L.W.F.C.
Proposes Vessel Monitoring System
Posted:
3/3/06
The Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries Commission passed a Vessel Monitoring
System (VMS) Notice of Intent at their March meeting.
The VMS
is meant to maximize voluntary compliance with shrimping regulations
and to reduce purposeful shrimping violations by providing
adequate deterrence.
A VMS
is required for any person subject to a court order that requires
monitoring for the duration specifed in the court order and
any person having two or more convictions in the last five
years for harvesting shrimp during a closed season for a period
of three years from the date of the most recent conviction.
People with three or more convictions in the last five years
for harvesting shrimp during a closed season will be monitored
for 10 years from the date of the most recent conviction.
Commercial
fishermen who require to be monitored shall not be present
on board any vessel harvesting or possessing shrimp or which
has any trawl, skimmer or butterfly net on board unless the
vessel is equipped with and is using an approved VMS.
A vessel
that will have a monitored person on board must first notify
the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
of the VMS installation. Furthermore, VMS units must be approved,
certified, installed and fully operational on any vessel carrying
a monitored person.
Public
comment for this notice of intent may be submitted to Maj.
Jeff Mayne, Law Enforcement Division, Department of Wildlife
and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898 prior
to May 4.
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