Frequently Asked Questions: Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program

Disclaimer: This publication was last updated 3/28/2023 for general information purposes only.  Any discrepancies between this information and the regulations as published in official sources of information, such as the Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations will be resolved in favor of the official sources.

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General Program Requirements

Who must report?

Owners or operators of vessels that have a South Atlantic/Atlantic issued federal Charter/Headboat permit.  The Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) program started in January 2021.  Reporting is now required for all charter/headboat trips, regardless of where fishing occurs, including other regional or state waters. 

Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) federal for-hire permits: 

• On February 23, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit set aside the final rule implementing the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf).  This means the Gulf program is currently not in effect.  The ruling does not affect the South Atlantic SEFHIER program.
• NOAA Fisheries Update: Court of Appeals Decision on the Gulf of Mexico Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program Lawsuit
• This ruling applies to the following permits:
  • Charter/Headboat for Reef fish permit (RCG)
  • Historical Captain Charter/Headboat for Reef fish permit (HRCG)
  • Charter/Headboat for Coastal Migratory Pelagic fish permit (CHG) 
  • Historical Captain Charter/Headboat for Coastal Migratory Pelagic fish (HCHG) permit

South Atlantic/Atlantic (South Atlantic) federal for-hire permits: 

• South Atlantic Charter/Headboat for Coastal Migratory Pelagic fish (CHS) permit
• Atlantic Charter/Headboat for Dolphin/wahoo (CDW) permit
• South Atlantic Charter/Headboat for Snapper-grouper fish (SC) permit

For vessels with both Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permits, follow the South Atlantic/Atlantic regulations, no matter where you fish.  For example, if you are fishing in Alabama  and you have both a Gulf and South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permit, you will still need to submit a logbook under the permit requirements for your South Atlantic/Atlantic permit.

Why were the requirements put in place?

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) approved an Amendment that was implemented by NOAA Fisheries requiring South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessels to report catch and effort. The Council determined that trip-level reporting may provide improved monitoring of recreational quotas for timely and efficient management of the recreational fishing seasons.  The reporting requirements are intended to help improve population assessments by providing a more accurate record of for-hire vessel landings and locations.  For example, the economic data entered by fishermen in real time through the additional questions added to the eTrips application will enhance the ability of NOAA Fisheries and the Council to understand the potential impacts of proposed management and regulatory change(s) on the federally permitted for-hire sector (e.g. changing bag limits, area closures).  These data will also allow NOAA Fisheries to better monitor the economic health of the industry over time.

On February 23, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit set aside the final rule implementing the SEFHIER program in the Gulf.  This means the Gulf program is currently not in effect. The ruling does not affect the South Atlantic SEFHIER program. 

More information on each program

Where can I find more information about the requirements and the amendment that established the reporting program?

Find more information about the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Amendment, including informational videos, toolkits, a webinar schedule, and other pertinent information.

A customer service line is also available weekdays from 8am to 4:30 pm ET at (833) 707-1632 or through e-mail at SER.ElectronicReporting@noaa.gov.  

I no longer intend to fish for species managed by my South Atlantic/Atlantic for-hire permits. How do I surrender my permits?

The South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permits are open-access.  The Southeast Region Permits Office initially issues new open access permit(s) for periods as short as 6 months to as long as 17 months, depending on the different factors used to calculate the permit's expiration date.  Existing federal for-hire open access permits that are renewed before the expiration date are valid for 1 year after the effective date of the renewed permit.  Vessels with South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permits are required to report to the SEFHIER program.  If you wish to stop harvesting species covered by the South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permit(s), and your permit(s) are not already expired, you must surrender your permit(s) by mailing them to the Permits Office along with a letter, signed by the permit holder, stating that you are surrendering your permit(s).  Please allow up to 3 weeks from the time your application is received to complete the surrendering process.  For more information, visit the Permits website.

Mail may be sent to the Permit Office at:

US Department of Commerce, NOAA

NMFS Permit Office (F/SER14)

263 13th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Phone: 877-376-4877

How do these new requirements affect vessels in the Southeast Region Headboat Survey?

