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What is trip-level reporting?
Trip-level reporting means collecting catch and
effort information from commercial fishermen
on a trip-by-trip basis and is the standard established
over the last fifteen years by all Atlantic
coast marine fisheries agencies, through partnership
in the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics
Program (ACCSP). This standard was established
so that data collected by all states and
the federal government could be pooled together,
allowing for more effective management
of marine resources, particularly those
that span multiple jurisdictions. Today, most
Atlantic states and the federal government collect comprehensive trip-level data.
Who will this affect?
Many Massachusetts fishermen already report
trip-level data to the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), through the Vessel Trip Report
(VTR) or Highly Migratory Species (HMS) programs,
and therefore will not have to report to
the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). All other
Massachusetts commercial fishermen will be
required to submit trip-level data to DMF. Furthermore,
all trips conducted under the authority
of their commercial permit will be reported, regardless
of whether the catch is sold or consumed personally.
If a federal permit is dropped or moved to a dormant
vessel while fishing continues, or if fishing occurs
on a non-federally permitted vessel, those trips
must be reported to DMF. The objective is to expand
coverage to all commercial trips and all species, in a
standardized format, while at the same time eliminate
duplicate reporting.
When will it begin?
Trip-level reporting will begin on January 1st 2010,
with the first reports due by February 15th. Fishery specific
annual catch reports for 2009 will be submitted
to DMF for the last time during the permit renewal
process for 2010 .Trip-level reporting will begin on January 1st 2010,
with the first reports due by February 15th. Fisheryspecific
annual catch reports for 2009 will be submitted
to DMF for the last time during the permit renewal
process for 2010.
Why is this happening?
Accurate and comprehensive catch and effort data
are critical to effective fisheries management. Massachusetts
has been collecting commercial catch & effort
data for over thirty-five years, via a series of annual
fishery-specific catch reports. While this system
has yielded invaluable information, it is neither comprehensive
nor at the trip-level. Comprehensive, standardized
trip-level data will provide the information
required for management strategies such as catch
shares and/or individual quotas to work. It will
also provide a less-confusing reporting scheme,
replacing the multitude of fishery-specific annual
reports used currently, and eliminating duplicative
reporting now required by most federallypermitted
Massachusetts fishermen. Lastly, it
dovetails with efforts currently underway to improve
the collection of recreational fishing data,
through the implementation of a recreational
saltwater permit.
How will I report?
Permit holders will have several options to submit
their trip-level information. An on-line application
will be available to those who wish to report electronically.
Electronic files, such as spreadsheets,
will also be accepted via email. For those who
don’t use a computer or prefer to submit a written
report, paper forms will be provided to be submitted
monthly, which can be sent in by mail or fax.
Reports will be due on the 15th of the following
month. Detailed instructions will be mailed with
the permit renewal applications, as well as the
2010 permit. Program details can also be found
on the DMF website (www.mass.gov/
marinefisheries).
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