VMS Installation and Activation Certification Report

VMS INSTALLATION AND ACTIVATION CERTIFICATION REPORT
OMB Control No. 0648-0478

Expires xx/xx/xxxx

The vessel owner m ust sign this statem ent certifying com pliance with the installation procedures. Subm it this certification
to the National Oceanic and Atm ospheric Adm inistration, NMFS, Office for Law Enforcem ent, Northwest Division, 7600
Sandpoint W ay NE, Seattle, W A 98115-6349. Fax (206) 526-6528, before participating in a fishery. Before participating
in a fishery with a VMS requirem ent, you m ust obtain confirm ation from NMFS OLE that the VMS transm issions are being
received without error.
Vessel Nam e:

Federal Groundfish Perm it Num ber:

Docum entation num ber (if vessels less than 5 tons provide state & licence num ber):
VMS Unit Manufacturer:

VMS Unit serial num ber:

INMARSAT Serial num ber (ISN):
Is this VMS unit a prim ary or back-up unit?

INMARSAT m obile num ber (INM):
G Prim ary

G Back-up

VMS Com m unications Service Provider:

Ow nership of the VM S transceiver unit may be transferred from one vessel ow ner to another vessel ow ner
only when all of the correct documents have been submitted to NM FS OLE
Has this VMS transceiver Unit been previously registered to another vessel that operated in m arine waters off the
coast of W ashington, Oregon or California?
Yes ~
No ~
Note: Registering a VMS transceiver unit to m ore than one vessel at the sam e tim e is prohibited. If this VMS
Transceiver Unit was previously registered to another vessel that operated in m arine waters off the coast of
W ashington, Oregon or California, you m ust subm it with this activation report and proof of ownership of the VMS
transceiver unit or proof of service term ination from the com m unication service provider.

Certification: In accordance with 50 C.F.R. 660.359 (d)(2), as the owner of a vessel participating in the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Fishery, I hereby certify that the VMS system on m y vessel has been installed in com pliance with the
applicable procedures and the m anufactures instructions.

Vessel Owner Nam e:
Address (provide if this is for a open access vessel):
Telephone (provide if this is for a open access vessel):
Vessel Owner Signature:

Fax:
Date:

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PL 104-13) and the Privacy Act of 1974 (PL 93-579), you are advised that disclosure of
the information requested in this Vessel Monitoring System (VMS ) installation and activation report is mandatory for the purpose of managing the
Pacific Coast Groundfish fishery. The VMS installation and Certification Report information is used to ensure proper operation of the VMS unit.
Reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 4 hours per installation, including time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining data needed, and completing and reviewing the information. The burden for submission of this VMS
installation and Certification Report is estimated at 6 minutes per response. Confidentiality of the information provided will be treated in accordance
with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100. It is the policy of the National Marine Fisheries Service not to release confidential data to the public or
unauthorized users, other than in aggregate form, as the Magnuson Act protects (in perpetuity) the confidentiality of those submitting data. Whenever
data are requested, the NMFS ensures that information identifying the business activity of a particular individual is not identified. Because you have
been provided with a currently valid OMB control number for a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act,
you are required to respond to, or be subject to penalty for failing to comply with, this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or suggestions for reducing this burden to: NMFS, Office of Law Enforcement, Northwest Division 7600 Sandpoint Way NE, Seattle, WA
98115-6349.

Vessel Monitoring Systems Installation and
Activation Certification Report
for the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fisheries
INSTRUCTIONS: This Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Installation and Activation Certification report
for the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery is provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
pursuant to the regulatory requirem ents of 50 C.F.R.660.359 (d). The vessel owner or operator m ust
follow the indicated procedures when installing or re-installing a type-approved VMS transceiver unit.
Prior to leaving port on a trip in which VMS is required, the vessel m ust send the Installation and
Activation Report.
This VMS installation and Activation Certification Report is applicable for the VMS transceiver units and
com m unications service providers currently approved for use in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. As
additional VMS transceiver units and com m unication service providers are approved, revised
instructions will be posted on the NMFS, Office for Law Enforcem ent (OLE) web site
www.nm fs.noaa.gov/ole/nw_vm s.htm l and on the Northwest Region’s web site at
www.nwr.noaa.gov/Groundfish-Halibut/Groundfish-Fishery-Managem ent/Vessel-Monitoring-System /Ind
ex.cfm
Follow the steps for the particular transceiver unit selected by the vessel owner. The vessel owner is
responsible for all installation and activation costs. After the installation is com plete and unit is
activated, the owner m ust m ail or fax the Installation and Activation Certification Report to NMFS, OLE,
Northwest Division, 7600 Sandpoint W ay NE, Seattle, W A 98115-6349. Fax (206) 526-6528.

INSTALLATION AND ACTIVATION
Begin by consulting the “Vessel Monitoring System , List of Approved Mobile Transceiver Units and
Com m unications Service Providers for the Pacific Coast groundfish Fishery”. This list of type-approved
transceiver units and com m unications service providers, which consolidates inform ation published in the
Federal Register, will be posted on the NMFS Northwest Region web site. The list is also available from
NMFS OLE by calling (206) 526-6135.
A. If you already have an INM ARSAT-C transceiver unit: If you already have an INMARSAT-C
transceiver unit that is the sam e m ake and m odel as one of the approved units, you can qualify the unit
for use in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery if the unit is functionally equivalent to an approved unit.
This m ay require you to upgrade the version of software and firm ware for the unit, and/or reconfigure
the m essage settings (unit param eters and m enu options). If you are not currently using your unit, you
will need to contact the INMARSAT-C service provider to establish com m unications service. This
includes applying for subscriber services, establishing credit, and setting up a billing account for ongoing
com m unications charges.
Contact the VMS provider for your m ake and m odel and request an upgrade for your unit. After the
provider perform s the upgrade, go to Section C, Step 9. If you cannot get an upgrade, you will need to
purchase new equipm ent and services for VMS.