Some vessels in the Gulf and South Atlantic are selected for reporting to the Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS).  If you are selected to participate in, or already report to the survey, you must use the VESL software and the headboat survey reporting form to satisfy the federal for-hire permit reporting requirements.

More information on how to switch forms when using VESL to report to multiple agencies

Gulf of Mexico Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS) selected vessels

If your vessel has been selected to report to the SRHS, the reporting requirements have reverted back to the requirements prior to the SEFHIER program.  This means that unless otherwise notified by NOAA Fisheries, trip level reports must be submitted weekly (reporting week is Monday-Sunday), by the following Sunday after the reporting week.  SRHS vessels are no longer required to have a VMS, hail-out, or land at a pre-approved landing location.  

South Atlantic Southeast Region Headboat Survey selected vessel

The weekly reporting requirement changed from Sunday to Tuesday.  This reduced the time when reports are due from seven to two days following a fishing week (Monday-Sunday).

Court of Appeals Decision on the Gulf of Mexico Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting Program Lawsuit

On February 23, 2023, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit set aside the final rule implementing the Southeast For-Hire Integrated Electronic Reporting (SEFHIER) program in the Gulf.  This means the Gulf program is currently not in effect.  The ruling does not affect the South Atlantic SEFHIER program. 

What does this mean for current participants of the Gulf SEFHIER Program?

For Gulf SEFHIER participants:

• The Gulf SEFHIER program is not currently in effect.
• You may leave on trips without submitting a Gulf SEFHIER hail-out. 
• You may land at any location and are no longer restricted to SEFHIER pre-approved landing locations.
• After returning from a fishing trip, you do not have to submit a logbook through an app or the VMS unit, unless you are part of the SRHS program.
• You may turn off or remove your VMS unit without submitting a Power Down Exemption, unless you have a Commercial Reef Fish permit.  
• You will no longer be approached by SEFHIER Validation Survey samplers.
• The MRIP dockside sampling program is not affected by this ruling.  NOAA Fisheries continues to encourage participation in the MRIP program as these data inform the assessment and management of Gulf stocks.

If you are a Gulf SRHS participant, please see the next question for more information.

If you are a Gulf commercial reef fish participant, please see question “If I have a Gulf for-hire and a Gulf commercial reef fish permit, what do I report?” for more information.

What are the current reporting requirements if I have a Gulf for-hire permit and I participate in the Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS)?

If your vessel has been selected to report to the SRHS, the reporting requirements have reverted back to the requirements prior to the SEFHIER program.  This means that unless otherwise notified by NOAA Fisheries, trip level reports must be submitted weekly (reporting week is Monday-Sunday), by the following Sunday after the reporting week.  SRHS vessels are no longer required to have a VMS, hail-out, or land at a pre-approved landing location.  

What are the current reporting requirements if I have an Atlantic/South Atlantic federal for-hire permit? 

Electronic reporting requirements for vessels with Atlantic/South Atlantic federal for-hire permit(s) (Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic species, Atlantic dolphin and wahoo, or South Atlantic snapper-grouper) remain unchanged.  The software applications used to report logbooks were used by both the Gulf and Atlantic/South Atlantic, therefore those applications will continue to be used in the Atlantic/South Atlantic. 

What are the reporting requirements if I have both a Gulf and Atlantic/South Atlantic federal for-hire permit? 

Federally permitted vessels with both Gulf and Atlantic/South Atlantic for-hire permits that have been reporting under the Gulf requirements must now report under the Atlantic/South Atlantic reporting requirements.  Atlantic/South Atlantic reporting requirements include, weekly trip level reporting through an approved vendor (reporting week is Monday-Sunday), trip-level logbooks for any for-hire fishing trip due by the Tuesday following the reporting week, and a Did Not Fish report in place of the logbook if no fishing occurred within the fishing week.  For more information on Atlantic/South Atlantic reporting requirements, see the link below to the South Atlantic Compliance Guide.

If I have a Gulf for-hire and a Gulf commercial reef fish permit, what do I report? 

Federal Gulf for-hire permitted vessels that also hold a Gulf commercial reef fish permit must continue to abide by commercial reef fish reporting requirements, but are not required to comply with the Gulf for-hire VMS or electronic logbook reporting requirements. 

