Notice2026-06786
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring Service Providers
Primary source
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Published
April 8, 2026
Effective
May 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS has approved nine companies to provide northeast multispecies sector at-sea catch monitoring (ASM) and/or electronic catch monitoring (EM) services in fishing year 2026. Regulations implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require ASM and EM companies to meet service provider performance standards to be approved by NMFS to provide catch monitoring services to sectors. This action approves service providers that sectors may contract with for catch monitoring services for fishing year 2026.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17792-17794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06786]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF339]
Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern
United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring
Service Providers
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; approval of northeast multispecies monitoring service
providers for fishing year 2026.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has approved nine companies to provide northeast
multispecies sector at-sea catch monitoring (ASM) and/or electronic
catch monitoring (EM) services in fishing year 2026. Regulations
implementing the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan require
ASM and EM companies to meet service provider performance standards to
be approved by NMFS to provide
[[Page 17793]]
catch monitoring services to sectors. This action approves service
providers that sectors may contract with for catch monitoring services
for fishing year 2026.
DATES: Northeast ASM and EM service provider approvals are effective
May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.
ADDRESSES: The list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring service
providers is available at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/observer-providers-northeast-and-mid-atlantic-programs">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/observer-providers-northeast-and-mid-atlantic-programs</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Nelson, Fishery Management
Specialist, (978) 281-9334, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2e664b4f5a464b5c00604b425d41406e40414f4f00494158"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b331e1a0f131e0955351e170814153b15141a1a551c140d">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Multispecies Fishery
Management Plan includes a requirement for industry-funded monitoring
of catch by sector vessels. NMFS approves independent third-party
service providers with which sectors may contract to provide ASM and/or
EM services to their vessels. NMFS requires full applications for
approval from ASM and EM companies that are not currently approved to
be a service provider. Previously approved ASM and EM companies are not
required to submit a full application to maintain their approval status
if they continue to meet all service provider performance standards and
submit required updated information annually. The required updated
information to maintain approval includes an updated Emergency Action
Plan, evidence of adequate insurance coverage, and, if applicable, any
updates to staffing or operations. Regulations at 50 CFR 648.11(h)
describe the criteria for approval of ASM and EM service provider
applications. NMFS approves service providers based on: (1)
Completeness and sufficiency of applications; and (2) determination of
the applicant's ability to meet the performance requirements of a
sector monitoring service provider. Once approved, service providers
must meet specified performance requirements outlined in Sec.
648.11(h)(5) and (6), including required coverage levels, in order to
maintain eligibility. NMFS must notify service providers, in writing,
if NMFS withdraws approval for any reason.
Approved Monitoring Service Providers
On September 2, 2025, NMFS announced an opportunity for new
monitoring companies to apply for approval to provide ASM and/or EM
services in fishing year 2026 and an opportunity for currently approved
providers to submit updated documentation to maintain their approval
status in fishing year 2026. NMFS previously approved nine companies to
provide catch monitoring services to the Northeast multispecies sectors
in fishing year 2025. Five of the nine approved companies provided both
ASM and EM services: A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical Services, LLC;
Fathom Research, LLC; New England Marine Monitoring; and Saltwater,
Inc. The other four approved companies provided EM services only:
Archipelago Marine Research, Ltd.; Flywire Cameras; Satlink US, LLC;
and Teem Fish Monitoring, Inc.
All currently approved ASM and EM companies continue to meet all
service provider performance standards, submitted all required
documentation, and are therefore approved service providers for fishing
year 2026. NMFS did not receive any new ASM or EM provider
applications. Table 1 includes the revised list of approved monitoring
service providers.
NMFS has the authority to remove a service provider from its
approved status in accordance with the regulations at Sec.
648.11(h)(7). A monitoring service provider that fails to meet the
requirements, conditions, and responsibilities will be notified in
writing that it is subject to removal from the list of approved
monitoring service providers. Withdrawing approval of a service
provider will be based on an evaluation of the service providers
ability to meet the third-party catch monitoring provider standards in
Sec. 648.11(h)(5) and (6). All companies provided proof of holding
insurance consistent with the regulations at Sec. 648.11(h)(3)(vii) as
a part of their application. However, companies whose insurance expires
before the end of the 2026 fishing year must submit updated insurance
documents at the time of their current policy's expiration to maintain
approval. NMFS will closely monitor the performance of approved service
providers, and will withdraw approval during the current approval term
if it determines performance standards are not being met.
NMFS did not solicit applications to provide dockside monitoring
services related to the maximized retention EM (MREM) program. NMFS
suspended the operation of the MREM program in fishing years 2024 and
2025, and it is currently considering whether to operate the program in
2026.
Table 1--Approved Providers for Fishing Year 2026
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Provider Services Address Phone Fax Website
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A.I.S., Inc.................. ASM/EM 540 Hawthorn 508-990-9054 508-990-9055 https://
St., Dartmouth, aisobservers.c
MA 02747. om/.
Archipelago Marine Research, EM 525 Head St., 250-383-4535 250-383-0103 https://
Ltd. Victoria, BC www.archipelag
V9A 5S1, Canada. o.ca/.
East West Technical Services, ASM/EM 91 Point Judith 860-910-4957 860-223-6005 https://
LLC. Rd., Suite 26 www.ewts.com/.
Unit 347,
Narragansett,
RI 02882.
Fathom Resources, LLC........ ASM/EM 855 Aquidneck 508-990-0997 508-858-5383 https://
Ave., Unit 9, fathomresource
Middletown, RI s.com/.
02842.
Flywire Cameras.............. EM P.O. BOX 55048, 888-315-7796 502-861-6568 https://
Lexington, KY www.flywire
40511. <a href="http://cameras.com/">cameras.com/</a>.
New England Marine Monitoring ASM/EM 350 Commercial 508-269-8138 none https://
St., Portland, www.nemarine
ME 04101. <a href="http://monitoring.com/">monitoring.com/</a>
.
Saltwater, Inc............... ASM/EM 733 N St., 907-276-3241 907-258-5999 https://
Anchorage, AK www.saltwateri
99501. nc.com/.
Satlink US, LLC.............. EM 16423 Sawgrass 703-447-5287 none https://
Drive, Rehoboth www.satlink.es/
Beach, DE 19971. en/.
Teem Fish Monitoring, Inc.... EM 309 2nd Ave., 778-884-2598 none https://
Suite 363, teem.fish/.
Prince Rupert,
BC V8J 3T1,
Canada.
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[[Page 17794]]
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: April 6, 2026.
David R. Blankinship,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-06786 Filed 4-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-23-P
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