“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.