This Commercial Fishing Permit Allows Participation in a Great Federal Fishery

Have you been looking to get into a federal fishery that gives you real flexibility? Does it feel like every site that claims to make the “commercial fishing permit process” easier actually just makes it more difficult to navigate? There’s so much opportunity out there, right now, for commercial fishing professionals. It would be a real waste to miss out on something due to not being in compliance with certain forms. Here at our site, we offer permits to help you to do just about anything you might want with your commercial fishing vessel. The West Coast Groundfish Trawl Fishery presents an opportunity that might be right for you. 

What This Commercial Fishing Permit Does 

Simply put, this permit allows you to participate in a shore-based, federal groundfish fishery that’s based in the waters off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. While this fishery has multiple names, (perhaps most commonly known as the “Trawl Rationalization Program”) the idea is that you’ll divide the amount of the catch allocated to the trawl fishery into shares that are controlled by either individual fishing professionals or cooperatives/groups. That’s a lot of words to say: in this fishery, you’ll have the flexibility to harvest your catch how you would like. 

The Species This Permit Covers

There are more than ninety different types of fish that are designated as “West Coast Groundfish.” That’s not a typo or a misprint; there really are more or less 90 different types of fish that live on or near the bottom (or “ground”) of the ocean off of the West Coast. Rockfish, flatfish, roundfish, skates, and even sharks – those are just some of the species. You might have better known “Pacific Cod,” “Pacific Ocean Perch,” “Canary Rockfish,” and others. The truth is, with so many breeds of fish available, being a part of this fishery can be lucrative indeed. 

What to Keep in Mind 

Having this form in and of itself is not enough to get you into this fishery. You also must have all of the right endorsements for the species your targeting, the method by which you’re targeting them, and so forth. That means size endorsements, sablefish endorsements, gear endorsements, and others. Of course, you need to meet any and all at-sea as well as landing monitoring requirements. 

More Than Just This Federal Fishery 

You might have read the above paragraph and thought: “wow, this all sounded really good up until then.” We absolutely understand that some of these fishing regulations and rules can seem arbitrary at best. That’s why we always encourage commercial fishing professionals to reach out to us if you have any questions about any aspect of these regulations. Better to talk to someone knowledgeable than to get the wrong permit, or to head out on the water only to find that you aren’t in compliance. Our trained and knowledgeable staff is ready to answer all of your questions here at (866) 292-4204 or go to our website and fill out our contact form.