The NJ Marine Fisheries Council approved to modify commercial lobster reporting requirements in order to maintain compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) management plan for American lobster.

As approved under Addendum XXIX to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster, electronic tracking devices are required for federally-permitted vessels with commercial trap gear area permits for Lobster Conservation Management Areas (LCMAs) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and Outer Cape Cod.

The data collected through electronic tracking will improve the stock assessment’s ability to estimate exploitation and abundance for American lobster by providing size composition data at a finer resolution than what is currently available. Additionally, enhanced monitoring will provide improvements to the models used to assess the fishing locations and their associated risk to endangered right whales.

The new electronic tracking requirement is now in effect, as follows:

• All vessels with a federal American lobster permit shall have an approved vessel tracker installed.
• Installation of the tracking device must be completed, including certification by Department staff, prior to the permit holder’s first fishing trip.
• This vessel tracker must remain powered and transmitting when the vessel is in the water regardless of landing state, trip type, location fished, or target species.

Additional information:

ASMFC Tracking Device FAQs

ASMFC Tracking Device Requirements

Notice of Administrative Changes, Crab and Lobster Management, Modification of Reporting Requirements