50 C.F.R. § 600.502

Current through September 30, 2024

Section 600.502 - Vessel reports

(a) The operator of each FFV must report the FFV's activities to the USCG and NMFS as specified in this section.

(b) All reports required by this section must be in English and in the formats specified in the permit additions and restrictions. Reports must be delivered via private or commercial communications facilities, facsimile, or other electronic means acceptable to NMFS and the USCG, directly to the appropriate NMFS Region or Center and USCG commander. Weekly reports must also be delivered directly to the appropriate NMFS Region or Center (see tables 1 and 2 of this section). (The required reports may be delivered to the closest USCG communication station as indicated in table 3 of this section or other USCG communication station only if adequate private or commercial communications facilities have not been successfully contacted.) Radio reports must be made via radiotelegraphy, Telex, or facsimile where available. For the purposes of this section, a message is considered "transmitted" when its receipt is acknowledged by a communications facility and considered "delivered" upon its receipt by the offices of the appropriate USCG commander, NMFS Regional Office, or NMFS Center identified in table 2 of this section. Reports required by this section may be submitted by the vessel's designated representative; however, the operator of the FFV is responsible for the correct and timely filing of all required reports.

(c)Activity reports. The operator of each FFV must report the FFV's movements and activities before or upon the event, as specified in this paragraph (c). Appropriate forms, instructions, codes, and examples are contained in the conditions and restrictions of the FFV's permit. Each FFV report must contain the following information: The message identifier "VESREP" to indicate it is a vessel activity report, FFV name, international radio call sign IRCS, date (month and day based on GMT), time (hour and minute GMT), position (latitude and longitude to the nearest degree and minute) where required, area (by fishing area code) where required, the appropriate action code, confirmation codes where required, and the other information specified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(11) of this section.

(1)"BEGIN". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will actually "BEGIN" fishing in the EEZ and the species (by species code), product (by product code), and quantity of all fish and fish products (by product weight to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton) on board when entering the EEZ (action code "BEGIN"). The message must be delivered at least 24 hours before the vessel begins to fish.

(2)"DEPART". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will "DEPART" the EEZ to embark or debark an observer, to visit a U.S. port, to conduct a joint venture in internal waters, or to otherwise temporarily leave an authorized fishing area, but not depart the seaward limit of the EEZ (action code "DEPART"). The message must be transmitted before the FFV departs the present fishing area and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.

(3)"RETURN". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will "RETURN" to the EEZ following a temporary departure, and the species (by species code), product (by product code), and quantity of all fish and fish products (by product weight to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton) on board that were received in a joint venture in internal waters (action code "RETURN"). The message must be transmitted before returning to the EEZ and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.

(4)"SHIFT". Each operator must report each SHIFT in fishing area (as described for each fishery) by specifying the date, time, and position the FFV will start fishing, and the new area (action code "SHIFT"). The message must be transmitted before leaving the original area and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal. If a foreign vessel operates within 20 nautical miles (37.04 km) of a fishing area boundary, its operator may submit in one message the shift reports for all fishing area shifts occurring during 1 fishing day (0001-2400 GMT). This message must be transmitted prior to the last shift expected to be made in the day and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.

(5)"JV OPS". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area at which the FFV will "START" joint venture operations (action code "START JV OPS") or "END" joint venture operations (action code "END JV OPS"). These reports must be made in addition to other activity reports made under this section. Each message must be transmitted before the event and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal.

(6)"TRANSFER". The operator of each FFV that anticipates a transshipping operation in which the FFV will receive fish or fisheries products must specify the date, time, position and area the FFV will conduct the "TRANSFER" and the name and IRCS of the other FFV or U.S. vessel involved (action code "TRANSFER"). The report must include the permit activity code under which the transfer will be made. The message must be transmitted prior to the transfer and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal. The movement of raw fish from a permitted foreign catching vessel or, under an Activity Code 4, from a U.S. fishing vessel to the reporting processing vessel and the return of nets or codends is not considered a transfer.

(7)"OFFLOADED". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV "OFFLOADED" fish or fisheries products TO another FFV or a U.S. vessel in a transfer, the other FFV's or U.S. vessel's name, IRCS, Permit Activity Code under which the transfer was made, species (by species code) and quantity of fish and fisheries products (by product code and by product weight, to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton) offloaded (action code "OFFLOADED TO"). The message must be transmitted within 12 hours after the transfer is completed and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal and before the FFV ceases fishing in the EEZ.

(8)"RECEIVED". Each operator must specify the date, time, position and area the vessel "RECEIVED" fish or fisheries products FROM another FFV in a transfer, the other FFV's or U.S. vessel's name, IRCS, Permit Activity Code under which the receipt was made, species (by species code) and quantity of fish and fisheries products (by product code and by product weight, to the nearest hundredth of a metric ton) received (action code "RECEIVED FROM"). The message must be transmitted within 12 hours after the transfer is completed and delivered within 24 hours of its transmittal and before the vessel ceases fishing in the EEZ.

(9)"CEASE". Each operator must specify the date, time, position, and area the FFV will "CEASE" fishing in order to leave the EEZ (action code "CEASE"). The message must be delivered at least 24 hours before the FFV's departure.

(10)"CHANGE". Each operator must report any "CHANGE" TO the FFV's operations if the position or time of an event specified in an activity report will vary more than 5 nautical miles (9.26 km) or 4 hours from that previously reported, by sending a revised message inserting the word "CHANGE" in front of the previous report, repeating the name, IRCS, date, and time of the previous report, adding the word "TO" and the complete revised text of the new report (action code "CHANGE TO"). Changes to reports specifying an early beginning of fishing by an FFV or other changes to reports contained in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(9) of this section must be transmitted and delivered as if the "CHANGE" report were the original message.

(11)"CANCEL". Each operator wanting to "CANCEL" a previous report may do so by sending a revised message, and inserting the word "CANCEL" in front of the previous report's vessel name, IRCS, date, time and action code canceled (action code "CANCEL"). The message must be transmitted and delivered prior to the date and time of the event in the original message.

(d) The operator of an FFV will be in violation of paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(9) of this section if the FFV does not pass within 5 nautical miles (9.26 km) of the position given in the report within 4 hours of the time given in the report.

(e) The notices required by this section may be provided for individual or groups of FFV's (on a vessel-by-vessel basis) by authorized persons. An FFV operator may retransmit reports on the behalf of another FFV, if authorized by that FFV's operator. This does not relieve the individual vessel operator of the responsibility of filing required reports. In these cases, the message format should be modified so that each line of text under "VESREP" is a separate vessel report.

(f)Weekly reports.

(1) The operator of each FFV in the EEZ must submit appropriate weekly reports through the Nation's designated representative. The report must arrive at the address and time specified in paragraph (g) of this section. The reports may be sent by facsimile or Telex, but a completed copy of the report form must be mailed or hand delivered to confirm the Telex. Appropriate forms, instructions, codes, and examples are contained in the conditions and restrictions of the FFV's permit. Designated representatives may include more than one vessel report in a facsimile or Telex message, if the information is submitted on a vessel-by-vessel basis. Requests for corrections to previous reports must be submitted through the Nation's designated representative and mailed or hand-delivered, together with a written explanation of the reasons for the errors. The appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director may accept or reject any correction and initiate any appropriate civil penalty actions.

(2)Weekly catch report (CATREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly catch report stating any catch (Activity Code 1) in round weight of each species or species group allocated to that Nation by area and days fished in each area for the weekly period Sunday through Saturday, GMT, as modified by the fishery in which the FFV is engaged. Foreign vessels delivering unsorted, unprocessed fish to a processing vessel are not required to submit CATREP's, if that processing vessel (Activity Code 2) submits consolidated CATREP's for all fish received during each weekly period. No report is required for FFV's that do not catch or receive foreign-caught fish during the reporting period.

(3)Weekly receipts report (RECREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly report stating any receipts of U.S.-harvested fish in a joint venture (Activity Code 4) for the weekly period Sunday through Saturday, GMT, as modified by the fishery in which the FFV is engaged, for each fishing area, by authorized or prohibited species or species group; days fish received; round weight retained or returned to the U.S. fishing vessel; number of codends received; and number of vessels transferring codends. The report must also include the names of U.S. fishing vessels transferring codends during the week. No report is required for FFV's that do not receive any U.S.-harvested fish during the reporting period.

