The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold two workshops in February to help for-hire vessel operators prepare for upcoming electronic reporting requirements. Beginning March 12, 2018, all vessels with Federal charter or party permits for species managed by the Mid-Atlantic Council will be required to submit electronic vessel trip reports (eVTRs) while on trips carrying passengers for hire. eVTRs must be submitted through a NOAA-approved software application within 48 hours following the completion of a fishing trip.
While all software options for electronic reporting will be briefly discussed, the workshops will primarily focus on training for the SAFIS eTrips/mobile and eTrips Online systems developed by the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program (ACCSP). Participants will receive hands-on assistance with navigating the eTrips application, setting up favorites, and creating and editing trip reports. Instruction will be led by Rick Bellavance, Owner/Operator of Priority Fishing Charters in Point Judith, Rhode Island, and ACCSP staff.
For more information about for-hire electronic reporting requirements and software options, visit http://www.mafmc.org/for-hire-evtr/.
Workshop Dates and Locations
Saturday, February 10, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Boston North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd., Danvers, MA, 978-777-2500
Saturday, February 24, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Clarion Hotel & Convention Center, 815 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ, 732-341-6101
Instruction for SAFIS eTrips/mobile (for use on tablets) will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m. Instruction for eTrips Online (for use on desktop or laptop computers) will begin at 1:00 and conclude by 4:30. Each session will be preceded by a discussion of all options for reporting. In the event that demand for eTrips/online instruction is low, a second eTrips/mobile session may be added in the afternoon.
Webinar
Webinar: The Council will also hold a public webinar on Friday, March 2, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to provide instruction to for-hire operators on electronic reporting of vessel trip reports (VTRs). Click here for more information.
Registration
To register for one of the workshops, complete the registration form at http://www.mafmc.org/forms/evtr-workshop-registration or email the workshop coordinator at aloftus@andrewloftus.com. There are a limited number of spaces available. Participants are strongly encouraged to register early so that workshop personnel can work with each individual prior to the workshop to establish needed accounts for reporting systems.
What to Bring
Participants should bring an electronic tablet or laptop capable of connecting to the internet via W-Fi. For the mobile-based version, participants will need either a Google account (for Android systems) or an iTunes account (for Apple systems) to download the eTrips/mobile app. This will allow you to work along with the instructors and be set up and ready to begin electronic reporting once you leave the workshop.
Please direct any questions to workshop coordinator Andrew Loftus, aloftus@andrewloftus.com, (410) 295-5997.