NORTHEAST VESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM (VMS) PROGRAM

• What's New?
  • VMS User Instructions for the Northeast Region have been updated - These instructions were updated on June 1, 2009 to incorporate VMS changes consistent with the Groundfish Interim Action. The instructions are meant to be a useful reference for fishermen who must operate and maintain a VMS unit in order to comply with all Northeast VMS requirements. These user instructions supplement the VMS requirements provided in the Northeast Fisheries Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 648. Click here for user instructions.
  • New "VMS Certification" form released. This form is required to be completed by the owner and sent to the NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) upon the installation of a new or replacement VMS unit. There is now a new requirement for owners to call OLE at (978) 281-9213 to confirm that NMFS is receiving the signal from the VMS unit installed on the vessel before taking its first trip. The new form will be available shortly from the VMS vendors and dealers. Click here for a view of the new form; the new language is provided in the double (broken) lines near the top of the page.
  • New VMS Software Release Coming Soon. During the week of May 25, 2009, your VMS vendor will be sending you new software. All Northeast VMS vessels are required to have and begin using the new VMS software effective June 1, 2009, in order to comply with the Groundfish Interim Action that went into effect on May 1, 2009. SkyMate will be mailing a compact disc (CD), while Boatracs and GMPCS (Thrane) will be performing an over-the-air update to the Northeast VMS forms package. You must operate this new software even if the Groundfish Interim Action does not effect your vessel's fishing activity. Please contact your VMS vendor if you do not receive the new software. Click here for a view of the changes to the Multispecies and Monkfish declaration screens, Multispecies Catch Report, and Gulf of Maine Cod Trip Limit Exemption form. The Groundfish Interim Action has required the addition of 115 new VMS (activity declaration) codes. Click here for a view of the new NE VMS Code Listing and their definitions.
  • Listing of Type-Approved VMS Units. There are three VMS units currently approved in the Northeast Region. Two VMS units are pending Northeast approval. Click here for a listing of Northeast-approved VMS units and the contact telephone numbers for the VMS vendors. The listing also provides the status of approved VMS units in other NOAA Fisheries Service regions nation-wide.

• Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Regulations
  • Please refer to 50 CFR 648.9 and 648.10 for a complete listing of Northeast VMS regulatory requirements. The following is meant to only highlight some key elements and is not a substitute for the regulations:
    • VMS vendor and unit requirements (50 CFR 648.9). The type approval requirements for VMS units and satellite service providers are those published by the NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) in the Federal Register. Both the minimum national standards and any established regional standards must be met in order to receive approval for use in the NE Region. The Regional Administrator approves all VMS units and satellite service service providers operating in the NE Region. Once approved, VMS units must maintain the minimum standards for which they were approved. A listing of approved Northeast VMS vendors and units will be published on the NE Region website and in each proposed and final rule for implementing or modifying VMS requirements. If a VMS vendor is deleted from the list of authorized vendors, vessel owners that purchased a VMS unit from that vendor will be considered aurthorized to use that unit for the remainder of the unit's service life.
    • VMS and DAS requirements for vessel owners/operators (50 CFR 648.10). The following vessels must have an installed operational VMS unit:
      • full-time or part-time limited access scallop or LAGC scallop permit
      • occasional limited access scallop permit when fishing under the scallop area access program
      • limited access monkfish, occasional scallop or combination permit electing to provide VMS notifications
      • limited access multispecies permit when fishing on a category A or B day at sea (DAS)
      • surfclam or ocean quahog open access permit
      • Maine mahogany quahog limited access permit
      • limited access monkfish vessel electing to fish in the Offshore Fishery Program
      • limited access herring permit.

