“It (VMS) will undermine the cooperation of small operators.” This is what the former chairman of the South Atlantic Marine Fishery Management Council’s Snapper/Grouper Advisory Panel (SG AP), Don Demaria, stated while voicing his concern over the proposed Amendment 30 to employ the VMS on vessels with a Federal South Atlantic Commercial Snapper Grouper Permit. At this time the Council is not considering the use of VMS on private recreational, or for-hire, vessels.
During a recent a
SGAP meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, the majority of
SGAP members voiced similar concerns over implementing the
Vessel Monitoring System. While most agree a VMS for permit holders would increase the collection of more accurate data, boost law enforcement and relieve some safety issues, the overall
SGAP opinion was the negatives outweighed the positives. Inadequate hardware,
VMS cost, government interference directed at commercial fishing only, and the fact that
VMS isn’t aimed at either the charter-for-hire or recreational sector were the reasons that
Amendment 30 didn’t gain
SGAP support.
Current
SGAP chair, St. Augustine, Florida, charter Captain Robert Johnson supports collecting more data from all anglers, but made it clear “This system needs to be improved first, before we move forward with requiring the VMS.”
The final
SGAP recommendation opposed
Amendment 30 and any requirement for
VMS on the snapper/grouper fishery, and strongly urged the
SAFMC to vote no on
Amendment 30.