What is a Vessel Monitoring System?
A VMS system uses electronic transmitters, placed on fishing vessels that
transmit information about the vessel’s position to enforcement agencies via
satellite. This allows someone on land, monitoring such transmissions, to
determine if a vessel is in a closed area. There are several issues related to
the implementation of VMS, including the variety of equipment types and
associated costs, vessels’ ability to carry VMS, VMS operating requirements,
vessel coverage, and collaboration with traditional enforcement techniques.
However, as a new monitoring tool for West Coast groundfish fisheries, VMS will
dramatically enhance rather than replace traditional techniques.
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Background
To date, nearly 300 VMS units have been activated, generating more than 1.6 million position reports in conjunction with over 800 declaration reports. In
September 2004, the Council began considering an expansion of VMS beyond the
limited entry sectors included in the pilot program. The Council focused on
including groundfish directed open access vessels in the next phase, as well as
vessels in other fisheries such as Pacific halibut longline, salmon troll, and
exempted trawl fisheries in California, which incidentally take groundfish or
are subject to Rockfish Conservation Area restrictions.
In early 2005, NMFS held eight meetings in coastal communities to provide the
public with information on VMS and the potential expansion of the program into
the open access groundfish fisheries. In April 2005, NMFS presented the
Council with a draft environmental assessment analyzing the nine VMS coverage
alternatives for the open access fishery. The Council recommended that further
analysis be conducted, specifically that NMFS find ways to identify vessels
that land insignificant amounts of groundfish and low-impact fisheries that
might be exceptions to the VMS requirement. In addition, the Council expressed
concerns about the cost of VMS systems being borne by industry. As a result,
NMFS developed three additional alternatives and broadened the analysis.
In June 2005, the Council approved measures to protect groundfish essential fish
habitat. Although these measures were developed separately from the VMS
program, VMS was considered as a way to monitor the new habitat protection
areas.
At the Council’s November meeting, the Council adopted a preferred alternative
which greatly expands Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) requirements on the West
Coast. The Council recommended VMS units for all commercial vessels that take
and retain, possess or land federally-managed groundfish species taken in
federal waters or in state waters prior to transiting federal waters.
Additionally, to enhance enforcement of closed areas for the protection of
groundfish essential fish habitat, the Council-preferred alternative requires
VMS on all non-groundfish trawl vessels including those targeting pink shrimp,
California halibut, sea cucumber, and ridgeback prawn.
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Who does VMS apply to?
At present, VMS requirements only apply to some segments of the directed
groundfish fishery. VMS units are required on limited entry trawl and limited
entry fixed gear fleets (over 400 vessels). However, the Council has
recommended VMS units for all commercial vessels that take and retain, possess
or land federally-managed groundfish species taken in federal waters or in
state waters prior to transiting federal waters. Additionally, to enhance
enforcement of closed areas for the protection of groundfish essential fish
habitat, the Council recommended VMS on all non-groundfish trawl vessels
including those targeting pink shrimp, California halibut, sea cucumber, and ridgeback
prawn. The expanded VMS requirements are planned to coincide with regulations
for protecting groundfish habitat, but are to be enacted no sooner than January 1, 2007.
NMFS office of Law Enforcement is planning public workshops in 2006 to provide
information on VMS requirements and equipment options. This schedule is
designed to allow NMFS time to put the larger program into operation and to
allow vessel owners time to purchase and install units. Additionally, fishermen
with occasional commercial groundfish landings that primarily target
non-groundfish species, such as salmon and tuna, will need to consider if the
added costs of VMS are worth the extra revenue they receive from groundfish.
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How much does VMS cost?
VMS transmitting units range in price from $1,000 to $5,800, with transmission
costs of $1.00 to $5.00 per day. Transmission costs will likely increase with
the length of the trip.
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Who will pay?
Currently VMS costs are borne entirely by the vessel owners. The Council continues to recommend that West Coast VMS requirements be federally funded.
In January 2006, NOAA Assistant Administrator Bill Hogarth notified the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils that $4.6M in federal funds were available to reimburse vessel owners for VMS expenses. In February 2006, the Council sent a letter to Dr. Hogarth recommending mechanisms under which West Coast vessels could receive an equitable share of the available funds. In a July 21, 2006 Federal Register notice, NOAA announced these federal funds were available to vessel operators and owners who purchased VMS equipment “for the purpose of complying with fishery regulations requiring the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) which became effective during FY 2006.” This provision excludes West Coast vessels as the existing program for limited entry vessels became effective in 2004 and the expanded program for open access vessels is anticipated to become effective in 2007.
