Request for an observer

Industry-Funded Scallop Observer Program Call-In Guide
Limited Access (LA) Vessels: Call for BOTH Open Area and Access Area trips. 72 hours notice before the intended
sail date is required and notice should be no more than 10 days prior to sail date.
LA General Category Vessels: Call for BOTH Open and Access Area trips. Notify weekly by Thursday if you
intend to make any trips from Sunday through Saturday of the following week.

STEP I – CALL (508) 495-2100
1. Press 1 to report a trip and follow the telephone message prompts.
2. Gear type:
1 Scallop Dredge 2 Scallop Trawl
3. Permit type:

1

Limited Access

1
2
4

Nantucket Lightship Access Area

2

General Category

4. Fishing Area:
Closed Area II Access Area
Mid-Atlantic Open Area

5
8

Georges Bank Open Area
Delmarva

5. Phone Number: enter your 10 digit phone number (DO NOT use ‘1’ before the area code)
6. Permit number: enter your 6 digit permit number
7. Name: please speak clearly, first and last name, then press # key
8. Port sailing from: please speak clearly the port name, including city and state, then press # key
9. Date of sailing: please speak clearly the month, day, and year, then press # key; for General Category, use the date
for Sunday starting that week.
You will receive a trip confirmation number for each call (trip calls for limited access trips, and weekly calls for
general category trips). An email transmission from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will be sent to your
email address(s) within 24 hours and will either issue a ‘waiver’ or notify you that an observer must be hired for the
trip. If you are issued a waiver, you may begin your trip(s). If you receive an observer notice, please follow the
instructions in Step II. If you do not receive VMS notification within 24 hours, contact the NMFS Vessel Call-in
Coordinator at (508) 495 – 2188 or (508) 560 – 3550 (cell) as soon as possible.

STEP II - OBSERVER PROVIDER 48-HOURS PRIOR TO TRIP
If selected for observer coverage you MUST provide 48 hours notice to observer providers. The 48 hour notice
is required for each provider when contacting them to hire an observer for your trip. The observer provider may
take up to 18 hours to notify you on observer availability. General Category vessels that are selected for coverage are
required to carry an observer and may be selected for up to 2 trips during the week per NMFS discretion.
It is required to call all observer providers before requesting a waiver from NMFS.
Current Industry Funded Scallop Observer providers are:

A.I.S. Inc. (774) 200-1688
East West Technical Services Inc. (860) 910-4957
Fathom Research LLC. (508) 990 - 0997
Please call the NMFS Vessel Call-in Coordinator at (508) 495-2188 or (508) 560-3550 (cell) if:
1. There are no observers available from any of the providers and you would like to request a waiver.
2. You are cancelling your trip or your trip has been delayed more than 48 hours beyond the intended sail date.
3. Any other extenuating circumstances.
This summary is not a substitute for the actual regulations. The full text of the regulations is available at http://www.nero.noaa.gov or call the Northeast
Regional Office at (978) 281-9315.