From the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska: Complete NOAA Fisheries Permits

Whenever you are getting ready to do something you probably conduct your fair part of the research. Before going on holiday, for example, you will most likely make sure you have everything you need, from the necessary paperwork to comfy clothes. Preparing your commercial fishing business is no different, of course. With many diverse kinds of permits out there, it’s all too easy to either get the wrong permit or violate the rules with the one you have. Trust us, that’s the last thing you will want to happen. The agency in charge of this is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries permits are issued by them. Read our guide to help you out on what exactly you will be needing!

The NOAA Fisheries Take Care of the Federal Waters

Let’s start by telling you what the NOAA Fisheries are. As it is noted on their website, “also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service, is an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce. They have five regional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories around the United States and U.S. territories.”

The five offices mentioned above, are the different regions the NOAA divides the country into, to make it easier for them to keep track of the permits: Alaska, the Pacific Island, the Atlantic, and the South and West Coasts. The jurisdiction in which the NOAA Fisheries Permits take place is in federal waters. Better said, the area compounded between 200 nautical miles from shore up to 3 nautical miles from the coastlines. In simpler words, the permits they give you will allow you to fish in that area. What happens if the fish you are looking for can be found closer to the coast? Find out in the next paragraph!

USCG Documentation and Departments of Natural Resources

The rivers and lakes from each state, as well as the first 3 nautical miles from shore at the coastline, are considered state waters, so it is the Department of Natural Resources from each state that is in control of the issuing of permits and licenses.

Furthermore, if you are using your vessel for commercial purposes (such as fishing) and it has a net weight of over 5 tons, it will need to be documented by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

CFPC: A Solution to your Problems

The Commercial Fishing Permits Center (CFPC) can help you get any NOAA Fisheries Permits you are looking for, but we don’t stop there. With our assistance, you can get the Department of Natural Resources or USCG documentation you are looking for as well. We noticed that having to deal with three different associations doesn’t seem like the best, so we came up with the idea of a center that helps you get all of your documentation from the same place.

We do so by having experienced staff that have been working in the sector for some time: Better having an extra pair of eyes overlooking the documentation than doing it by yourself and risking mistakes. Furthermore, our platform allows you to get your documentation from the comfort of your house while your details are kept safe on our SSL-encrypted website. Contact us for any other questions you have, or get your paperwork ready today!