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 Pacific Islands Region includes waters around US islands of Hawaii, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, Midway Island, Howland and Baker Islands, Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll, Johnston Island and Jarvis Island.

Fisheries monitored by VMS

• Pelagic longline
• Northwestern Hawaiian Islands lobster trap
• American Samoa alia (small vessel longline, pilot project)
• Tuna purse seine (operating under South Pacific Tuna Treaty)
• Krill trawl (operating under CCAMLR)
• Foreign longline, pole and line (operating according to terms of court-ordered settlement agreements resulting from violations of US fishery law)

Number of vessels monitored by VMS

• Total: 200

Vessel size range (GRT)

• 14 to 4 059

Purpose of VMS monitoring

• Measure compliance with restricted fishing areas, both domestic and international
• Area-specific quota management
• Measure compliance with EEZ boundaries by foreign vessels operating under settlement conditions

Security measures

• Control centre: Physical and electronic measures

Legal framework

• Regional (US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 660)
• National (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (USA Public Law 94-265)

Funding strategy

• Federal government funds purchase, installation and maintenance of NOAA-owned shipboard equipment (loaned to vessels), mandatory position reports, polling and advisory or enforcement messages sent to vessel, and exception alerting.

Staffing level

• 1 full time

Additional integrated programmes

• None

Anticipated growth

• To 300 - 1 000 vessels over next five years

Contacts

Ian Chun, VMS Programme Manager, Pacific Islands

NOAA Fisheries Law Enforcement
300 Ala Moana Blvd 7-118
Honolulu
Hawaii
96850
United States of America
Telephone: (+1) 808 541 2727
Fax: (+1) 808 541 3166

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