From a broader management perspective, the costs of VMS can be favorably compared to the cost of more aerial and at-sea surveillance needed to achieve the same level of monitoring.
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What are the safety implications?
Although not primarily a safety device, VMS may contribute to increased vessel safety.
Some VMS transceivers allow constant two-way communication between the vessel
and shoreside monitors. If an accident were to occur, the recorded track of the
vessel may aid rescue efforts. Some units are also capable of sending text
messages or distress calls.
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What types of VMS systems have been approved, and where can I get them?
NMFS has approved the following VMS systems. For more information, see the list in the Federal
Register.
INMARSAT-C Transceivers:
- Thrane & Thrane Fishery “Capsat” (part number
TT-3022D-NMFS)
- Thrane & Thrane Fishery "Mini-C" (part
number TT-3026-NMFS)
A vessel owner wishing to purchase either of these systems may contact the
vendor listed below. The owner should identify himself or herself as a vessel
owner in the “Pacific Coast groundfish fishery.” The Thrane & Thrane
transceiver set the vessel owner purchases will be configured for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery.
For more information on Thrane & Thrane products:
Ken Ravenna
MarineProducts
LandSea Systems, Inc.
509 Viking Drive, Suite K, L & M
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Phone: 757-463-9557;
Fax: 757-463-9581
Email: KCR@LandSeaSystems.com
Website: http://www.landseasystems.com
INMARSAT C communications providers:
For Telenor or XANTIC information:
Donna Sherman
LandSea Systems Inc.
509 Viking Drive, Suite K, L & M
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Phone: 757-463-9557
Fax: 757-463-9581
Email: irtime@landseasystems.com
Telenor and XANTIC Customer
Service:
LandSea Systems Inc.
509 Viking Drive, Suite K, L & M
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Phone: 757-463-9557
Fax: 757-463-9581
Email: KCR@LandSeaSystems.com
Telenor alternate contact:
Courtney Coleman, Manager
COMSAT-C Services Marketing
6560 Rock Spring Dr.
Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 301-838-7720
Email: courtney.coleman@telenor-usa.com
Xantic Alternate contacts:
Folef Hooft Graafland
6100 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 410
Hollywood, FL 33024
Phone: (954) 962-9908 Ext. 11
Fax: (954) 962-1164
Cellular: (954) 214-2609
Email: folef.hooftgraafland@XANTIC.net
Andre Cortese
1211 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-785-5615
Email: andre.cortese@XANTIC.net
Bobbie Thach
1211 Connecticut Ave, NW Suite 504
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 785-5614
Fax: (202) 785-5616
Email: bobbie.thach@XANTIC.net
INMARSAT-D+ Transceivers:
- Satamatics SAT-101 (model number SAT-101 NMFS/PCG).
A vessel owner wishing to purchase the model number SAT 101- NMFS/PCG can
purchase a bundled package of transceiver and satellite airtime directly from
Satamatics using a self-serve web site or by contacting Satamatics as listed in
the VMS Provider Addresses.
For more information:
Website: www.nmfs.satamaticsusa.com
Phone: 877-SAT-MATD (877-728-6383)
Fax: 360-246-7263
E-mail: nmfs@satamaticsusa.com
ORBCOMM Transceivers:
- Stellar ST2500G (part number ST2500G-NMFS).
A vessel owner wishing to purchase the Stellar ST2500G transceiver will be
required to complete an ORBCOMM “Provisioning” form via the web. If assistance
is required, the owner may consult with the reseller or one of the vendors
listed below. The unit purchased by the vessel owner will be configured
specifically for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery.
Communication service providers:
OLE has approved Orbcomm, Satamatics, Telenor, and Xantic satellite communications
services for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. For more information, see
the NMFS notice listing distributors.
For more information, contact:
ORBCOMM, LLC
21700 Atlantic Boulevard
Dulles, VA 20166
Website: www.ORBCOMM.com
Phone: 800-ORBCOMM or 703-433-6300
Fax: 703-433-6400
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History of VMS decisionmaking
2002
Between September and December 2002, the Council’s Enforcement Consultants group
recommended VMS equipment requirements, identified approximate fleet sizes for
fishing sectors likely to be considered for VMS units, and estimated the cost
associated with purchase, installation, and operation of VMS. The Ad Hoc VMS
Committee (VMSC) met to further investigate VMS and other enforcement issues
related to depth-based management. In November 2002, the Council made
recommendations to NMFS regarding vessel coverage, costs, and gear regulations
(for more information, see links below).