Can I report voluntarily?  If I report voluntarily, what will happen with the data if I report?

NOAA discourages captains from reporting voluntarily.  Data that are collected voluntarily will have limited utility as not everyone will report and there will be no data validation.  In addition, NOAA Fisheries cannot ensure that the data would remain confidential because the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act only protects from disclosure information that is required to be submitted.

I am a dual Atlantic/South Atlantic and Gulf for-hire federal permit holder.  Can I still use my VMS to report to the Atlantic/South Atlantic SEFHIER program?

No.  The VMS unit’s forms are not type approved for the Atlantic/South Atlantic SEFHIER program.  Anyone with an Atlantic/South Atlantic federal for-hire permit (South Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics, Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo, or South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper) permit will need to report using type-approved applications for the Atlantic/South Atlantic SEFHIER program (e.g., eTrips or VESL).  Information on these free software applications is available here.

Any vessel with an Atlantic/South Atlantic federal for-hire permit is required to submit trip reports (logbooks or no fishing reports) to NOAA Fisheries by the Tuesday following the fishing week (Monday-Sunday).  This includes vessels with both Gulf and South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permit(s).

Can I turn off my VMS unit and take it off my vessel?

If you are required to have a VMS for another fishery, then you must continue to follow that fishery’s regulations regarding VMS requirements.  If you only have a VMS unit to meet the Gulf federal for-hire permit requirements for the SEFHIER program then you may turn off the VMS unit and remove it from your vessel.  You will also need to contact your VMS vendor if you want to deactivate your unit.

I submitted a Power Down Exemption for my VMS prior to the Court decision.  What happens to that now?

If you are required to have a VMS for another fishery, then the submitted Power Down Exemption (PDE) continues to apply to your vessel.  If you only have a VMS unit to meet the Gulf federal, for-hire permit requirements you no longer need a PDE to turn off your unit and may remove the unit from your vessel.  Any current PDEs will simply expire, there is nothing an owner/operator needs to do.

Can I still get reimbursed for the VMS I purchased for the Gulf program prior to the Court decision?

The purchase deadline to receive the VMS reimbursement is March 3, 2023, the date the first Fishery Bulletin announcing the decision was published.  Reimbursements will be available to federally permitted Gulf for-hire vessels who purchased their SEFHIER, type-approved VMS unit on or before March 3, 2023.  The reimbursement process is outlined here: https://www.psmfc.org/program/vessel-monitoring-system-reimbursement-program-vms?pid=17.  NOAA Fisheries’ reimbursement policy for fisheries in which a cellular VMS is allowed is to reimburse eligible permit holders for the cost of the first VMS unit they purchase for their federally permitted vessel, up to the cap of $950.  Installation costs and communication fees are not included.

Why is the cap on the reimbursement $950?

The reimbursement policy was reviewed and amended when cellular VMS units got approval for use in U.S. Fisheries.  The long-standing rule for VMS units allowed for the use of satellite units only, and the modernization of the rule warranted a full review of the reimbursement policy.  One outcome of the process was a $950 reimbursement cap for those fisheries in which a cellular VMS is allowed.

I only have federal Gulf for-hire permits.  Why am I still seeing compliance when I go to renew my permits?

NOAA Fisheries is required to check compliance with reporting requirements before permit renewal.  All federal Gulf for-hire vessels NOT in the Southeast Region Headboat Survey (SRHS) are automatically marked as compliant with SEFHIER.  However, vessels in the SRHS are required to submit trip-level reports on a weekly basis and compliance continues to be a permit requirement for those vessels.

General Reporting Requirements

How do I get started?

NOAA Fisheries has mailed a For-Hire Reporting toolkit to each permit holder.  If you have not received one, you can request one from the program (833) 707-1632 or email at ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov), or access the digital version.  The toolkit provides information on which software providers are approved for use, how to create user accounts, and resources for how to actually submit a report. NOAA Fisheries staff are holding webinar outreach sessions to provide training to interested fishermen.

What are the logbook requirements?