(4)Marine mammal report (MAMREP). The operator of each FFV must submit a weekly report stating any incidental catch or receipt of marine mammals (Activity Codes 1 or 2 and/or 4), the geographical position caught, the condition of the animal, number caught (if more than one of the same species and condition), and nationality of the catching vessel for the period Sunday through Saturday, GMT, as modified by the fishery in which the vessel is engaged. Foreign catching vessels delivering unsorted, unprocessed fish to processing vessel are not required to submit MAMREP's, provided that the processing or factory vessel (Activity Code 2) submits consolidated MAMREP's for all fish received during each weekly period. FFV's receiving U.S.-harvested fish in a joint venture (Activity Code 4) must submit consolidated reports for U.S. vessels operating in the joint venture. No report is required for FFV's that do not catch or receive marine mammals during the reporting period.

(g)Submission instructions for weekly reports. The designated representative for each FFV must submit weekly reports in the prescribed format to the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director of NMFS by 1900 GMT on the Wednesday following the end of the reporting period. However, by agreement with the appropriate Regional Administrator or Science and Research Director, the designated representative may submit weekly reports to some other facility of NMFS.

(h)Alternative reporting procedures. As an alternative to the use of the specific procedures provided, an applicant may submit proposed reporting procedures for a general type of fishery operation (i.e., transshipments under Activity Code 10) to the appropriate Regional Administrator and the USCG commander (see tables 1 and 2 to § 600.502 of this chapter). With the agreement of the USCG commander, the Regional Administrator may authorize the use of alternative reporting procedures.

Table 1 to § 600.502 -Addresses

NMFS regional administrators	NMFS science and research directors	U.S. Coast Guard commanders
Administrator, Northeast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298	Director, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA 02543-1097	Commander, Atlantic Area, U.S. Coast Guard, 431 Crawford St., Portsmouth, VA 23704.
Administrator, Southeast Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701	Director, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149	Commander, Atlantic Area, U.S. Coast Guard, Governor's Island, New York 10004.
Administrator, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115	Director, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112-2097	Commander, Pacific Area, U.S. Coast Guard, Government Island, Alameda, CA 94501.
Administrator, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668	Director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 4, Seattle, WA 98115-0070	Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District, P.O. Box 25517, Juneau, AK 99802.
Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213	Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038-0271	Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96850.
Administrator, Pacific Islands Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818	Director, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818	Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96850.

Table 2 to § 600.502 -Areas of Responsibility of NMFS and U.S. Coast Guard Offices

Area of responsibility/fishery	National Marine Fisheries Service	U.S. Coast Guard
Atlantic Ocean North of Cape Hatteras	Director, Northeast Science Center, Attn: Observer Program	Commander, Atlantic Area.
Atlantic Ocean South of Cape Hatteras	Director, Northeast Science Center, Attn: Observer Program	Commander, Atlantic Area.
Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Billfish and Sharks	Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries	Commander, Atlantic Area.
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea	Administrator, Southeast Region	Commander, Atlantic Area.
Pacific Ocean off the States of California, Oregon, and Washington	Administrator, Northwest Region	Commander, Pacific Area.
North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea off Alaska	Administrator, Alaska Region	Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District.
Pacific Ocean off Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Insular Possessions in the Central and Western Pacific	Administrator, Pacific Islands Region	Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District.

Table 3 to § 600.502 -U.S. Coast Guard Communications Stations and Frequencies

U.S. Coast Guard communications station	Radiotelephone
	IRCS	Channel1	GMT time
Boston	NMF	A-E	2330-1100.
		B,C	All.
		D	1100-2330.
		E	(On request).
CAMSLANT Chesapeake (Portsmouth, VA)	NMN	A	2330-1100.
		B,C	All.
		D	1100-2330.
		E	(On request).
New Orleans	NMG	A	2330-1100.
		B,C	All.
		D	1100-2330.
		E	(On request).
CAMSPAC Point Reyes (San Francisco, CA)	NMC	A-D	All.
		E	(On request).
Honolulu	NMO	A-D	All.
		E	(On request).
Kodiak	NOJ	A-D	All.
		E	(On request).

¹ Carrier frequencies of duplex, high-frequency single-sideband channels are:

Letter	Shore transmit	Ship transmit
A	4426.0	4134.0
B	6501.0	6200.0
C	8764.0	8240.0
D	13089.0	12242.0
E	17314.0	16432.0

50 C.F.R. §600.502

61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 63 FR 7073, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 39020, July 21, 1999; 69 FR 8341, Feb. 24, 2004; 76 FR 34902, June 15, 2011; 79 FR 64111, Oct. 28, 2014