    VMS units must transmit a signal at least every hour, or at least twice per hour for vessels issued a scallop permit. Tampering with a VMS unit or VMS signal is prohibited. Vessels may power down their VMS units if (1) the vessel will be continuously out of the water for more than 72 hours and the vessel is issued and has onboard a NMFS letter of exemption, or (2) the vessel has a limited access multispecies permit, surfclam/ocean quahog permit, or scallop limited access permit and signs out of the VMS program for a minimum of 30 consecutive days, does not engage in any fisheries and the vessel is issued and has onboard a NMFS letter of exemption. Vessel owners must confirm the VMS unit's operation and communications service by calling NMFS OLE (at 978-281-9213) to ensure that position reports (and a declaration) are sent to and received by NMFS OLE (this is necessary for new owners and owners who replace their VMS units to ensure connectivity between the vessel's VMS and NMFS). If a VMS unit is replaced, the owner must submit documentation to NMFS (OLE) within 3 days of installation and before the next trip that the VMS is an operational, approved system.

    • VMS Demarcation Line (50 CFR 648.10). The demarcation line (click here for chart) is defined by straight lines connecting the coordinates below. Vessels subject to VMS requirements that have crossed the demarcation line are deemed to be fishing under the DAS program, the LAGC scallop fishery or other fisheries requiring VMS, unless prior to leaving port, the vessel declares out of the scallop, multispecies, or monkfish fishery. NMFS must be notified by transmitting the appropriate VMS code and must be received prior to the vessel leaving port. DAS counting, with the exception of vessels fishing in the Eastern US/Canada area, begins with the first location signal received after crossing the demarcation line and ends with the first position signal received showing that the vessel crossed the demarcation line upon return to port. The Vessel Demarcation Lines are as follows:

    Description	N. Lat.	W. Long.
    1. Northern terminus point (Canada landmass)	45°03'	66°47'
    2. A point east of West Quoddy Head Light	44°48.9'	66°56.1'
    3. A point east of Little River Light	44°39.0'	67°10.5'
    4. Whistle Buoy "8BI" (SSE of Baker Island)	44°13.6'	68°10.8'
    5. Isle au Haut Light	44°03.9'	68°39.1'
    6. A point south of Monhegan Island	43°43.3'	69°18.6'
    7. Pemaquid Point Light	43°50.2'	69°30.4'
    8. A point west of Halfway Rock	43°38.0'	70°05.0'
    9. A point east of Cape Neddick Light	43°09.9'	70°34.5'
    10. Merrimack River Entrance "MR" Whistle Buoy	42°48.6'	70°47.1'
    11. Halibut Point Gong Buoy "1AHP"	42°42.0'	70°37.5'
    12. Connecting reference point	42°40'	70°30'
    13. Whistle Buoy "2" off Eastern Point	42°34.3'	70°39.8'
    14. The Graves Light (Boston)	42°21.9'	70°52.2'
    15. Minots Ledge Light	42°16.2'	70°45.6'
    16. Farnham Rock Lighted Bell Buoy	42°05.6'	70°36.5'
    17. Cape Cod Canal Bell Buoy "CC"	41°48.9'	70°27.7'
    18. A point inside Cape Cod Bay	41°48.9'	70°05'
    19. Race Point Lighted Bell Buoy "RP"	42°04.9'	70°16.8'
    20. Peaked Hill Bar Whistle Buoy "2PH"	42°07.0'	70°06.2'
    21. Connecting point, off Nauset Light	41°50'	69°53'
    22. A point south of Chatham "C" Whistle Buoy	41°38'	69°55.2'
    23. A point in eastern Vineyard Sound	41°30'	70°33'
    24. A point east of Martha's Vineyard	41°22.2'	70°24.6'
    25. A point east of Great Pt. Light, Nantucket	41°23.4'	69°57'
    26. A point SE of Sankaty Head, Nantucket	41°13'	69°57'
    27. A point west of Nantucket	41°15.6'	70°25.2'
    28. Squibnocket Lighted Bell Buoy "1"	41°15.7'	70°46.3'
    29. Wilbur Point (on Sconticut Neck)	41°35.2'	70°51.2'
    30. Mishaum Point (on Smith Neck)	41°31.0'	70°57.2'
    31. Sakonnet Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy "SR"	41°25.7'	71°13.4'
    32. Point Judith Lighted Whistle Buoy "2"	41°19.3'	71°28.6'
    33. A point off Block Island Southeast Light	41°08.2'	71°32.1'
    34. Shinnecock Inlet Lighted Whistle Buoy "SH"	40°49.0'	72°28.6'
    35. Scotland Horn Buoy "S", off Sandy Hook (NJ)	40°26.5'	73°55.0'
    36. Barnegat Lighted Gong Buoy "2"	39°45.5'	73°59.5'
    37. A point east of Atlantic City Light	39°21.9'	74°22.7'
    38. A point east of Hereford Inlet Light	39°00.4'	74°46'
    39. A point east of Cape Henlopen Light	38°47'	75°04'
    40. A point east of Fenwick Island Light	38°27.1'	75°02'
    41. A point NE of Assateague Island (VA)	38°00'	75°13'
    42. Wachapreague Inlet Lighted Whistle Buoy "A"	37°35.0'	75°33.7'
    43. A point NE of Cape Henry	36°55.6'	75°58.5'
    44. A point east of Currituck Beach Light	36°22.6'	75°48'
    45. Oregon Inlet (NC) Whistle Buoy	35°48.5'	75°30'
    46. Wimble Shoals, east of Chicamacomico	35°36'	75°26'
    47. A point SE of Cape Hatteras Light	35°12.5'	75°30'
    48. Hatteras Inlet Entrance Buoy "HI"	35°10'	75°46'
    49. Ocracoke Inlet Whistle Buoy "OC"	35°01.5'	76°00.5'
    50. A point east of Cape Lookout Light	34°36.5'	76°30'
    51. Southern terminus point	34°35'	76°41'