South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessels are required to submit information on catch and effort, such as, but not limited to: trip start and end dates, trip start and end times, end port, vessel and captain identification, number of anglers, number of crew, method of fishing, hours fished, primary depth fished, species kept, species discarded, charter fee, fuel used, and fuel price per gallon.  This information is required to be reported regardless of where the vessel is fishing.

A no-fishing report must be submitted if a vessel does not go fishing in a reporting week (Monday through Sunday). All reports must be filed electronically through approved software.

How do I submit a logbook report?

NOAA Fisheries has approved a number of vendors that have the required software to report for South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permitted vessels.  The current list can be found on our website, under Approved Software.

How often do I need to submit my reports?

South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permitted vessels

Logbooks should  be submitted weekly, by 11:59 pm, local time, the Tuesday following a reporting week (Monday-Sunday).

What if I don’t submit fishing records on time?

If the South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire vessel is delinquent in submitting the reports, the vessel will be prohibited from continuing to harvest and possess fish covered by those federal for-hire permits, until all required reports have been submitted. The federal for-hire permit would not be renewed until all required reports are submitted.  Reporting violations would be subject to the NOAA Policy for Assessment of Penalties and Permit Sanctions.

What will I be required to do if I am not actively fishing with my permit?

South Atlantic federal for-hire permitted vessels

If the vessel does not engage in any for-hire fishing activity in a given reporting week (Monday through Sunday), a no fishing report for that week is required by the following Tuesday.  No fishing reports can only be submitted up to 30 days in advance.  For all no fishing reports, please ensure that you complete the vessel field in the application you are using for submission.  The vessel field is critical to confirming compliance with the program.

What are the economic questions included in the logbook reporting requirements?

The economic data includes trip fee, fuel used, price per gallon, and the number passengers and crew.

Why were economic questions included in the logbook reporting requirements?

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act require NOAA Fisheries to assess the biological, economic, and social impacts of management actions.  Price and revenue data for commercial fishing and fuel cost data for headboats have been comprehensively collected by NOAA Fisheries, but there has been nothing comparable for charter fishing.  Most of the economic information charter vessels  has been collected episodically and usually based on small samples. Information is often outdated when analyses are conducted for regulatory actions and determining the economic impacts of fishery disasters on the for-hire fleet. 

Detailed economic data, collected in real time, is expected to enhance our understanding of how the federally permitted for-hire industry is impacted when regulatory change is considered. These impacts of changing management measures such as catch bag and size limits, season and area closures, and external factors such as red tide and oil spills.  These data will also allow us to better monitor the economic health of the industry over time.  In addition, the economic information will help fisheries managers and scientists assess the value of the for-hire sector that will allow for economic recovery from fishery disasters.  NOAA Fisheries economists will use the data in their cost-benefit and economic impact analyses for actions and amendments that propose regulatory changes, and always in a confidential manner.  The information can also be used to inform quota allocation decisions, fisheries research, and disaster recovery damage assessments.

Why do I have to provide the Trip Fee?

The data collected by the Trip Fee question in the logbook are used by NOAA Fisheries to measure the revenue that the vessel receives from a trip and estimate the average price per passenger, which is then used to estimate the economic value of for-hire trips (and trip attributes) using various economic analyses.  Fisheries managers and scientists can also use the data to estimate losses in revenue in the event of a fishery disaster, which in turn can influence disaster determinations and the allocation of funds.  NOAA Fisheries economists will use the data in their cost-benefit and other economic analyses for actions and amendments that propose regulatory changes, and always in a confidential manner.  If a trip was offered for free on a charity basis or donated to a raffle (i.e., no revenue was received), then the user should enter $0 for the trip fee. Otherwise, the actual revenue received for the trip should be recorded under the Trip Fee question.

Why do I need to provide the Fuel Price for each trip? 

The data collected by the Fuel Price question are used by NOAA Fisheries to accurately estimate the fuel cost of a trip.  Because Fuel Price varies by locality, date, quantity, and fuel type, data specific to the vessel at the trip level are required.  Cost information, including fuel cost, helps NOAA Fisheries understand and explain (for management purposes) the economic performance of for-hire vessels, and how/why it differs between vessels.  These data can later be used to predict vessel behavior.  Therefore, please provide your best estimate of the price paid for fuel on each trip.

