Vtr Reporting Form – Fill Out and Use This PDF

Fishing Vessel Trip Report (VTR) Reporting Instructions

These instructions may be found on our website at: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/ro/fso/vtr_inst.pdf

These instructions are intended to aid owner/operators in determining when they need to submit VTRs and how to properly complete them. If you have any questions, or require clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact the VTR support team at (978) 281-9246.

Reporting regulations [50 CFR 648.7 and 50 CFR 648.4(b)] require:

•All Northeast Region federally permitted vessels must submit a VTR for each trip taken regardless of where the trip took place (Eastern Seaboard, Gulf of Mexico, etc.) or species targeted. The one exception to this is for vessels that are only permitted for American Lobster. Having an observer present for a trip does not relieve you of this responsibility.

•Any vessel issued a Federal Northeast Multispecies or Atlantic Herring permit, regardless of category (limited access, open access or Charter/Party), must submit VTRs on a weekly basis. VTRs must be submitted by midnight of the Tuesday following the reporting week (Sunday through Saturday) in which fish were offloaded for any trip, including trips landing other species.

•All other vessels must submit their VTR’s on a monthly basis. Reports must be received by NMFS or postmarked by the 15th day of the month following the month in which the trip occurred.

•Did Not Fish reports are due in accordance with the above submission schedule.

•A vessel holding a federal fishery permit must report all of its activity occurring in either federal or state waters even if not fishing for a permitted species. For example, if a vessel holds a Federal Northeast Multispecies permit and is only fishing for lobster or tuna, the owner/operator must submit a VTR for each trip the vessel makes in those fisheries.

•A new report page is required if during a trip there is any change in gear type, area fished, or mesh/ring size.

•All fields on the VTR must be completed using blue or black ink only.

•Incomplete, incorrect, and illegible VTRs will be returned to the vessel owner for correction.

Multiple Chart Area Trips:

Some vessels have been filling out VTR’s based solely upon where the haul back occurs; this is incorrect. If your trip encompasses multiple chart areas you must submit a VTR for each area where fishing activity takes place. In the event that tows or placement of fixed gear (gillnets, long lines, etc.) crosses chart area boundaries you must fill out a VTR for each area and apportion your catch based upon a good faith estimate. For example, if you’re a trawler and your tows go across areas 515 and 521 with 80% of your time spent in area 515 you would allocate 80% of your total catch for the tows to chart area 515 and the remaining 20% to area 521. The same basic method applies to fixed gear. If your gillnet string or long line straddles a chart area boundary you must apportion the total catch based upon what percentage of the string was in each chart area. Please contact the VTR Support Team at 978-281- 9246 if you require clarification of this requirement.

Did Not Fish Reports:

If a vessel doesn’t fish for an entire reporting period it is necessary to submit a ‘Did Not Fish’ report. Only one such trip report is needed per reporting period regardless of the number of permits held.

Any fishing activity during a reporting week, including starting a trip, landing, or offloading catch, counts as fishing during that reporting week and eliminates the need to submit a “Did Not Fish” report for that week. Example: If a vessel started a trip on Wednesday, but lands and offloads catch the following Monday (i.e., after a trip of 6 days), the VTR must be submitted by midnight Tuesday of the third week and no “Did Not Fish” reports are required for either week.

DNF reports may be submitted on the NMFS issued paper VTR or through our secure webpage, “Fish-On- Line” at https://www.nero.noaa.gov/NMFSlogin/ DNF reports submitted electronically through Fish-On-

Line do not need to be mailed into NMFS.

If you need your confidential vessel PIN or cannot access Fish-On-Line please contact NMFS at (978) 281- 9133 or by email at fso.data.requests@noaa.gov

Protected Species Mandatory Reporting :

All species caught, including all protected species, are required to be reported on the FVTR. To report sea turtles or ESA-listed fish species (e.g., Atlantic salmon or sturgeon) incidentally caught, injured or killed, enter the species code for each turtle or fish under the species code name column (#17) on the FVTR. The sea turtle and ESA-listed fish species codes are found in the Species Codes below. Enter the actual number (count) of sea turtles or listed fish caught in the discard column (#19). Under the dealer name column (#21), comment on the condition of the sea turtles or listed fish (e.g., alive, injured, or dead).