    • VMS Power Down Exemption is available for:
      • All vessels that will be out of the water for more than 72 consecutive hours, and
      • Vessels with a Northeast multispecies limited access permit, sea scallop limited access permit, or surfclam/ocean quahog permit that will remain at the dock or mooring and not engage in any fisheries for a minimum period of 30 consecutive days.
      • The requester must send a written request to the Regional Administrator (VMS Team, Office of Law Enforcement) providing the following: Vessel name, Federal fishery permit number, Official number (Coast Guard documentation or State registration number), Exemption period (date the VMS will be turned off and turned back on), and the location of the vessel during the exemption period. Click here for Vessel Monitoring System Power Down Exemption Request form.
    • VMS User Instructions for the Northeast Region (updated June 1, 2009) - These instructions are meant to be a useful reference for fishermen who must operate and maintain a VMS unit in order to comply with all Northeast VMS requirements. These user instructions supplement the VMS requirements provided in the Northeast Fisheries Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 648. Click here for user instructions.
    • VMS Certification Form - Complete This Form To Certify That The Subject Fishing Vessel Has An Operational VMS Unit Installed By An Approved Northeast Region VMS Vendor.  Click here for form.
    • VMS Activity Code Declaration Listing (updated June 1, 2009) - Handy reference document that includes a listing of all valid VMS activity code declarations and their definitions for the multispecies, monkfish, scallop, herring and surfclam/ocean quahog fisheries. New codes for the Groundfish Interim Action have been added. For questions, call the Northeast VMS Team at 978-281-9213. Click here for VMS code listing.
    • Days-at-Sea (DAS) Charging Rates by VMS Activity Code Declaration Listing - Handy reference document that includes the Multispecies, Monkfish and Scallop DAS charging rates applicable to each VMS declaration code. This document has been updated to reflect the changes implemented by Monkfish Framework 5 which eliminated the 3-hour provision for Monkfish Gillnet Vessels. As of May 1, 2008, all Monkfish Gillnet trips of 15 hours or less in duration will be charged 15 hours. Click here for the listing.
    • VMS Contact Information - NOAA Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement Northeast VMS Team, Enforcement Hot Line and District Offices, and list of Approved Northeast VMS Vendors.  Click here for contact information.
    • Northeast Port Identification Listing. The March 12, 2008 permit holder letter reminded owners/operators of the requirement that a vessel be "in port" to declare its activity through the VMS or IVR. Click here for a listing of Northeast port definitions which will assist you in selecting a port in order to comply with the declaration requirements. Click here for the Permit Holder Letter of March 12, 2008. Owners are also reminded that the practice of declaring out of a fishery by entering a "DOF" activity code via VMS while in port, transiting to a point inside the VMS demarcation line near the intended fishing location, and changing the VMS activity code to begin a fishing trip is not consistent with the current regulations. Additionally, a vessel that is required to redeclare its activity because it started a trip under an incorrect declaration must return to a port (and not simply inside the VMS demarcation line) to send the correct declaration. Please contact the VMS Team or your local NMFS law enforcement agent if you have any questions concerning this port listing. You are reminded of your responsibility to review this port listing in the event that future modifications are made to the listing.
