AFSC/FMA/Vessel Assessment Logging

Vessels fishing trawl gear, vessels fishing hook-and-line and pot gear that are also greater than 57.5 feet overall, and shoreside and floating processing facilities comprise the trip-selection stratum.

Approximately 60 days prior to the start of the year, registered owners will receive a letter informing

them that they are required to log all intended future trips for their vessel using a supplied username and

password into a web-based system (that is also accessible by telephone). This system, termed the

Observer Declare and Deploy System (ODDS), was developed by NMFS to facilitate the assignment of

observers to future fishing events on a trip-by-trip basis. As described in the proposed rule, ODDS works

by providing vessel operators (either owners or their designated captains) with an account through which

they shall enter their anticipated fishing trips. More than one trip can be entered- three if the start time of

the first trip and the end time of the last trip span more than 72 hours, six if not. Anticipated target fishery

is not required- only the port of departure and landing with the anticipated start and end times of the trip.

Each trip must be entered at least 72 hours before anticipated departure to allow the vessels? observer

provider time to deploy an observer. If the contractor provider cannot provide an observer to the vessel,

the vessel may be granted a release from coverage by NMFS and go fishing. If the provider obtains an

observer for the trip, the vessel may still opt to defer a trip for up to 48 hours from the anticipated

departure to account for unanticipated events such as poor weather conditions. If, however, after this additional 48 hour period has passed and the vessel has still not departed, that trip is cancelled by the

ODDS, the observer is released from the vessel to be deployed elsewhere, and the vessel?s next logged

trip will require observer coverage.