2003
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), in consultation with the Council and the VMSC,
prepared a proposed rule for a pilot VMS program. The proposed rule was
published in the Federal Register on May 22, 2003. On November 4, 2003, after receiving input from the Council and its advisory
subpanels, the final rule implementing the pilot VMS program in 2004 was
published in the Federal Register. A list of approved VMS units was
published in the Federal Register on November 17, 2003. In October, the VMSC met to develop recommendations on expanding the VMS program
to include commercial open access vessels.
Following the VMSC report at the November 2003 Council meeting, the Council
postponed a decision on VMS program expansion until the pilot program was
implemented in 2004.
2004
At the June 2004 Council meeting, NMFS reported on the successful
implementation of the VMS program and the associated telephone declaration
system. In September, the Council reviewed a range of alternatives for program
expansion. Incorporating comments from the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel and the
public, the Council adopted a range of alternatives for expanding the VMS
program beyond the limited entry sectors included in the current pilot program.
The alternatives focused on including groundfish directed open access vessels
in the next phase of the VMS program, but also included vessels in other target
fisheries such as Pacific halibut longline, salmon troll, and exempted trawl
fisheries in California, which incidentally take groundfish or are subject to
Rockfish Conservation Area restrictions.
In October 2004, the VMSC met and reviewed the alternatives that the Council
recommended for further analysis and adopted a preferred alternative. The VMSC’s
preferred alternative would require any vessel engaged in a commercial fishery
to which a RCA restriction applies to carry and use VMS transceivers and
provide declaration reports, except salmon troll vessels operating in waters
north of 40°10' N. lat. that only retain yellowtail rockfish. Vessels using
salmon, Dungeness crab, CPS or HMS gear that do not take and retain groundfish
are excluded. Pink shrimp vessels are excluded.
2005
Between January 10, 2005 and March 5, 2005, NMFS held eight public meetings on the current VMS systems, the expansion of VMS into the open access groundfish
fisheries, and how to provide comments to NMFS and the Council. These meetings
occurred in the following communities, which have relatively high open access
groundfish landings: Westport, WA; Astoria, OR; Newport, OR; Port Orford, OR; Fort Bragg, CA; Morrow Bay, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Los Alamitos, CA.
In April 2005, NMFS presented a revised draft environmental assessment analyzing
the nine VMS coverage alternatives for the open access fishery. The Council recommended
that further analysis be conducted and brought back to the Council in September 2005. The Council specifically asked that NMFS examine thresholds for
identifying vessels that land insignificant amounts of groundfish, and low
impact fisheries that could be exempted from the VMS requirement. In addition, the
Council express concerns about of the cost of VMS being borne by industry. As a
result, NMFS developed three additional alternatives and broadened the
analysis.
In June 2005, the Council adopted measures to protect groundfish essential fish
habitat. Though the measures were developed separately from VMS, VMS was
considered as a tool to monitor incursions into the many new habitat protection
areas. As part of this effort, the Council considered expanding VMS to all bottom-trawl
vessels. At its June 2005 meeting, the Council decided to move its final
decision on this action from September 2005 to November 2005.
At the Council’s November meeting, the Council recommended VMS units for all
commercial vessels that take and retain, possess or land federally-managed
groundfish species taken in federal waters or in state waters prior to
transiting federal waters. Additionally, to enhance enforcement of closed areas
for the protection of groundfish essential fish habitat, the Council-preferred
alternative requires VMS on all non-groundfish trawl vessels including those
targeting pink shrimp, California halibut, sea cucumber, and ridgeback prawn.
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For more information
-
Council contact: Mike Burner, toll free (866) 806-7204
-
NMFS Northwest Region contacts: Becky Renko or Yvonne deReynier, (206) 526-6140 NMFS Northwest Region Law Enforcement: Dayna Matthews (360) 753-4409
-
NMFS Northwest Region Enforcement website: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ole/nw_northwest.html
National Marine Fisheries Service
Council
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PFMC
10/16/06
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In 2003, the Council began using depth-based management for commercial and recreational groundfish fishing in order to avoid harvest of overfished groundfish species. This means that fishing is allowed or disallowed in certain depth zones. Depth-based management can be difficult to enforce with limited at-sea patrolling capabilities. In order to address this problem, managers are implementing “vessel monitoring systems,” or VMS. While VMS creates additional costs and responsibilities for both managers and fishermen, it allows more fishing than would otherwise be possible using current enforcement tools.