[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6233]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 030398A]


Atlantic Sea Scallop; Certified Vessel Tracking System Vendor

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notification of Vessel Tracking System (VTS) Certification.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the approval and certification of a VTS vendor 
for the Northeast Region. This action is necessary to inform owners of 
vessels required to report days-at-sea (DAS) with VTS units of the 
requirement to have an operational VTS unit on board effective May 15, 
1998. This action implements the VTS requirement of the Atlantic sea 
scallop regulations for certain categories of vessels.

DATES: This action becomes effective on May 15, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul H. Jones, Fishery Policy Analyst, 
978-281-9273.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Final regulations implementing Amendment 4 
to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan were published on 
January 19, 1994 (59 FR 2757). This amendment established effort 
control, or DAS programs, and required vessels participating in a DAS 
program to install an operational VTS unit for DAS monitoring. The 
regulations implementing Amendment 5 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP 
(59 FR 9872, March 1, 1994) implemented similar provisions for certain 
sectors of this fishery. In 1994, NMFS notified vessels participating 
in the DAS programs that the VTS requirement was delayed pending 
certification of vendors that meet the specified minimum performance 
standards. During this period, vessels were required to report via the 
call-in system (see Sec. 648.10(d)).
    In the proposed rule for Amendment 4 (58 FR 46606, September 2, 
1993), NMFS requested that vendors interested in having systems 
certified for use in these fisheries submit information showing that 
the VTS meets the minimum performance criteria. The NMFS Office for Law 
Enforcement worked with the vendors to develop VTS units that meet 
these specifications.
    On October 29, 1996, NMFS announced an experiment to test VTS 
between January 2, 1997, and September 30, 1997, to determine the 
effectiveness of VTS units supplied by vendors for VTS monitoring. 
Limited access multispecies permit holders in the individual DAS and 
combination DAS permit categories, as well as scallop limited access 
permit holders in the full-time and part-time categories, were invited 
to participate in the VTS experiment. Two vendors, Boatracs and 
SeaConnect, and 56 fishing vessels participated in the VTS experimental 
program.
    Regulations contained in 50 CFR 648.10(d) provide NMFS with the 
discretion to authorize the use of the call-in system to report DAS 
until such time VTS vendors are certified. NMFS has reviewed the 
results of the VTS experiment and other information provided by the 
vendor and concluded the following vendor has VTS units that meet the 
requirements for certification: Boatracs, 6440 Lusk Blvd., Suite D201, 
San Diego, CA 92121-2758, (619) 587-1073, 1-800-336-8722. As the result 
of certification of this vendor, the existing requirement that limited 
access sea scallop vessels in the full-time and part-time permit 
categories report via the call-in system is rescinded.
    The vendor SeaConnect did not meet the specifications required for 
certification. They were informed of the problems, continue to work 
with the NMFS Office of Law Enforcement, and may qualify in the future.
    During its January 1998 meeting, the New England Fishery Management 
Council voted to propose a 1-year delay in the VTS requirement for all 
limited access multispecies individual DAS vessels. Therefore, this 
action applies only to scallop limited access permit holders in the 
full-time and part-time categories effective May 15, 1998. These 
vessels are required to have an operational Boatracs VTS unit on board 
to report DAS and are now subject to all the VTS provisions and 
requirements under Secs. 648.9 and 648.10 regarding use of the VTS and 
the VTS prohibitions under Sec. 648.14. Vessel owners holding limited 
access occasional permits may also elect to report DAS under the VTS 
notification program or continue to report under the current call-in 
system.
    Vessel owners subject to the VTS requirement should be aware that, 
currently, the geographic range of the Boatracs system is limited and 
is not likely to extend beyond the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Owners 
of vessels that anticipate fishing in a high seas fishery, or who wish 
to delay purchasing a system for any reason, are encouraged to consider 
leasing the Boatracs system or working out some other type of 
procurement arrangement.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et. seq.

    Dated: March 4, 1998.
Rolland A. Schmitten,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-6233 Filed 3-10-98; 8:45 am]
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