Yes. If the trip was targeting tilefish but you catch no tilefish, you still must complete an eVTR and report 0 for the number of fish caught, released, and retained. Accurate reporting of fishing effort, even when you don’t catch any tilefish, will help fishery scientists and managers have a better understanding of the stock.

Your eVTR system will prompt you to enter the data you are required to report. All eVTRs are required to include the vessel name, USCG documentation number (or state registration number, if undocumented), permit number, date/time sailed, date/time landed, trip type, number of anglers, species, gear fished, quantity and size of gear, fishing time, depth, chart area, latitude/longitude where fishing occurred, count of individual golden and blueline tilefish landed or discarded, and Port and state landed. Note that once an electronic application is set up for reporting, the Vessel and Permit information will be automatically entered.

If you use your party/charter vessel for non-for-hire fishing trips (for example, taking family or friends out for a day of recreational fishing) during which you target or catch tilefish, you will need to have added a free recreational tilefish permit to your permit portfolio, and you will need to submit your eVTR within 24 hours of entering port following those trips rather than 48 hours as required for your for-hire trips. You can use the same software package for reporting as you are currently using for your for-hire trips.

If you do not use your vessel for any non-for-hire trips during which you target or retain tilefish, then these requirements do not affect you. You can still use your vessel for recreational trips on which you do not target or retain tilefish as you currently do.

As a reminder, party/charter vessel operators are already required to submit reports for all for-hire and non for-hire (recreational) trips. These requirements only impact the permitting and the timing of submitting your reports for the recreational tilefish trips that you take.

Recreational tilefish permits are issued to the vessel owner. Each vessel used for fishing for or catching tilefish must be permitted. If you are onboard a vessel issued a valid tilefish permit, you are covered under that vessel’s permit. Each vessel may carry as many individuals as the vessel is rated to carry and all may fish for tilefish under the single vessel permit.

All approved eVTR software applications must transfer VTR data through secure methods into the VTR database. Submitting electronically does not change the confidentiality of the VTR information. Individual VTR/eVTR data is confidential and any information submitted, such as fishing latitude/longitude, is not shared publicly.

No. There is no cost for the private recreational tilefish vessel permit.

According to the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, all permits will be issued within 30 days of receipt of your complete application. Please plan accordingly and allow adequate time for your application to be processed.

According to NOAA Law Enforcement fishing for or keeping tilefish without a private recreational tilefish permit could result in a civil violation of $500.