Scallop Vessels Transition to the Pre-Trip Notification System April 1, 2024

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Vessel users should continue to use the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to notify for planned sail dates through fishing year 2023. Beginning March 22, 2024, vessel users will be able to notify via the Pre-Trip Notification System (PTNS) for fishing year 2024 trips.

The integration of the scallop notification requirement into the PTNS will help standardize observer operations between fisheries and modernize reporting systems. The PTNS is a mobile-friendly website, more sophisticated and flexible than the aging IVR technology.

Major Changes to Notification Requirements for Fishing Year 2024

• Vessel users will enter their own notifications online via the PTNS website. Vessel users log in with their individual Fish Online username and password. This should be the primary means of trip notification and trip changes.
• As a backup means of notification, vessel users may call 855-FISHES1 ((855) 347-4371). This line is monitored by NMFS staff during business hours and by an answering service during evenings, weekends, and holidays. You may also email nefsc.ptns@noaa.gov. Complete trip notification details must be specified in the initial email or voicemail.
• Notifications must be submitted between 10 days and 48 hours in advance of planned trips, a decrease from the current 72-hour notification requirement.
• Notifications and observer assignments will now be trip-based instead of weekly for General Category scallop trips. General Category vessels will be able to submit blocks of individual notifications on a rolling basis.
• The PTNS will offer trips to providers automatically, based on vessels’ provider preference settings. Vessels will not be required to call each provider to check observer availability. Vessels will only need to coordinate trip details with the observer provider after the trip has been assigned in the PTNS.
• Scallop Research Set Aside (RSA) trips will be required to notify, but will be exempt from observer coverage for Fishing Year 2024.
• All vessels new to using the PTNS will need to enter at least one email and one phone number prior to being able to enter their first notification. 
• Vessels will be able to change their provider preferences via the PTNS website. Prior to the start of fishing year 2024, provider preferences will be randomized for all vessels, unless otherwise specified.

More on the PTNS

The Pre-Trip Notification System is a self-adjusting, probability-based selection algorithm. It is designed to provide a fast, simple, and effective way to ensure fair and adequate observer/monitor coverage in certain Northeast commercial fisheries. The PTNS has been used in the Northeast Multispecies groundfish fishery since 2010. The Atlantic herring fishery was added to PTNS in 2020.

In the PTNS, each notification corresponds to a single trip. This is a change from the IVR operation for General Category vessels who currently notify for the time period of one week on the Thursday prior. In the PTNS, vessels may notify for trips between 48 hours and 10 days prior to a trip’s planned sail time on any day of the week. This trip-based operation of PTNS is consistent with the current operation of the groundfish and herring fisheries and is necessary for the PTNS’s internal accounting and resulting selections.

Vessels will be able to enter multiple fixed-date notifications or a single flexible-date notification.

Fixed-date (Fixed) notifications are associated with departure on a specific calendar day and cannot be delayed. If a trip does not sail on the calendar day notified, it will be considered canceled. A vessel user may notify for a block/week of fixed-date notifications at once. Vessels planning to sail multiple times per week on shorter trips (day trips), should plan to use the fixed-date notification option (e.g., high-activity General Category vessels).

Flexible-date (Flex) notifications require the vessel user to enter an anticipated sail date, but the actual sail date may be delayed for weather, crew availability, or unanticipated maintenance. If assigned coverage, the vessel user is required to communicate any changes in sail time with their assigned provider. A vessel user may only notify for one flexible-date notification at a time. Vessels planning to take longer trips (multi-day trips) or vessels that are only planning 1-2 trips in a week should plan to use the flexible-date notification option (e.g., Limited Access vessels and low-activity General Category vessels).

Vessels will receive automated emails upon notification entry. Emails will be sent to addresses associated with PTNS accounts. Between 48 and 24 hours prior to sail time, a follow up email will be sent indicating final selection status for that confirmation number. All notification and selection information will be visible in a vessel’s account when they log into the PTNS.

The change in notification method from the IVR to the PTNS does not affect determination of scallop coverage rates or the compensation analysis. There are no changes to the requirements vessels must abide by if selected to carry an observer, such as equal accommodations, a harassment-free environment, and other safety requirements.

Outreach Plan

The observer program is planning multiple outreach initiatives to aid in the transition of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery into the PTNS. More information will be added to this webpage when it is available. Outreach will include:

• In-person walkthroughs of the PTNS site at events such as council meetings, port visits, and/or industry forums
• PTNS Scallop Vessel User Guide (pdf, 18 pgs)
• PTNS Frequently Asked Questions (pdf, 10 pgs)
• Instructional video

Check Back Periodically for Updates

PTNS Website

For PTNS information, including questions about observer notification and selection, contact the PTNS Team at (855) 347-4371.