Changes are being made to make new approved landing locations and dealers available almost instantly for use by Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) participants.
To be more efficient, the drop-down menus are being replaced with numeric fields corresponding to the IFQ landing location and dealer vessel monitoring system (VMS) codes.
WHY THIS IS HAPPENING:
- Previously, the VMS IFQ landing notification forms used a drop-down menu with a list of approved landing locations and dealers. These lists were manually updated via a software update. This caused significant delay (possibly more than six months) in the new approved landing locations and dealers being available for use on the various types of VMS units.
- Vessels with Boatracs VMS units will not see any changes to their landing notification forms, as their software already uses the numeric fields. Lists of VMS codes for landing locations and dealers can be found on the Catch Share Online System (https://portal.southeast.fisheries.noaa.gov/cs).
- Vessels landing IFQ species are required to provide 3-24 hour advance notice of landing at approved landings locations. The requirement is intended to provide law enforcement officers the opportunity to be present at the point of landing so they can monitor and enforce IFQ requirements dockside.
- Landing notifications can be made by using the form on the VMS screen, by calling 1-866-425-7627 and selecting option 1 (Call-Center 24/7) or through the online IFQ system.
About Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional Fishery Management Councils established by the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. The Council prepares fishery management plans, which are designed to manage fishery resources within the 200-mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico.