NOAA Extends Quick-Fill Fishing Logbook Mandate
Published Date: 7/22/2025
Notice
Summary
Fishermen in the Greater Atlantic Region will keep using logbook forms to track their catches, helping protect fish populations and follow smart fishing rules. NOAA is asking to extend the approval for these forms, which take just 5 minutes each to fill out, affecting about 4,000 fishers. You’ve got 30 more days to share your thoughts before the extension is finalized—no extra costs, just keeping things running smoothly!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Fishermen must keep using logbooks
If you fish in the Greater Atlantic Region, you must continue to complete the Greater Atlantic Region logbook forms on each fishing trip. NOAA says about 4,028 respondents are affected, each response takes about 5 minutes (0.083 hours), and the collection totals 15,236 annual burden hours; the reporting is mandatory and the agency is seeking a routine extension of OMB approval.
2018 reporting changes now reflected
NOAA is revising the information collection to reflect 2018 regulatory changes: the paper-based shellfish logbook was eliminated and integrated into the electronic Vessel Trip Report (VTR) program; Tilefish interactive voice response (IVR) reporting was eliminated; the Lobster VTR was integrated into the overall VTR collection; and the information collection named "Herring" was renamed "Daily Catch Reports" (DCR).
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