Provincial/state/local programme

• The USA VMS programme is comprised of five sub-programmes in different administrative divisions within NOAA’s Fisheries Service. Each programme is administered independently, and all are connected to a central NOAA VMS database and to the US Coast Guard.
• The Northeast Region includes marine waters off US states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina.

Fisheries monitored by VMS

• Scallop (dredge)
• Northeast multispecies (trawl, gillnet, hook gear)
• Monkfish (trawl, gillnet)
• Herring (trawl)

Number of vessels monitored by VMS

• Total: 529

Vessel size range

• (not available)

Purpose of VMS monitoring

• No-fishing zones
• Automated calculation of days at sea limits
• Time based effort reporting

Security measures

• Control centre: Physical and electronic measures

Legal framework

• Regional (US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 648, Section 648.9)
• National (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (USA Public Law 94-265)

Funding strategy

• Vessel owner pays for equipment purchase, installation and maintenance, and required position reports. Federal government pays for additional polling, declarations, catch report messages, and advisory or enforcement messages sent to vessel.

Staffing level

• 2 full time

Additional integrated programmes

• Days at sea
• Electronic logbooks (at-sea catch reporting of species of interest)
• Area closures based on Total Allowable Catch
• Spatial analysis of catch
• VMS compliance prior to permit issuance and renewal

Anticipated growth

• To 2 000 to 2 500 vessels over next five years

Contacts

William Semrau, VMS Programme Manager, Northeast

NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement
1 Blackburn Dr
Gloucester
Massachusetts
01930-2298
United States of America
Telephone: (+1) 978 281 9576
Fax: (+1) 978 281 9317

Web site:http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ole/ne_northeast.html