Different Types of Commercial Fishing Permits in Washington State

One of the great things about fishing is that it can be done just about anywhere there is a body of water. If you have a boat, a rod and reel, and an afternoon to spare, you can set out to catch fish and enjoy some leisure time. Of course, commercial fishing is a little bit different. The hours are long and the conditions are not always kind, but catching fish at an industrial volume can be quite lucrative. While you may not be able to fish commercially on every lake or river, the United States is home to roughly 100,000 miles of coastline, much of which is adjacent to well-stocked fisheries. Washington State and Puget Sound are, of course, no exception, and if you are thinking about setting up an operation in this area of the pacific, you are going to want to have the right commercial fishing permits in Washington state.

Perhaps part of the allure of commercial fishing for you was working outside with your hands. With that said, you probably do not want to spend much of your time toiling away on government paperwork. Still, it is important to have the proper commercial fishing licenses so that you can legally operate your business, as well as do your part to preserve our fisheries for future generations of Washington commercial fishermen. Also, at the Commercial Fishing Permits Center, we can help you get your licenses online. Read on to learn more.

Washington State Commercial Fishing Permits

In the state of Washington, commercial fishing permits are issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. These permits are applicable to anyone casting commercial lines or nets on state waters, which make up the area from zero to three nautical miles out from shore. The state offers both open entry and limited entry licenses, and the exact documents you need will largely be determined by what you are looking to catch. There are individual licenses for shellfish, salmon, herring, and even sea cucumbers, all of which are issued at the state level.

Of course, as your business grows and evolves, so too may the demands of your catch. This could mean expanding your operation into federal waters. Technically occupying the areas between three and 200 nautical miles from land, federal waters are regulated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). To simplify matters a bit, the NOAA delineates its permit offerings by region, and for Washington, the most applicable region would be the West Coast. The NOAA offers permits for groundfish, tuna, sablefish, and other migratory species. 

An Easier Way to Obtain Your Commercial Fishing Permits

Instead of sifting through a bunch of paper applications from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, or the NOAA, there is an easier way for you to obtain the commercial fishing permits that your business requires. At the Commercial Fishing Permits Center, we are a private service that allows you to apply for all the permits you need on one convenient website. Take a moment to browse our navigation and view our easy-to-complete web forms. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone or email.