Find Your Texas Commercial Finfish Permit Online

When you think of the Lonestar State, you may not think of commercial fishing. Texas, with its endless open spaces and vistas, may not be dotted with an abundant volume of freshwater lakes, but it does sit on the Gulf of Mexico. This southern region of the Atlantic is home to a number of in-demand seafood species, and for enterprising commercial fishermen, finfish can be an appealing catch. If you operate a commercial or industrial fishing business and you are thinking of adding finfish to your offerings, you are going to want to make sure that you have the proper Texas commercial finfish permit.

Each state has its own laws and regulations when it comes to commercial fishing. While Texas is a bit more relaxed in this area than some other states, you will have to meet some permit requirements. The idea behind commercial fishing licenses at the state level is to prevent overfishing so that fisheries remain viable. Licenses and permits can also be tools used to generate revenue for the state. If your fishing business brings you to waters between zero and three miles from the Texas shore, you will need to obtain the appropriate state permits.

How to Get Your Texas Commercial Finfish Permit

So, you have identified finfish as your catch. You have geared up your boat and you are ready to head out to the Gulf. What happens now? Well, you are unfortunately going to need to complete a bit of paperwork. Officially called a “Finfish Import License”, the permit you need is also known as Item 380 with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement Office. To obtain this permit, there are a couple of different pathways you can take.

You can visit your local Texas Parks and Wildlife office and acquire a paper application for this permit. Upon completion, you can then mail it back to the correct office location along with the requisite fee. Of course, this mode will involve a fair amount of time and a trip to the post office. You might find, instead, that an easier solution is to work with us at the Commercial Fishing Permits Center. We are a private service that helps busy commercial fishermen like yourself get the permits they need online. Simply visit our “Texas” section, locate the finfish application, and with a handful of details you can submit your information for processing in just a matter of minutes.

All Your Permits on One Site

Perhaps your commercial fishing license needs to extend beyond Texas. If you are fishing on federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico–which is anything between three and 200 nautical miles from land–you will need to obtain federal permits from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The good news is, we can help with that as well.

Take a moment or two to browse our site. Using our streamlined navigation, you can quickly locate online forms for all of the permits that your business needs. If you have any questions, please contact one of our friendly customer service representatives by phone or email today.