What if I want to use my computer to report?

Please select an application that also has a computer-based version available.  Vendors approved for computer-based reporting are listed on our website.

Is there a way to report through a phone line or paper?

No, the intent of the Council with electronic reporting was to improve the accuracy and timeliness of reporting.  There is no option to submit reports via a phone call or paper.  All reports need to be submitted electronically through an approved vendor for this program.

I have a for-hire federal permit that I also use to run non-fishing activities (e.g., sunset cruises, sight-seeing tours). What do I have to report? 

South Atlantic/Atlantic federal for-hire permitted vessels

You will not have to submit a logbook for non-fishing trips.  You should instead submit a Did Not Fish report for that week if no fishing trips took place.

I operate a federal for-hire permitted vessel in the South Atlantic, what do I do if I fish twice or more in one week and complete non-fishing activities in the same week?

You will need to submit a report for every fishing trip.  However, you do not need to submit a Did Not Fish report for the week, as you had at least one fishing activity in that week.

What if sometimes I run as a charter, sometimes as a headboat, what do I do? 

If you are part of the Southeast Regional Headboat Survey, continue to report as usual.  If you are not part of the headboat survey, select the appropriate trip type (charter or headboat) for the trip in the logbook.

Are crew allowed to fish and retain their caught fish on for-hire trips, in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic?

Federal regulations for coastal migratory pelagics and South Atlantic snapper-grouper do not currently prohibit captain and crew from retaining fish on federally permitted for-hire vessels.  The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved Amendment 53 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic at their March 2023 meeting, which if approved by NOAA Fisheries and implemented, would prohibit the retention of gag and black grouper by captain and crew.  For federally permitted for-hire reef fish vessels in the Gulf, federal regulations regarding retention of species by captain and crew vary (see regulations at 622.38).  We recommend captains know the bag, trip, vessel limits, and other federal regulations for the species they are targeting.

Will the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) continue now that there is logbook reporting in the South Atlantic?

Yes.  The MRIP For-Hire Survey will continue to operate; side-by-side comparisons between MRIP and the South Atlantic SEFHIER program are required before the SEFHIER program can be certified.  Several years for comparisons may be required.  NOAA Fisheries will need to determine a transition plan if the logbook records can replace the MRIP information.

Electronic Logbook Questions

How do I submit an electronic logbook?

Submit your electronic fishing report using a NOAA Fisheries approved application.  Applications may be available for smartphones, tablets, or computers. Lists of approved software

Lists of approved software and VMS vendors

What information is required for the electronic logbook?

For-hire vessels with federal Charter/Headboat Permit Holders for South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper, Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagics, or Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo, are required to record catch and effort information as part of the logbook requirement.  Below is the list of elements contained within the logbook and brief explanation of each field.  Logbook information is required for any fishing trip, regardless of where the vessel is fishing. 

Why do the questions asked vary depending on the reporting platform used?

All vendors are required to ask the core questions relating to the SEFHIER program, but are allowed leeway in how these questions are displayed and information collected.  Some vessels have reporting requirements for multiple federal regions: Southeast Regional Office (SERO), Greater Atlantic Regional Fishing Office (GARFO), and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) federal for-hire permits.  Vendors approved to reduce duplicative burden from multiple region requirements ((i.e., dually SERO and GARFO and/or HMS permits) through one-stop reporting capabilities may ask additional or more detailed questions.  Some examples of these additional or more detailed questions are: Primary Area Fished (i.e., state waters inland, state waters inshore, federal waters, or international waters), Waters Fished, Gear Quantity, Unit of Measures, and Disposition Codes.  Vessels that are dually permitted across regions are encouraged to use vendors that allow for one-stop reporting.  If they choose to use a vendor not approved for one-stop reporting, they must submit separate logbooks for each permitted region.

If I do not go on a for-hire fishing trip, do I need to submit an electronic logbook?

