50 C.F.R. § 622.374

Current through May 31, 2024
Section 622.374 - Recordkeeping and reporting
(a) Commercial vessel owners and operators. The owner or operator of a vessel that fishes for or lands coastal migratory pelagic fish for sale in or from the Gulf, Mid-Atlantic, or South Atlantic EEZ or adjoining state waters, or whose vessel is issued a commercial permit for king or Spanish mackerel, as required under §622.370(a)(1) or (3), respectively, who is selected to report by the SRD, must maintain a fishing record on a form available from the SRD. These completed fishing records must be submitted to the SRD postmarked not later than 7 days after the end of each fishing trip. If no fishing occurred during a calendar month, a report so stating must be submitted on one of the forms postmarked not later than 7 days after the end of that month. Information to be reported is indicated on the form and its accompanying instructions.
(b)Charter vessel/headboat owners and operators-
(1)General reporting requirement-
(i)Gulf of Mexico. The owner or operator of a charter vessel or headboat for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued, as required under § 622.370(b)(1) , and whose vessel is operating as a charter vessel or headboat, regardless of fishing location, must submit an electronic fishing report of all fish harvested and discarded, and any other information requested by the SRD for each trip within the time period specified in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. An electronic fishing report must be submitted to the SRD via NMFS approved hardware and software, as specified in paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section. If selected by the SRD, the owner or operator of a vessel for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued must report via the NMFS approved software for the Southeast Region Headboat Survey.
(ii)Atlantic-
(A)Charter vessels. The owner or operator of a charter vessel for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued, as required under § 622.370(b)(1) , and whose vessel is operating as a charter vessel, must record all fish harvested and discarded, and any other information requested by the SRD for each trip, and submit an electronic fishing report within the time period specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section. The electronic fishing report must be submitted to the SRD via NMFS-approved hardware and software, as specified in paragraph (b)(5) of this section. If the owner or operator subject to this paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(A) has been issued a Federal permit that requires more restrictive reporting requirements, as determined by NMFS and posted on the NMFS Southeast Region website, reporting under those more restrictive regulations will meet the requirements of this paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(A).
(B)Headboats. Electronic fishing records required by paragraph (b)(1)(i)(B) of this section for headboats must be submitted at weekly intervals (or intervals shorter than a week if notified by the SRD) by 11:59 p.m., local time, the Sunday following a reporting week. If no fishing activity occurred during a reporting week, an electronic report so stating must be submitted for that reporting week by 11:59 p.m., local time, the Sunday following a reporting week.
(2)Reporting deadlines-
(i)Gulf of Mexico. Completed electronic fishing reports required by paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section must be submitted to the SRD prior to removing any fish from the vessel. If no fish were retained by any person on the vessel during a trip, the completed electronic fishing report must be submitted to the SRD within 30 minutes of the completion of the trip, e.g., arrival at the dock.
(ii)Atlantic. Completed electronic fishing reports required by paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section must be submitted to the SRD by the Tuesday following each previous reporting week of Monday through Sunday, or at shorter intervals if notified by the SRD. If no fishing activity as a charter vessel or headboat occurred during a reporting week, an electronic report so stating must be submitted by the Tuesday following that reporting week, or at a shorter interval if notified by the SRD.
(3)Catastrophic conditions. During catastrophic conditions only, NMFS provides for use of paper forms for basic required functions as a backup to the electronic reports required by paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section. The RA will determine when catastrophic conditions exist, the duration of the catastrophic conditions, and which participants or geographic areas are deemed affected by the catastrophic conditions. The RA will provide timely notice to affected participants via publication of notification in the Federal Register, and other appropriate means, such as fishery bulletins or NOAA weather radio, and will authorize the affected participants' use of paper-based components for the duration of the catastrophic conditions. The paper forms will be available from NMFS. During catastrophic conditions, the RA has the authority to waive or modify reporting time requirements.
(4)Compliance requirement. Electronic reports required by paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section must be submitted and received by NMFS according to the reporting requirements under this section. A report not received within the applicable time specified in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) or (ii) of this section is delinquent. A delinquent report automatically results in the owner and operator of a charter vessel or headboat for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf or Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued, as required under § 622.370(b)(1) , being prohibited from harvesting or possessing such species, regardless of any additional notification to the delinquent owner and operator by NMFS. The owner and operator who are prohibited from harvesting or possessing such species due to delinquent reports are authorized to harvest or possess such species only after all required and delinquent reports have been submitted and received by NMFS according to the reporting requirements under this section.
(5)Hardware and software requirements for electronic reporting -
(i)Owner or operator applicability. An owner or operator of a vessel for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf or Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued must submit electronic reports using NMFS-approved hardware and software as posted on the NMFS Southeast Region website.
(6) For purposes of this paragraph (b)(6), a trip begins anytime the vessel departs from a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp, and terminates with return to a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp, regardless of the duration or purpose, including non-fishing activities. Prior to departure for each trip, the owner or operator of a vessel for which a charter vessel/headboat permit for Gulf coastal migratory pelagic fish has been issued must notify NMFS and report the type of trip, the U.S. Coast Guard vessel documentation number or state vessel registration number, and whether the vessel will be operating as a charter vessel or headboat, or is departing on another type of trip, such as a commercial trip. If the vessel will be operating as a charter vessel or headboat during the trip, the owner or operator must also report the expected trip completion date, time, and landing location.
(c) Dealers.
(1) A dealer who first receives Gulf or Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic fish must maintain records and submit information as specified in §622.5(c).
(2) Alternate SRD. For the purpose of §622.5(c), in the states from New York through Virginia, or in the waters off those states, "SRD" means the Science and Research Director, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, or a designee.

50 C.F.R. §622.374

78 FR 22952, 4/17/2013, as amended at 78 FR 78782, 12/27/2013; 79 FR 6100, 2/3/2014; 79 FR 19496, 4/9/2014; 82 FR 17396, 5/11/2017; 85 FR 10340, 3/25/2020; 85 FR 44019, 1/5/2021; 86 FR 51014, 12/13/2021