true, as reef fish commercial landing locations undergo a more rigorous approval process by law enforcement.
NOAA Fisheries is currently working on adding an "other" category selection to the software applications for instances like scientific research cruises. Until these changes are made available, please declare your research trips as a recreational trip and select the non-intended fishing option. This will satisfy the trip declaration requirements. Once the trip is declared recreational, there are no further reporting requirements. In order for a trip to be considered "research" the appropriate letter of acknowledgment or exempted fishing permit must be on board the vessel.
Effective March 1, 2022, vessel operators will be required to have an approved vessel monitoring system (VMS) that includes a GPS device affixed to the vessel that, at a minimum, archives vessel position data hourly for submission to NOAA Fisheries. The effective date for the location tracking was originally delayed in the July 21, 2020, final rule when the trip declaration and logbook requirements were published (85 FR 44005).
VMS units must be installed by a qualified/certified marine electrician/installer that has been approved by the vendor, regardless of your intent to apply for reimbursement (see the Code of Federal Regulations: 50 CFR 622.26, 622.28 and 622.374). Consult the vendor of your unit for a recommendation.
This rule is a requirement that was developed by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) and implemented by NOAA Fisheries to enhance the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) Program. The ability for NOAA Fisheries to know when a federally permitted for-hire vessel leaves the dock and takes a trip is needed for managers to estimate the total number of for-hire trips and subsequently compare those numbers to the number of trip declarations and logbooks reported.
Trip Declaration and tracking devices are expected to provide better data on fishing effort (number of trips) and allow for better enforcement of fishing regulations. The trip-level reporting could help improve stock assessments by providing a more accurate record of for-hire vessel landings and locations.
Owners or operators of vessels with a federal Gulf Charter Vessel/Headboat permit for Reef Fish or a Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) Charter Vessel/Headboat permit for Coastal Migratory Pelagic species (includes historical captain permits) will be required to have a VMS. Since January 5, 2021, submitting trip-level electronic reports has been required regardless of where fishing occurs, including other regions and state waters.
The VMS is a condition of the permit, therefore it will be the permit holder's responsibility to install the VMS unit on the vessel and ensure it is operational.
You will be required to have approved VMS unit for the SEFHIER program that is affixed to the vessel and at a minimum, archives vessel position data hourly for submission to NOAA Fisheries. This can be a cellular-based store-and-forward device or a satellite-based real-time VMS unit. The list of approved VMS units can be found here: Approved VMS Units for Reporting in the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program.
Reimbursement may be available to vessels that install approved VMS units if the VMS is purchased to comply with the new for-hire regulations.
The SEFHIER program has approved both satellite and cellular VMS units for use in the Gulf of Mexico federally permitted for-hire sector. The Office of Law Enforcement has determined that any program with a cellular VMS option (also called an EMTU-C) is limited to a reimbursement of up to $950, regardless of the unit type (cellular or satellite) purchased.
|
Satellite VMS |
Cellular VMS |
|
Collects and transmits location by satellite in real-time |
Collects location data at sea via satellite and transmits via cellular once the vessel returns to cellular range |
|
Include declaration and logbook form submission; Allows for submission of revised trip declaration |
May include declaration and logbook form submission |
|
Low failure rate (less than 1%; life of VMS units 5-10 years) |
Unknown failure rate |
|
Requires satellite connectivity when stored under cover |
Requires cellular service at offload locations and when stored under cover |
|
May provide extra features (e.g. ship-to-shore communication) |
|
If you would like to turn off your VMS unit, a power down exemption (PDE) form must be submitted and approved by NOAA Fisheries. PDEs can be used when the vessel will be continuously out of the water or in port (i.e., secured at a land-based facility, or moored/anchored to a dock or berth) for a minimum of 72 consecutive hours. Before you turn off your VMS unit, your PDE request form must be approved. At the end of your PDE period, you must turn on your position reporting unit and may return to your normal fishing behaviors.
The PDE form can be found here.
Yes, the VMS unit must be on 24/7, as required by your federal Gulf for-hire permit regardless of where fishing takes place. The only time a VMS unit can be shut down is with an approved PDE. When under a power down exemption, the vessel cannot move on water.
The PDE form can be found here.
For appropriate validation of effort, the VMS units must either have a power down exemption or be turned on and functional. If your location tracking device is not working you should first contact the unit’s vendor to see if the situation can be repaired. If the problem is not remedied, you should notify NOAA Fisheries of the issue. In the commercial sector, satellite VMS failure rate is around 1 percent; the life of a VMS unit is 5-10 years (depending on brand). The Gulf Council is developing an action that could allow trips to take place in the case of an unexpected equipment failure, under limited circumstances.
You may lose a satellite signal if your vessel is in covered storage. If you have a small vessel, you may be concerned about battery drainage. However, many commercial fishermen have smaller vessels with VMS units that do not drain batteries.
Part of the validation and final estimation of SEFHIER data includes a companion dockside Validation Survey. The Southeast For-Hire Validation Survey is part of a capture-recapture two-survey design that ensures a robust method for recreational catch and effort monitoring. This survey records information at the vessel level and differs from the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP). Vessel operators will be asked for information such as general fishing location, hours fished, number of anglers, species caught (number kept and/or released), and if time allows, length and weight measurements of the retained species. Participation in the Southeast For-Hire Validation Survey is required as a condition of your federal for-hire permit.
The Validation Survey begins October 2021.
Reporting of this information is required as a provision of the Gulf limited access Charter Vessel/Headboat Permit Reef Fish permit as well as the Gulf limited access Coastal Migratory Pelagic species permit.
Vessel operators will be asked for information such as general fishing location, hours fished, number of anglers, species caught (number kept and/or released), and if time allows, length and weight measurements of the retained species.
The SEFHIER program established more comprehensive reporting requirements for the Gulf federally permitted for-hire vessels and modified reporting requirements for the region’s federally permitted headboats. These requirements include trip declarations, logbooks (capture), approved landing locations, and Validation Survey participation (recapture). This capture-recapture, two-survey design, ensures a robust method for recreational catch and effort monitoring. This Validation Survey collects information about the entire trip, rather than by angler used in the Marine Recreational Information Program survey (MRIP) survey.
A new data collection survey will usually result in different values than a past program, due to survey design differences or changes in the fishery. Side-by-side comparisons of the different programs over multiple years are done to calibrate the programs to each other and to ensure that extreme events (e.g. hurricanes, pandemics, red tides) do not influence the final conversion factor(s). With proper calibration, data from the new survey can be used to produce more accurate estimates of catch and effort and provide the information necessary to better inform management decisions.
Logbook trip-level reporting is expected to provide more accurate and reliable catch and effort data, which will lead to improved monitoring and management of Gulf species. The logbook data will be used along with the Validation Survey data to improve estimates of annual catch and effort and account for misreported or under-reported catch and effort.
Once SEFHIER and the Validation Survey are certified and calibrated to existing data collections, the data may be used to estimate catch. Existing data collection methods will continue to be used for management until that time.
There are reporting requirements for catching/landing HMS. If you are using eTrips (mobile) software application that is approved for use in each SEFHIER, GARFO and HMS Programs, the application will prompt for the HMS required questions, and only the one submission is required to comply with all three programs. If you are using the VESL reporting application then you will still need to complete the HMS reports using the HMS Program (www.hmspermits.noaa.gov) electronic logbook report.
Individuals with multi-permitted (GARFO, SERO, and/or HMS) federal for-hire permits must submit the information required for each respective region. To meet requirements of each program, you must report on a software application that is approved for use in each program (SEFHIER, GARFO, and HMS) OR you will need to submit multiple reports for each trip to each individual program. Check the website for which applications are approved for GARFO, HMS, and SERO. Additional Information for reporting to multiple programs is outlined in the Informational Toolkits and on the Multiple Permits Information webpage.
You will be required to submit a report for each fishing trip for each vessel, according to the regulations for the federal permits assigned to that vessel. Some software reporting applications will allow you to submit one report for different permit combinations. To ensure you are using the right software application for your specific combination of permits, please refer to the table of approved software under the “Approved Software” section of the program website.
Yes, if a South Carolina vessel has a federal permit, the VESL application will supply a logbook that includes the state and federal requirements. The user will only need to submit one logbook to be in compliance with both programs, but must submit the logbook under the more restrictive reporting timeline.
Approved SEFHIER reporting applications are available in the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android), but this may vary by vendor. Download the reporting application onto your iOS, Android and/or computer as you would any other app. For questions about a particular app, please contact the vendor or visit their website. SEFHIER software vendors are required to provide customer support. Please refer to the Approved Software page for more information and for software vendor contact information.
This may vary by vendor and application.
The permit holder will need to create the account following these directions, then share the account username and password with the captains. Captains can then log in and select the correct vessel in the vessel field of the forms. A captain can also be added to a permit holder’s account with their own login, if the permit holder contacts SEFHIER staff to request this.
Have captains set up accounts in advance, using their own smartphone, tablet or computer, so that they can report for your vessel whenever necessary. If you are using a VMS unit, make sure they know how to report via that platform (including any login information, if applicable).
Extended inactivity will not affect your ability to report, either through the software applications or on your VMS unit, as long as your software is up to date. If you would like to close your software account, or deactivate your VMS unit, you must contact the vendor help desk.
You will need to contact SEFHIER customer service at 1-833-707-1632, and SEFHIER staff will delete the requested trip for you.
Barotrauma expands gasses in a fish causing the air bladder and other organs to expand as well, making it difficult for fish to swim after release. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Florida SeaGrant
Credit: Wendy Paquette.
Recreational fisherman with red snapper.