When an incidental mortality or injury of a marine mammal (seals, dolphins, porpoises, and whales) occurs during commercial fishing activities, you must fill out and return the Marine Mammal Authorization Program Mortality & Injury Reporting Form within 48 hours of returning from the trip on which the incident occurred. To obtain a reporting form visit: www.nero.noaa.gov/mmap or call 978-281-9328.

For additional information on protected species, contact the Protected Resources Division, Northeast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 281-9328.

SUBMISSION OF REPORTS:

VTRs, including DNF reports, must be received or postmarked by the 15th day of the month following the month in which the trip landed. For those vessels possessing a Northeast Multi species or an Atlantic

Herring permit, VTRs must be received or postmarked by midnight Tuesday for all trips landing in the previous reporting week (Sunday - Saturday).

Submit the original white VTR copy to:

NOAA Fisheries Service

Vessel Trip Reporting Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930-2276

If you have any questions regarding VTRs, please call the Vessel Trip Reporting office at (978) 281-9246.

The National Marine Fisheries Service requires this information for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The data reported will be used to develop, implement, and monitor fishery management strategies and for a variety of other uses. Submission is mandatory for those persons falling under the requirements of 50 CFR

648.7(b). All data submitted will be handled as Confidential material in accordance with NOAA Administrative Orders. Public reporting burden for the survey is estimated to average 5 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

1.Vessel Name: Enter the name of your vessel. If your vessel does not have a name use UNNAMED.

2.USCG Documentation or State Registration: Enter the official documentation number of your vessel. If your vessel is not documented with the Coast Guard, enter the state registration number of your vessel.

3.NMFS Vessel Permit Number: Enter the six digit number printed on the fishing permit issued to your vessel by NMFS, Northeast Regional Office, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

4.Date and Time Sailed: Enter the month, day, year and time (using the 24 hour clock/military time) you sailed. For example, January 1, 2010 at 4:15 PM should be recorded as 1/1/10 for date and 16:15 for time.

5.Date and Time Landed: Enter the month, day, year and time (using the 24 hour clock/military time) you arrived in port. For example, January 1, 2010 at 4:15 PM should be recorded as 1/1/10 for date and 16:15 for time.

6.Trip Type: Check the box for the appropriate trip type: Commercial, RSA/EFP, Party or Charter.

Note: Only a single trip type box should be checked for any given trip.

O# of Crew: Enter the total number of crew members including the captain. Party/Charter vessels should include all crew members or employees on board for the trip.

O# of Anglers: For party/charter trips only: enter the total number of anglers, excluding the vessel's crew.

8.Mesh/ Ring Size: Enter mesh/ring size of the gear being fished. Use the definitions in the Fishing Effort Information by Gear Type Table located below. If more than one mesh/ring size was used in a haul (for example, multiple mesh sizes in a string of gillnets), enter the average per haul. If you changed mesh/ring size during this trip (for example, changing from a large mesh trawl to a small mesh trawl), complete a separate report page for each mesh/ring size used.

9.Gear Quantity: Enter the quantity of gear being fished per haul. Use the definitions in the Fishing Effort Information by Gear Type table located below. If more than one of this gear type was used during the trip, enter the average quantity of gear used per haul.

10.Gear Size: Enter size of the gear being fished using the definitions in the Fishing Effort Information by Gear Type table located below.

11.Fishing Depth: Enter the average depth fished in fathoms.

12.Number of Hauls: Enter the total number of tows, sets, or strings you hauled as appropriate for your gear using the Fishing Effort Information by Gear Type table located below.

13.Chart Area: Enter the three digit area fished from the charts supplied below. If fishing south of the area depicted on chart #8, enter 799; if fishing east of charts 1, 2, 4, or 8, enter 899. If more than one chart area was fished during a trip, a separate VTR page for each area must be completed. If fishing in the areas found on the inshore charts for MA, RI, CT, and NY state waters, use the codes supplied on the inshore charts. NOTE: Do not fill out a separate trip report if fished in more than one inshore chart area, as long as they are within the same offshore area.