    • VMS Reimbursement Program. Grant funds are available to eligible vessel owners/operators who have purchased a VMS unit to comply with fishery regulations requiring the use of a VMS unit. The funds will be used to reimburse owners/operators for the purchase price of the VMS unit up to $3,100. In the Northeast Region, the reimbursement program extends to the following implementations: Framework 17 to the General Category Scallop FMP; Framework 42 to the Multispecies FMP; Framework 1 to the Surfclam/Ocean Quahog FMP; and Amendment 11 to the General Category Scallop FMP. VMS units activated prior to July 5, 2006 are not longer eligible for reimbursement. Call the VMS Support Center at 1-888-219-9228 to verify eligibility. Information is also available on the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission website at http://www.psmfc.org.   Click here for the Federal Register notice of May 6, 2008 announcing a revision to the VMS reimbursement program and current reimbursement procedures.
    • Alternative Method for Declaring a Trip Prior to Sailing. Owner/operators are required to declare their activity for every trip prior to leaving port. In order to ease the financial, time and technical burdens associated with declaring the activity through the VMS unit on each trip, NMFS developed an alternative declaration method. The alternative method allows owner/operators to call the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Call-In System to declare their trip, only if the trip declaration will be identical to the trip declaration for the vessel's previous trip. The owner/operator will need to have their vessel's permit number, IVR PIN and operator number when calling the IVR system at 1-888-284-4904. The IVR system will report back to you the last VMS declaration that NMFS' monitoring system had received from your vessel. If the last trip declaration reported back to you does not describe the exact activity that you intend to make, you must declare a new activity code through your VMS unit. Click here for the Permit Holder Letter of September 20, 2007 that describes this program in more detail. Contact the VMS Team for any questions, including questions about IVR PINs.
    • Calling a Days-at-Sea (DAS) trip into the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Call-In system. Owner/operators who normally declare their DAS trip through their VMS unit, but intend to fish either (1) completely inside the VMS demarcation line on the trip, or (2) inside and outside the VMS demarcation line on the same trip, must use the the IVR Call-In system to declare their DAS trip. This is necessary because VMS starts and ends trips as the vessel crosses the VMS demarcation line and the VMS is not able to accurately calculate DAS charged in these situations. When declaring a DAS trip through the IVR, the vessel owner/operator must send the "Declare Out of Fishery" (DOF) code from their VMS unit, and the VMS unit must be on and positioning during the trip. DAS will accrue based on the IVR declaration. Owners/operators who call the IVR will need their federal permit number and IVR personal identification number (PIN) to access the system. Questions about IVR PINs may be referred to the Northeast VMS Team at 978-281-9213. The IVR will also ask the caller for a Port Code for the sailing port. Click here for the Permit Holder Letter of May 8, 2006 that describes this program in more detail. This letter includes a listing of all Port Codes.

Last Updated: July 16, 2009