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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 35 Number 5
January 2008
Maine DMR explains new lobster reporting rules
As a result of actions taken by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) early in 2007, 10% of Maine lobster license holders will be required to provide more detailed, trip-by-trip catch and effort reports to the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR).
The 10% reporting requirement was part of a compromise that Maine’s ASMFC representatives fought for. The original ASMFC mandate would have required 100% reporting.
Nevertheless, the new reporting requirement, which was heavily criticized at public hearings in Maine a year ago, is a big change for the lobstermen affected.
To clarify what the new program requires, the DMR’s Carl Wilson and Heidi Bray provided the following answers to CFN’s questions. –Editor
CFN: When does mandatory reporting go into effect?
DMR: Jan. 1, 2008.
CFN: Who will have to report?
DMR: Ten percent of Maine commercial and noncommercial lobster harvesters.
CFN: How are lobstermen chosen to report?
DMR: Harvesters are randomly selected. Each year, 10% of lobster and crab fishing license holders, except lobster apprentices, from each zone and by license type will be selected to file monthly reports for the following calendar year. Latent license holders are included in the random selection. No individual can be selected to report in two consecutive years.
The only exception to the 10% reporting requirement is lobster and crab fishing license holders (except lobster apprentices) in the Monhegan Island Lobster Conservation Area All of these license holders – 100% – must report annually.
Also, if a harvester is chosen to report to DMR and already files federal vessel trip reports (VTRs) as a result of possessing a federal permit that requires him/her to report to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the DMR will accept those VTRs in place of a DMR report. The VTR is sufficient.
CFN: What information has to be reported?
DMR: The following information must be included for each trip in each monthly report filed by fishermen selected to report who actually fished during the monthly reporting period:
• Harvester name as it appears on the harvesting license and license number;
• Boat name and hull ID;
• Date fished;
• Number of people on the boat, captain and crew;
• Gear type and number of traps hauled;
• Set time in terms of hours that the gear soaked;
• Total number of traps in the water;
• Depth the gear was set;
• Statistical area, lobster zone, and distance from shore (0-3 miles, 3-12 miles, or 12+ miles) where the gear hauled on each trip was fished;
• Time at sea, including travel;
• Pounds of all species landed;
• License number of dealer the catch was sold to or, if not sold to a licensed dealer, what happened to the catch, including whether the catch was carred;
• Port landed; and
• Reporting harvester’s signature either written or electronic.
If there was no harvesting activity, indicate “negative report period.”
The complete regulations describing these requirements may be viewed online at <www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/13/chaps13.htm>.
CFN: How and how often do reports have to be filed?
DMR: Reports must be filed once each month. They are due by the 10th of the following month. For example, January’s report will be due by Feb. 10. Compliance is gauged by when the DMR receives the report. Everything is date-stamped when it comes into the DMR office.
Harvesters may fax their reports to (207) 633-9579. They may e-mail them to <Rob.Watts@maine.gov>. They may send paper reports through the regular mail to: DMR Landings Program, PO Box 8, West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575. Or they may hand-deliver them to the DMR office in West Boothbay Harbor.
CFN: What is the penalty for not filing?
DMR: Harvesters selected to file mandatory reports who fail to file monthly will be unable to renew their lobster license the following year.
CFN: Who will have access to the information reported? At what point will the harvester’s name be separated from the data? Is DMR doing the data entry or is an outside contractor?
DMR: Limited personnel within the DMR have full access to the data. Logbook information is permanently linked to the harvester. However, the harvester’s name is not stored with the data. Rather, a harvester ID is assigned to each fisherman and this ID is stored with the catch and effort data. The harvester ID is not the license number. The DMR is entering all data.
All landings are protected as confidential according to 12 M.R.S.A. §6173 and Chapter 5 regulations. Data released to the public are summarized such that no information is released in a manner that identifies any individual or business.
CFN: Why do Maine lobstermen now have to report?
DMR: Harvester reporting is an ASMFC requirement. In addition, the DMR feels this is valuable information to collect. Dealer reporting does not include effort information such as trap hauls, soak time, depth, and area fished. Currently, our estimates of participation and effort in the lobster fishery are based on the number of licenses and tags sold and limited sampling programs that likely under-represent the industry.
Having a representative group of harvesters contribute effort information will inform everyone on the likely impact of any decision on the resource and harvester. Our ability to positively impact the resource and harvesters depends on the best available information being used to inform these decisions.
CFN: Is the information used for enforcement purposes?
DMR: Yes, but only in so far as the harvester reports are checked and balanced against dealer reports. The requirement is to report accurately. If there is a mismatch in reporting, there could be an investigation.
CFN: Will the mandatory reporting program be expanded in the future to include more Maine lobstermen?
DMR: The intent of the program is to provide accurate and representative information from 10% of the entire fishery. Any future changes could not be made without going through the DMR’s rule-making process.
CFN: Who can fishermen contact if they have questions?
DMR: The coordinator for DMR harvester reporting is Robert Watts. He can be reached by phone at (207) 633-9412 or by e-mail at <rob.watts@maine.gov>. Questions concerning this reporting regulation and landings in general also may be directed to Heidi Bray, who manages the DMR Landings Program. She may be reached by phone at (207) 633-9504 and by e-mail at <heidi.bray@maine.gov>.
Other questions regarding the lobster fishery should go to Carl Wilson. He can be reached by phone at (207) 633-9538 and by e-mail at <carl.wilson@maine.gov>.
CFN: Any final words to fishermen about the new mandatory reporting requirement?
DMR: The DMR sincerely hopes that harvesters provide the most accurate data possible. These data will help fishery managers and industry advisers make informed decisions on the Maine lobster fishery in the future. These decisions can only be as good as the information provided to make them. /cfn/
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