Some vessels have been filling out VTR’s based solely upon where the haul back occurs; this is incorrect. If your fishing activity during a trip encompasses multiple chart areas or crosses chart area boundaries you must fill out a VTR for each area where fishing activity takes place and apportion your catch based upon a good faith estimate.

14.Latitude: Enter a single set of latitude bearings (degrees and minutes) where most of your fishing effort occurred.

15.Longitude: Enter a single set of longitude bearings (degrees and minutes) where most of your fishing effort occurred.

16.Tow/Soak Time: Depending upon the gear used, you will enter either the average tow time per haul, the total time that the gear soaked or the estimated time you spent fishing (not including travel time). Enter the total estimated amount of time fishing (hours and minutes).

•Mobile Gear (trawl, dredges, etc.): Enter the average amount of time per tow which is defined as from the time the gear is completely hooked up to when the gear is completely hauled back.

•Fixed Gear (gill nets, long lines, pots, etc.): Enter the total time that the gear soaked which is defined as from when the first piece of gear is deployed until the last piece of gear is hauled back.

•Rod & Reel / Hand Line: Enter the average amount of time the lines were actually fishing.

•Harpoon: Enter the total amount of time spent searching for targeted species.

•Diving: Enter dive time

The Fishing Effort Information by Gear Type Table below summarizes how mesh/ring size, gear quantity, gear size, number of hauls and tow/soak time should be filled out for different gear types.

17.Species Code: Enter the code of each species caught. Use the codes found below in the Species Code Table. If other species were caught that are not provided in the table please call the Vessel Trip Reporting office at (978)281-9246 for guidance.

18.Kept:

•Commercial & RSA/EFP Trips: Enter the hail weight (in pounds) of each species in the KEPT column.

•Party & Charter Trips: Enter the count of each species in the KEPT column.

19.Discarded:

•Commercial & RSA/EFP Trips: Enter the hail weight (in pounds) of each species in the DISCARDED column.

•Party & Charter Trips: Enter the count of each species in the DISCARDED column.

20.Dealer Permit Number: Enter the NMFS Northeast Region permit number issued to each dealer purchasing your catch. If all species for the trip are sold to the same dealer, only enter the dealer number for the first species and draw a line down through the following DEALER PERMIT No. lines. Do not enter State or NMFS Southeast Region permit numbers.

If any portion of the catch of a species landed is not sold to a Federally permitted dealer, enter the appropriate code listed in the Dealer Codes Table below.

Dealer Codes Table

2Sold to another vessel for bait or retained for bait

4 Retained for future sale

5 Sold to a non-Federal dealer (non-Federally regulated species only) 6 Sub legal catch landed for research

8Landed, unmarketable catch (LUMF)

99998 Used for home consumption

21.Dealer Name: Enter the name of the dealer who purchased each species of your catch for this trip. If all species for the trip are sold to the same dealer, only enter the dealer name for the first species and draw a line down through the following DEALER NAME lines.

22.Date Sold: Enter the month, day and year that each species of your catch for this trip was sold or otherwise disposed of. If all species for the trip are sold on the same date, only enter the date sold for the first species and draw a line down through the following DATE SOLD lines.

23.Offloading Port : (Equivalent to Landing Port for Party\Charter vessels)

OCommercial & RSA/EFP Trips: Enter the city and state of the port where each species was physically offloaded. This includes all catch that is offloaded but not sold to a seafood dealer.

OParty & Charter Trips: Enter the city and state of the port where the trip ended\landed.

24.Operator Permit Number: Print your NMFS Operator's Permit Number. This is the 8 digit number on the Operator's Permit issued by the NMFS/NERO Permit Office.

25.Operator Name: Print your name as it appears on your Operator's Permit.

26.Operator Signature: Signature of the vessel operator, Captain or person responsible for the truth and accuracy of the VTR.

27.Date Signed: The date the report was signed in MM/DD/YY format.