Fleet VMS Vessel Monitoring

Vessel Monitoring Systems are required by NOAA for certain vessels. The Pulsar Fleet VMS system gives all vessels who need to meet VMS requirements a type-approved system that will also provide marine satellite Internet service for operational and passenger connectivity. Recently NOAA enacted new requirements that apply to the owner or operator of a vessel with a federal charter/headboat permit for Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish or Coastal Migratory Pelagic Species.

Effective on January 5 2021, the new reporting regulations require the owner or operator of a charter or headboat vessel with a Gulf federal for-hire permit to electronically declare a trip before leaving and to submit an electronic fishing report for each trip prior to offloading fish. For-hire vessel operators must report all species caught, regardless of where fished. They must also install permanent approved location tracking hardware/software with GPS capabilities that transmits data to the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) / NOAA. For-hire trip declarations cannot be submitted using the commercial telephone system or unapproved software.

The for-hire modified rules have been introduced to improve data collection, fisheries management and sustainability, by efficiently monitoring recreational fishing seasons, collecting accurate records of for-hire vessel landings and locations, and securing more detailed information for economic analysis for proposed Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council actions.

NOAA requires all owners and operators to:

• Submit an electronic fishing report via NMFS-approved hardware and software for each fishing trip before offloading fish from that fishing trip or within 30 minutes after the end of each trip if no fish were landed.
• Notify NMFS (hail-out/ submit a trip declaration) before departing for any trip to identify if the trip will be for-hire or another trip type. If the vessel will be operating as a for-hire vessel, the other details of the trip will need to be provided.
• Use NMFS-approved hardware and software with global positioning system (GPS) location capabilities that, at a minimum, archives vessel position data during a trip for transmission to NMFS.

The iFleetONE VMS terminal from Pulsar is the world’s only kit that’s been type-approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) for the Greater Atlantic federal fisheries. iFleetONE VMS operates on the Inmarsat global Alphasat and I-4 satellite network. Designed to be compact for small and mid-sized fishing and leisure vessels, it delivers the required yet affordable, tailored broadband data, voice, and VMS services.

Providing guaranteed performance via Inmarsat’s L-band service, Pulsar offer the type-approved Fleet One Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) package. This includes the Addvalue iFleetONE IP-based terminal for full-featured voice and data services and proprietary VMS, RedPort Optimizer firewall and router for data management, and Pulsar satellite connectivity via Inmarsat. It facilitates the delivery of the trip declaration, electronic fishing reporting and location tracking components required to comply with the new NOAA rules. It also offers enhanced broadband communications for crew connectivity, improved contact with family and friends ashore, and more efficient vessel operations.

Fishing vessels affected by the regulations that do not have NMFS/NOAA’s type-approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) but have purchased an approved Enhanced Mobile Transceiver Unit (E-MTU) device to comply with the NMFS/NOAA’s regulations, are eligible for a VMS rebate of up to $3,100 under a Pacific States Marine Fisheries commission reimbursement scheme. According to NOAA Fisheries, there are about 3,000 charter and headboat vessels in the Southeast and Gulf of Mexico, most of which have never reported catch information previously.

Pulsar provides the following details as a courtesy for purchasers. The reimbursement program is not affiliated with Pulsar.

NOAA is providing a reimbursement program which is administered by the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission regardless of which area the vessel operates in. This reimbursement opportunity is available to fishing vessel owners and/or operators that have purchased an approved E-MTU device in order to comply with fishery management regulations. For units purchased on or after 2.1.2008, the reimbursable expense is the purchase price of a type-approved E-MTU for which the owner and/or operator holds a valid commercial fishing permit or license, not to exceed a maximum of $3,100.00.

How to request reimbursement for VMS:

1. Purchase, install, and activate a NOAA OLE Type-Approved VMS unit.
2. Contact NOAA OLE VMS Helpdesk at 1.888.219.9228 to obtain four-digit reimbursement confirmation number.
3. Complete and sign this reimbursement request form or visit www.psmfc.org for web form.
4. Mail or fax the reimbursement request form, a copy of the itemized sales invoice, a copy of the Federal Fisheries Permit and a copy of the vessel’s Certificate of Documentation or State Registration to Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission 205 SE Spokane Street, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97202 – Fax: 503.595.3444.
   For additional help with completing this form, consult the VMS Request Form Instructions or contact PSMFC at 503.595.3100.

Purchase Fleet VMS Now

Failure to submit fishing records will result in prohibition from harvesting the reef fish or pelagic species, non-renewal of federal for-hire permits or possible further NOAA penalties.