Commercial Fishing Permits You Need to Start Your Own Business

Fishing at state or federal level is one big source of income for people who own a US vessel documented for commercial purposes with the United States Coast Guard. All the time, individuals look for other people interested in commercial fishing to become business partners. Thinking smart does not only help to calculate costs, investment, expenses, and the like but also to do things the legal way. Let’s take a look at the commercial fishing permits you require before getting started.

Any person who engages in any business for profit involving fish shall obtain a Commercial Fish Business license. A Commercial Fish Business license is valid from January 1 through December 31, inclusive, or, if issued after the beginning of that term, for the remainder of the year thereof.

Annual Commercial Fish Business Licenses

There are many types of commercial fishing permits. The list is long and might be confusing if you are not familiar with it, or if you are having trouble deciding what kind of fishing are you looking to do. Here is a complete list of the permits you can acquire.

• Multifunction Fish Business License: includes the activities of a fish receiver, fish processor, fish wholesaler, and fish importer.
• Fish Importer’s License: this applies to anyone who purchases or receives fish that are taken outside of this state and brought into this state by a person who is not a licensed commercial fisherman.

• Fish Receiver’s License: it’s required by someone who purchases or receives fish for commercial purposes from a commercial fisherman not licensed as a fish receiver.

• Fisherman’s Retail License: you are required to have this license only if you sell all or a portion of your catch to ultimate consumers.

• Fish Wholesaler’s License: needed when a person purchases or obtains fish from a person licensed to engage in the activities of a fish receiver, fish processor, fish importer, or fish wholesaler.

• Fish Processor’s License: it’s required by any person who processes fish for profit and who sells to other than the ultimate consumer.
• Sport-Caught Fish Exchange Permit: covers anyone who exchanges fresh fish taken under the authority of a sport fishing license for filleted, smoked, or canned fish.
• Importation Permit (Standard): you need to apply for this permit at least 10 working days prior to the arrival of the shipment of live fish (including shellfish).

• Anchovy Reduction Permit: required for fish processors to process anchovies for reduction purposes.

• Sturgeon Egg Processing Permit: required to process sturgeon eggs for canning, curing, preserving, packing, or otherwise processing, or dealing at wholesale, in the eggs of sturgeon for human consumption.

• Kelp Harvesting License: required for each person or company harvesting kelp or other aquatic plants.
• Marine Aquaria Receiver’s Permit: applies to any person engaged in the business of receiving live marine species native to California waters for the purpose of wholesaling or retailing these species for pet industry or hobby purposes.

Get All Your Commercial Fishing Permits In One Place

You can process every piece of paperwork required at the Commercial Fishing Permits Center website. Feel free to navigate and find what you are looking for, and contact us if you have any questions.