Modifications to Charter Vessel and Headboat Reporting Requirements
This amendment requires the owner or operator of a vessel with a federal charter/headboat permit for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish or Coastal Migratory Pelagic Species to:
- Submit an electronic fishing report via NMFS-approved hardware and software for each fishing trip before offloading fish from that fishing trip or within 30 minutes after the end of each trip if no fish were landed.
- Notify NMFS (hail-out/ submit a trip declaration) before departing for any trip to identify if the trip will be for-hire or another trip type. If the vessel will be operating as a for-hire vessel, the other details of the trip will need to be provided.
- Use NMFS-approved hardware and software with global positioning system (GPS) location capabilities that, at a minimum, archives vessel position data during a trip for transmission to NMFS.
This final rule is effective January 5, 2021.