Quick Reference Guide
Vessel Monitoring System Requirements (PDF 57KB)
Questions & Answers (PDF 175KB)
Reimbursement
(links to Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission Website)
A vessel monitoring program is an enforcement tool that can be used to monitor compliance with areas closed to fishing. On Jan. 1, 2004, a vessel monitoring program was implemented for the limited entry fishery to monitor compliance with groundfish conservation areas on the Pacific Coast. Since 2004, the number and complexity of groundfish conservation areas has grown, and the council recommended expanding the original vessel monitoring system requirements.
The groundfish conservation areas include Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs), Cowcod Conservation Areas (CCAs), Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Areas (YRCAs), the Cordell Banks Closed Area, the Farallon Islands Closed Areas, and Essential Fish Habitat Conservation Areas. For more information on these closed areas, see our Groundfish Closed Areas Web section.
Details on Vessel Monitoring Program for Pacific Coast Groundfish Conservation Area
Feb. 4, 2008: Effective date of vessel monitoring program expansion
Jan. 31, 2008: Type approval requirements for mobile transmitting units to be authorized for use on any vessel participating in NOAA Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) program (PDF 66KB)
Jan. 28, 2008: Correction to 72FR69162, published Dec. 7, 2007 (PDF 51KB)
Dec. 7, 2007: Requirement for all vessels fishing pursuant to the harvest guidelines, quotas, and other management measures governing the open access groundfish fishery, to activate and use a vessel monitoring system transceiver while fishing off Washington, Oregon, California (PDF 103KB) effective Feb. 4, 2008.
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VMS Compliance guide (PDF 176KB) for open access fishery vessel monitoring program; includes answers to common questions on new VMS requirements -
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Oct. 26, 2007: Approved vessel monitoring system mobile transmitting units for use in the fisheries off West Coast states and western Pacific (PDF 57KB)
Aug. 8, 2007: Proposed rule to expand coverage of Vessel Monitoring Program to open access groundfish fishery (PDF 107KB); comment period ended Sept. 7, 2007
Jan. 1, 2004: Effective date of vessel monitoring program
Nov. 4, 2003: Requirement for vessels registered to Pacific coast groundfish fishery limited entry permits to carry and use mobile vessel monitoring system transceiver units while fishing in state or federal waters off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California (PDF 84KB); effective Jan. 1, 2004.