South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessels  

If the vessel does not engage in any for-hire fishing activity in a given week, a no fishing report for that week is required.  No fishing reports can be submitted up to 30 days in advance if you know you will not fish for that week (e.g., in dry dock, out of season).

For a South Atlantic permitted vessel, is an electronic logbook required if I do not go fishing in a particular week?

If a South Atlantic/Atlantic federally permitted for-hire vessel does not go fishing in a particular week, a no-fishing report must be submitted.  Logbooks must be filed electronically through an approved software.

If the captain and crew are fishing, and the fish they catch are being kept by the passengers, then do I need to include those individuals in the number of anglers field in my logbook?

Any crew that are fishing (not just hook-setting for the customer) should be counted towards the total number of anglers, to correctly capture the effort during the trip.  Please see the FAQ “How do I define the number of paying passengers on my trip?” for some examples on how to estimate the number of anglers.  Please refer to the regulations at 622.38 to determine when captain and crew may retain catch.

How do I define the number of paying passengers on my trip?

For the purposes of reporting, "paying passengers" refers to the number of passengers who were paid for on that trip.  On trips where payments are made for a collective group, the captain should still report the total number of people being paid for regardless of whether they anticipate they will fish.  An Observer is neither a crew member nor a paying passenger, and therefore should not be counted in any field of the logbook.

Here are some examples on how to determine the number of paying passengers:

How do I report that I caught bait fish on the electronic logbook?

Trips with paying passengers on board (a Trip Type field designation of Charter or Headboat) must report all bait caught on the logbook for that trip, regardless of whether the bait was kept or discarded.  Species that are used for bait are considered kept species.  To report bait, select the species of bait fish using the species name field in the logbook.  NOAA Fisheries recognizes that it may be difficult to count bait fish.  Therefore, the number of bait fish reported may be estimated instead of requiring an exact count.

Trips that have no paying passengers on board that are solely fishing for bait (ex. you are collecting bait in preparation for a charter trip), including retrieving bait from traps, can be declared as a recreational trip and therefore no logbook would be required.

What is the difference between target species and caught species, or “reporting my catch”?

A target species is the primary species you are intending to catch.  Caught species include everything caught (discards and landings).  Target species information is always required, while caught species are only entered if fish are caught, this includes fish discarded.  You should report accurate counts of any species you kept and/or that you released.  If you are unsure how to report caught species you can call the SEFHIER program (1-833-707-1632) or the vendor.

How will the SEFHIER logbook data be used?  

Logbook trip-level reporting is intended to provide more accurate and reliable catch and effort data, and lead to improved monitoring and management of species by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries.  Several years of side-by-side comparisons between MRIP and the South Atlantic SEFHIER program are required before the South Atlantic SEFHIER program can be certified by NOAA Fisheries. Several years for comparisons will be needed.  NOAA Fisheries will need to determine a transition plan if the logbook records can replace the MRIP information.

When will the data collected via SEFHEIR be used for these purposes?

The South Atlantic SEFHIER program will need to be certified by NOAA Fisheries and calibrated to existing MRIP before the data can be used to estimate catch.  Existing data collection methods will continue to be used for management until that time.

General Permit-Related Questions

Can I use my Gulf of Mexico federally permitted for-hire vessel to take a private, recreational trip (all anglers have their own fishing license)?  

 
For red snapper, there are two management components: federal for-hire and private angling. Each component has an annual catch limit (ACL). Federal regulations prohibit the use of federally permitted charter vessels for private angling of red snapper because any red snapper caught from the federally permitted vessel is counted against the federal for-hire red snapper ACL.

 
There are other restrictions to harvesting Gulf of Mexico red snapper that apply to federally permitted for-hire vessels based on the open or closed status of the federal and state seasons. When a state has closed their waters to fishing for red snapper and the federal for-hire season is open, a federally permitted for-hire vessel can only operate in federal waters. When the federal for-hire season is closed and the state waters are open, the federally permitted for-hire vessel cannot be used to harvest red snapper, as it must comply with the federal regulations. 

Vessels with Permits Across NOAA Fisheries Regions or With the State of South Carolina

If I catch/land highly migratory species (HMS), do I have to submit a separate report?