B. If you already have an ARGOS M AR GE transceiver unit:
If you already have an ARGOS MAR GE transceiver unit that is the sam e m ake and m odel as one of the
approved units, you can qualify the unit for use in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery if the unit is
functionally equivalent to an approved unit. If you are not currently using your unit, you will need to
contact the Argos provider to establish com m unications service. This includes applying for subscriber
services, establishing credit, and setting up a billing account for ongoing com m unications charges. If

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you are using your VMS for fishing in the Exclusive Econom ic Zone off Alaska or for other purposes, you
will need to com plete the VMS Installation and Activation Certification report. Please contact NMSF
OLE, VMS Program Coordinator during business hours at (206) 526-6135, go to Section C, Step 9.
C. Purchasing a new VM S transceiver unit:
Step 1 Contact the entities identified in the Federal Register Notice under “VM S Provider Addresses”.
Indicate to the providers that you will be using the VMS transceiver unit for the Pacific Coast groundfish
fishery and you would like to obtain purchase and installation inform ation on the units they provide.
Determ ine the transceiver unit and com m unications service provider that best suits your needs. Select
which satellite system to use for the fishing vessel’s VMS. If you select INMARSAT-C, go to Step 2, if
you select INMARSAT-D+, go to Step 7 and if you choose ORBCOMM, go to Step 8.
Step 2 Choose INMARSAT-C providers: one for the transceiver unit, and one for the com m unications
service providers. The VMS program is designed so that the fisherm an has free choice of any
com bination of approved INMARSAT-C options. Do the next two steps, Steps 3 and 4, in any order.
Step 3 Choose the INMARSAT-C com m unications service provider you prefer and establish a service
contract. This includes applying for subscriber services, establishing credit, and setting up a billing
account for ongoing com m unications charges. If applicable, record the im portant identifying inform ation,
such as a user nam e and password to access your private position inform ation and your transceiver
unit, and the INMARSAT-C em ail address of your unit.
Step 4 Choose the INMARSAT-C transceiver unit you prefer. If you purchase a Thrane & Thrane
TT3022D, request part num ber “NMFS” before the unit is m ailed out. The Thrane & Thrane provider will
initially m ail you only the form known as the INMARSAT Service Activation Request Form (SARF). Go
to Step 5.
Step 5 Register your transceiver unit for INMARSAT-C by using the following steps.
•
Fill out the SARF form referred to in Step 4 above.

•
•

Fax or m ail the SARF to the “routing organization” indicated on the form for U.S.-flagged
vessels.
Include proof of the fishing vessels “ship radio license” (copy of FCC Form 506) with the SARF.

W hen the SARF is processed, you will be given an “INMARSAT Num ber” (also known as “IMN” or
“INMARSAT Mobile Num ber”). This num ber uniquely identifies your unit within the INMARSAT system ,
sim ilar to a telephone num ber. Record this num ber. Go to Step 6.
Step 6 Contact your Thrane & Thrane provider and inform them of your INMARSAT Mobile Num ber
(INM) and the
com m unications service provider com pany you have chosen. The Thrane & Thrane provider will
configure the unit to be ready for VMS (VMS m essage settings and satellite operations), and will then
ship the unit. Go to Step 9.
Step 7 The INMARSAT D+ transceiver that m eets the m inim um technical requirem ents for the Pacific
Coast groundfish fishery is the Satam atics SAT-101 (Model Num ber SAT-101 NMFS/PCG). Satam atics
provides both the transceiver unit for sale, and the com m unications service. To activate your
INMARSAT-D+ transceiver, you m ust establish a service contract with the INMARSAT-D+ vendor. This
includes applying for subscriber services, establishing credit, and setting up a billing account for ongoing
com m unications charges. Go to Step 9.
Step 8 The ORBCOMM transceiver that m eets the m inim um technical requirem ents for the Pacific
Coast groundfish fishery is the Stellar ST2500G (Part Num ber ST2500G-NMFS). To activate your
ORBCOMM transceiver, you m ust establish a service contract with the ORBCOMM vendor. This

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includes applying for subscriber services, establishing credit, and setting up a billing account for ongoing
com m unications charges. Go to Step 9.
Step 9 Install the VMS transceiver unit and antenna according to the installation instructions contained
in the
m anual supplied by the m anufacturer, or contact a m arine electronics specialist or dealer to install the
unit. Also see Step 10.
Step 10 Run the cable connecting the unit in the wheelhouse to the antenna m ounted outside, through
a solid, im m ovable and perm anent part of the vessel such as a bulkhead, deck, or console. Go to Step
11.
Step 11 Turn on the power to the vessel transceiver. Go to Step 12
Step 12 Confirm , by phone, with your com m unications service provider’s Custom er Service that periodic
position reports are now autom atically being sent to NOAA OLE. Go to Step 13
Step 13 Once you transceiver unit is installed and activated and you have confirm ed with your custom er
service provider that the unit is operational, fill out the “VMS Installation and Certification Report” and
m ail or fax it to NMFS.

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