Commercial Fishing Permits for Every State in the US

Considering a Career in Commercial Fishing?

Are you prepared to give up your monotonous nine-to-five office job and live a life on the water? Commercial fishing has the potential to become a great career, but it is also one of the most hard-working professions. Such work calls for strong bodies, an iron will, and at least a partial readiness for ruff conditions. Any person who has watched programs like Deadliest Catch is in a sound position to say about the severity of the industry.

Yet, the ocean is still the place for those who feel the calling and are ready to invest hard work there; such people stand to gain a lot from it. The commercial and industrial fishing business is a multi-billion-dollar global industry and a major contributor to the U.S. economy. With so much on the line, it’s hardly surprising that the industry is under strict regulations.

There are necessary requirements you have to deal with before you can put your catch up for sale. In addition to Coast Guard standards for your vessel, you will also be required to have the appropriate commercial fishing permits to legally run your business.

Getting Your Commercial Fishing Business Started

Before you get the equipment or haul your first catch, you are going to need to build a good foundation on which to base your commercial fishing business. The most important thing, a vessel, of course, is your investment. If you have a boat, take it to the dealer and make sure your container is ready to take on the hard work of commercial fishing. Or if you need to buy a new one, get a boat that is made to endure the hard and long days at sea with heavy cargo.

Once your vessel is good to go, the next step will be to get the necessary fishing gear and tackle. Fishes aside, you will need to have the basics, including weatherproof clothes made of sturdy materials, a complete first-aid kit, and a lot of life jackets for your crew and yourself. Safety is as important as efficiency in a successful operation.

It is also worth considering whether you will need to employ staff support. Commercial fishing is a matter of teamwork, and it is significant to have experienced, reliable-trusted hands on board. As in any business, recruiting highly qualified and committed workers can be very challenging, so be careful in choosing your team.

The more you put in the right resources, such as a vessel, equipment, and a crew, the more you can run a fishing business that is safe and efficient, and that, in turn, can be profitable to you.

Assessing Which Fishing Permits Your Business Will Need

In the same way, the ocean is full of different species of fish; there are many types of fishing-related permits, both commercial and industrial. Mainly the permits depend on what and where you are going to fish.

1. First of all, what species of fish you are going to catch, and
2. Secondly, the location of the fishing.

Start from determining the area where you want to fish. Will you be fishing in the sea or in the area of the land? i.e. in state or in federal waters?

• State waters are the areas that are between 0 and 3 nautical miles from the shore.
• Federal waters are the areas that are between 3 and 200 nautical miles from the shore.

It is only proper to have the required coverage for both areas because fish move and markets vary. There are permits for each state, and federal permits are issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The NOAA departments visualize the location when they manage the federal permits.

• Alaska
• Atlantic
• South
• West Coast
• Pacific Islands

Secondly, within each area, there are a lot of species-related permits. For example, Alaska has its Halibut permit, whereas the Southeast has its shellfish permits. The fisheries you want to do will determine which licenses you should have.

YOU HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO GET PERMITS DIRECTLY THROUGH THE NOAA OR YOUR STATE AGENCY.

but, many fishermen prefer to collaborate with a private service like our one in order to simplify the process, save time, and lessen the amount of paperwork so that the focus can be on fishing only.

Get the Commercial Fishing Permits You Need Today

Depending on your business size and activities, it is quite possible that you will be required to obtain multiple permits for every season. How about doing it all online instead of the hassle of paper forms and mailing applications to NOAA? At the Commercial Fishing Permits Center, we have tailored our service for the fishermen who are always in a hurry. We are aware that one hour spent on paperwork is one hour that you are away from the water where you could have potentially made money.

Our website is easy and convenient for you to get the permits you require. There is a separate page for each NOAA region, and from there you can simply get the most suitable application for your fishery. After you pick up your permit, our easy-to-understand instructions will walk you through the whole process.

Every application is done through our SSL-encrypted portal which ensures data security. With our aid, you will be less concerned with paperwork and more engaged in the successful management of your fishing business.

To get in touch with us and learn more about how we can make the permitting process easier for you, feel free to call or email our customer service team anytime.