There are reporting requirements for catching/landing HMS.  If you are using eTrips (mobile) software application that is approved for use in each SEFHIER, Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Office (GARFO), and HMS Programs, the application will prompt for the HMS required questions, and only the one submission is required to comply with all three programs.  If you are using the VESL reporting application then you will still need to complete the HMS reports using the HMS Program (https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/) electronic logbook report.

I have a multi-permitted (GARFO / Southeast Region Office (SERO)/HMS) federally permitted for-hire vessel.  Which for-hire regulations do I need to follow to be in compliance for each Program?

Individuals with multi-permitted (GARFO, SERO, and/or HMS) federal for-hire permits must submit the information required for each respective region.  To meet requirements of each program, you must report on a software application that is approved for use in each program (SEFHIER, GARFO, and HMS) OR you will need to submit multiple reports for each trip to each individual program.  Check the website for which applications are approved for GARFO, HMS, and SERO.  Additional Information for reporting to multiple programs is outlined in the Informational Toolkits and on the Multiple Permits Information webpage. 

What if I have multiple vessels with federal permits?

You will be required to submit a report for each fishing trip for each vessel, according to the regulations for the federal permits assigned to that vessel.  Some software reporting applications will allow you to submit one report for different permit combinations.  To ensure you are using the right software application for your specific combination of permits, please refer to the table of approved software under the “Approved Software” section of the SEFHIER program website.

Is VESL approved to meet South Carolina and SEFHIER reporting requirements with one submission?

Yes, if a South Carolina vessel has a federal permit, the VESL application will supply a logbook that includes the state and federal requirements.  The user will only need to submit one logbook to be in compliance with both programs, but must submit the logbook under the more restrictive reporting timeline.

Technical Questions Regarding the Approved Reporting Software

How can I get help installing approved reporting software, learning to use the software, or troubleshooting technical software-related issues?

Approved SEFHIER reporting applications are available in the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android), but this may vary by vendor.  Download the reporting application onto your iOS, Android and/or computer as you would any other app.  For questions about a particular app, please contact the vendor or visit their website.  SEFHIER software vendors are required to provide customer support.  Please refer to the Approved Software page for more information and for software vendor contact information.

How can a captain report trip information if he/she is not the permit holder?

This may vary by vendor and application.

For eTrips/mobile2:

• The permit holder will need to create the account following these directions, then share the account username and password with the captains. Captains can then log in and select the correct vessel in the vessel field of the forms. A captain can also be added to a permit holder’s account with their own login, if the permit holder contacts SEFHIER staff to request this.

For VESL: 

• A captain can create an account following these directions. A member of the SEFHIER staff will confirm with the permit holder to authorize a captain to report for that vessel. The captain will then see the vessel listed in the vessel field in the forms.  Captains can also be added to an existing account by the permit holder. The permit holder must contact SEFHIER customer service to add someone to their account.

What if I need to have a captain fill in for me at the last minute? 

Have captains set up accounts in advance, using their own smartphone, tablet or computer, so that they can report for your vessel whenever necessary.  If you are using a VMS unit, make sure they know how to report via that platform (including any login information, if applicable).

How do I ensure a terminated employee no longer has access to my reporting software account?

For VESL:

• Call the SEFHIER program phone line, 1-833-707-1632.  Program staff can remove the association between a captain and a vessel in the VESL application. The captain will retain his account, but will not be able to choose that vessel to report.  Only a permit holder can make this request.

For eTrips/mobile2:

• If you have one shared account between all staff, you will have to change your account password.  Using a shared account allows anyone with that login information to see all reports submitted.  If a captain was added to a permit holder’s account with their own login, the permit holder should contact the SAFIS helpdesk at 1-800-984-0810 for assistance.

Am I able to resume reporting after an extended period of inactivity?  

Extended inactivity will not affect your ability to report, either through the software applications or on your VMS unit, as long as your software is up to date.  If you would like to close your software account, or deactivate your VMS unit, you must contact the vendor help desk.

How can I delete a trip I have already submitted?

You will need to contact SEFHIER customer service at 1-833-707-1632, and SEFHIER staff will delete the requested trip for you.