Atlantic Commercial Fishing Permits: Important Things to Know

If you’ve ever applied for a commercial fishing or vessel permit before then you know there’s some preparation that you need to do ahead of time. The entire process can be rather confusing, as there are many different types of permits – and more often than not, you’ll need to apply for more than one. Knowing which to apply for only adds to the burden, so we put together this blog to help you out as you pursue your Atlantic commercial fishing permits.

Why Permits Are Important

Before people get started on their application process they often wonder ‘Why are permits for commercial fishing required?’. Commercial fishing permits serve a few different purposes. One purpose they serve is by helping managers at fisheries. Management requires data on how many people are participating in a specific fishery and quantifies each harvest. This offers information that helps the appropriate administrative offices make important economic decisions regarding the commercial fishing market. It also helps commercial fishers know how the market is performing, which is essential for budgeting.

Commercial permits are also, as the name implies, a way of showing that someone has permission to engage in commercial fishing. This might sound like a no-brainer, but here’s why that matters- if commercial fishing were a free-for-all there would be no way to track which species are being harvested and how many. This could cause harm to the ecosystem and hurt the fishing industry in the long term. This is why certain species of fish have their own additional permits that allow commercial fishers to catch them. 

There are also many methods of commercial fishing which are both harmful and illegal, and being a licensed commercial fisherman means that you are well aware of what these methods are and that you know the proper methods to use.

The Atlantic Region

The Atlantic Region is broken down into two smaller regions, New England and the Mid Atlantic. Both regions have permits for different species of fish that you can catch using an Atlantic commercial fishing permit, but because there are so many it’s understandable that you might feel overwhelmed. You don’t want to pay for an application, only to end up not using that permit you were given. Likewise, you don’t want to forget any applications and catch fish for commercial purposes without a permit. Our site has every application you need, as well as detailed instructions and requirements for filling out each one. Our team can also help you understand which permits you’ll need so none ever get lost in the shuffle or completed by mistake.

Vessel Permits

If you’re pursuing one of the many Atlantic commercial fishing permits, you’ll likely need to obtain some sort of permit for your vessel as well. Like fishing permits, this helps provide fisheries with information on how many participants there are, the fishing methods that they are using, and the species that they are catching. There are restrictions on some vessels that can prevent them from engaging in certain types of fishing and thus prevent them from trying to catch specific species of fish, based on factors such as the vessel’s size or how much experience it has on the water.

There are also different applications for permits depending on the type of vessel that it is and how you obtained it. The paperwork to prove ownership for someone who bought the vessel brand new is different from the required paperwork for someone who received the vessel from a previous owner. The paperwork also varies by region; having permission to do commercial fishing in the Greater Atlantic Region does not automatically give you permission to fish in the South Atlantic, and vice versa. 

Count On Us Every Step of the Way

The Commercial Fishing Permits Center was created to make it easier for commercial fishers and vessel owners just like you to manage your documents online. We conveniently provide every application for you here on our site, including Atlantic commercial fishing permits, and we handle the submission process for you. 

Working with us means a swifter, headache-free experience. We also keep track of your permit’s expiration date and offer auto-renewal up to five years in advance.

Not only are we the best at what we do, but we also use some of the best technology to keep your personal data safe and secure. Our site uses SSL encryption to protect any information that you provide when completing and submitting your application.

And if you ever have any questions about Atlantic commercial fishing permits or any other documents, we’re always available to provide you with an answer. You can contact us by email or by calling (866) 292-4204.