On September 6, 2024, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register revising requirements for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) reporting by commercial, for-hire, and private recreational vessel owners and dealers.
The proposed rule would require vessel owners, who currently report in existing paper commercial logbooks, to report electronically. Additionally, NMFS is proposing to implement new logbook requirements for vessel owners holding HMS Charter/Headboat permits or Atlantic Tunas General category permits, Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permits, and/or Swordfish General Commercial permits.
Additionally, HMS dealers would be required to report individual fish weights for additional species (i.e., Atlantic bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack (BAYS) tunas, swordfish, and pelagic sharks).
NMFS states that the purpose of the proposal is to streamline and modernize reporting through electronic reporting and consolidation of reporting deadlines, expand electronic logbook reporting to additional commercial and charter/headboat vessel owners, and collect additional information from dealers.
NMFS will be holding three virtual public hearings on the proposal:
- October 16, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
- October 29, 2024, from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET
- December 2, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
As part of the proposed rule, NMFS has prepared an initial regulatory flexibility analysis outlining the impacts on small entities.
Comments on the rule must be received by January 6, 2025.
- Read the initial regulatory flexibility analysis.
- Register for the virtual public hearings.
- Read the Federal Register notice and submit a comment.
Advocacy contact: Send an email to Nick Goldstein at nick.goldstein@sba.gov.