A VMS system uses electronic transmitters, placed on fishing vessels that transmit information about the vessel’s position to enforcement agencies via satellite. This allows someone on land, monitoring such transmissions, to determine if a vessel is in a closed area.
A VMS is now required on nearly every type of commercial fishing vessel operating in US waters. Additionally, most countries world wide are implementing mandatory VMS requirements in their fishing fleets.
In a satellite based communications system, data is transferred from the vessel to a satellite and then to an earth station. The earth station then forwards the data to the monitoring agency via a secure public data network. The accuracy of the GPS system has greatly improved and is now accurate to less than 10 meters. Nonetheless, it is important to note that VMS provides only position, speed and course of vessels.
At first VMS was greeted with a great deal of anger and suspicion. One writer in a national fishing publication likened it to the ankle-bracelet used to monitor offenders. After all, how would YOU like being under the watchful eye of law enforcement 24/7? Eventually it became apparent that not only did it act as a deterrent, but did indeed catch fisheries violators. Many of those caught with the aid of the VMS have had their permits revoked, vessels seized and fines totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While the following information is regarding
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Stevens Act) authorizes the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) to prepare and amend fishery management plans for any fishery in waters under its jurisdiction. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) manages the crab fisheries in the waters off the coast of
A vessel that harvests crab in the crab fisheries, including a vessel harvesting CDQ or Adak allocations, would be required to have onboard an operating NMFS-approved VMS transmitter at any time when the vessel has crab gear on board. These transmitters automatically determine the vessel’s location several times per hour using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and send the position information to NMFS via a mobile communication service provider.
The VMS transmitters are designed to be tamper-resistant and automatic. The vessel owner should be unaware of exactly when the unit is transmitting and would be unable to alter the signal or the time of transmission.
The VMS information is used primarily by the NOAA Fisheries, Office for Law Enforcement, Alaska Region (OLE) for enforcement purposes and by the NMFS, Alaska Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division for fishery management purposes. The information is used to track the location of vessels participating in the fisheries. To participate in the VMS program, a vessel owner must:
1. Purchase a NMFS-approved VMS transmitter and have it installed onboard the vessel. VMS transmitting units range in price from $1,000 to $5,800, with transmission costs of $1.00 to $5.00 per day. Transmission costs will likely increase with the length of the trip.
2. Before participating in a crab fishery, activate the VMS transmitter. Upon completion of purchase and installation of the VMS units, and prior to participation in a crab fishery, the participant must submit to NMFS by FAX a VMS check-in report. The information on this report will enable NMFS to verify that the VMS system is functioning and that VMS data are being received.
3. A vessel’s transmitter must be transmitting if:
The vessel is operating in any reporting area off
The vessel has crab pots or crab pot hauling equipment, or a crab pot launcher onboard; and
The vessel has or is required to have a Federal crab vessel permit for that crab fishing year.
4. Make the VMS transmitter available for inspection by NMFS personnel, observers, or an authorized officer;
5. Ensure that the VMS transmitter is not tampered with, disabled, destroyed, or operated
improperly; and
6. Pay all charges levied by the communication service provider.
The last thing you want to be caught at is turning your VMS off or otherwise tampering with it.Stay tuned!
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