Sustainable Fisheries Division

Fishing Permits

American Samoa Longline Limited Entry - Click link for more information

Billfish Certificate of Eligibility
This certificate is required if a dealer is shipping blue, black, or striped marlin, sailfish, or shortbill spearfish caught in the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. mainland. The certificate verifies that the billfish were harvested in the Pacific and exempts the shipment from restrictions on sale of Atlantic billfish. The certificate must accompany the shipment through to its final destination, and be signed and dated by each dealer in possession of the product. More information may be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 635.31. Please click here for the certificate form.

Foreign EEZ Form | Application
Information Required for U.S. Vessels used for Commercial Fishing for Highly Migratory Species in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area (WCPFC) in Areas under the Jurisdiction of any Nation other than the United States.

Owners or operators of any U.S. vessel used for fishing for HMS in the WCPFC Convention Area in areas under the jurisdiction of any nation other than the U.S. are required to submit to NOAA Fisheries Service information about the vessel, its owner and operators, and any fishing authorizations issued by such other nations. See the regulations at 50 CFR Part 300 Subpart O for details.

Guam Large Vessel Bottomfish Permit | Application
This permit is required for any large vessel (50 feet or longer in overall length) fishing for, landing, or transshipping bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ seaward of the Territory of Guam. The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Large vessels are prohibited from bottomfishing in the Guam large vessel prohibited area. Vessel operators must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours after landing.

Hawaii Longline Limited Entry - Click link for more information

High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit
This permit is required for any U.S. fishing vessel fishing outside the EEZ in international waters. Regulations for this permit requirement can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 300. Click here for further information and a downloadable application form.

Highly Migratory Species International Trade Permit
This permit is required for dealers who import, export or re-export bluefin tuna, southern bluefin tuna, swordfish, or frozen bigeye tuna. Information on the permit and the reporting requirements can be found here. If a foreign importer requests a statistical document from you, it is related to this permit. PIRO does not issue the permit or handle reporting. The offices to contact are listed in the compliance guide available from the website.

Main Hawaiian Islands Non-commercial Bottomfish Permit | Application
This permit is required for any person, including vessel owners, fishing for bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ around the main Hawaiian Islands. If the participant possesses a current State of Hawaii Commercial Marine License, or is a charter fishing customer, he or she is not required to have this permit.

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Permitted vessel operators or owners must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours after landing. Vessel owners must mark their vessels according to State of Hawaii or Federal requirements.

Northern Mariana Islands Bottomfish Permit | Application
This permit is required for any vessel commercially fishing for, landing, or transshipping bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ around the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The permit expires one year after the date of issuance.

CNMI bottomfish fishing vessels 40 feet or longer in overall length are required to carry and operate a NOAA Fisheries Service owned and installed vessel monitoring system (VMS) unit. Vessel operators must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours after landing. Vessel owners must mark their vessels according to CNMI or Federal regulations. Medium vessels (40 feet or longer and less than 50 feet in overall length) and large vessels (50 feet or longer in overall length) are prohibited from bottomfishing in the CNMI medium and large vessel bottomfish prohibited areas. Commercial fishing is also prohibited within the boundaries of the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.

Pacific Remote Island Areas Bottomfish Permit | Application
This permit is required by anyone using bottomfish gear to fish for bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ around the Pacific Remote Island Areas (Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Jarvis Island, Baker Island, Howland Island, Johnston Atoll, Wake Island, and Midway Atoll).

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Vessel operators must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 30 days of landing. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart E. Commercial fishing is prohibited within the boundaries of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.

Pacific Remote Islands Areas Pelagic Troll and Handline Permit | Application
This permit is required by anyone using troll or handline gear to fish for pelagic species in the EEZ around the Pacific Remote Island Areas (Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Jarvis Island, Baker Island, Howland Island, Johnston Atoll, Wake Island, and Midway Atoll).

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 30 days of landing. Vessel owners must also comply with Federal vessel identification requirements. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart C.

Special Coral Reef Ecosystem Fishing Permit and Transshipment Requirements | Application
The coral reef ecosystem special permit is required for anyone fishing for coral reef ecosystem management unit species in a low-use MPA, fishing for species on the list of Potentially Harvested Coral Reef Taxa, or using fishing gear not specifically allowed in the regulations. The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Permit holder must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 30 days of each landing of coral reef harvest.

A transshipment permit is required for any receiving vessel used to land or transship potentially harvested coral reef taxa, or any coral reef ecosystem management unit species caught in a low-use MPA. Exceptions to this permit requirement are made for anyone issued a permit to fish under the other western Pacific fishery management plans (pelagic, bottomfish and seamount groundfish, crustacean, or precious corals) who catch coral reef management unit species incidentally while fishing for the management unit species covered by the permit they possess. Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 7 days following the date the vessel arrived in port to land transshipped fish. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665.

Western and Central Pacific Convention Area Endorsement | Application
A valid Western and Central Pacific Convention (WCPFC) Area Endorsement is required for any fishing vessel of the United States used for commercial fishing for highly migratory species on the high seas in the WCPFC (click here for a map of the convention area). Vessels must have on board a valid High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit that has a valid WCPFC Area Endorsement.

In order to obtain a WCPFC Area Endorsement, a High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit must have already been issued or applied for by the owner of operator of the vessel in accordance with 50 CFR Part 300 Subpart B. The owner or operator of a U.S. fishing vessel may apply for a WCPFC Area Endorsement by completing a WCPFC Area Endorsement application form, providing the required vessel photograph, and paying a non-refundable application processing fee.

A WCPFC Area Endorsement issued expires upon the expiration of the underlying High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit, and shall be void whenever the underlying High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permit is void. In addition, owners or operators of any U.S. vessel used for fishing for highly migratory species in the Convention Area in areas under the jurisdiction of any nation other than the U.S. would be required to submit to NOAA Fisheries Service information (see Foreign EEZ form section below) about the vessel, its owner and operators, and any fishing authorizations issued by such other nations.

Western Pacific Crustaceans Permit (Lobster and Deepwater Shrimp) | Application
Lobster:
This permit is required by an owner of a U.S. fishing vessel used to fish for lobster in the EEZ around American Samoa, Guam, the EEZ seaward of 3 nautical miles of the shoreline of the Northern Mariana Islands (Permit Area 3) and the EEZ around the Pacific Remote Island Areas (Johnston and Palmyra Atolls, Kingman Reef, and Jarvis, Baker, Howland and Wake Islands (Permit Area 4)

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Pacific Remote Island Areas permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 30 days of landing, all others must submit within 72 hours of landing. Vessel owners must also comply with Federal vessel identification requirements. Commercial fishing is prohibited within the boundaries of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, and the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart D.

Deepwater Shrimp:
This permit is required by an owner of a U.S. fishing vessel used to fish for deepwater shrimp (Heterocarpus spp.) in the EEZs around American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, and the Pacific Remote Islands Areas (crustacean permit areas 1 - 4).

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours of landing. Vessel owners must also comply with Federal vessel identification requirements. Commercial fishing is prohibited within the boundaries of the Pacific Remote Islands, Rose Atoll, and Marianas Trench Marine National Monuments. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart D and Title 50, Part 404 (Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument). For more information see compliance guide.

Western Pacific General Longline (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Pacific Remote Island Areas) -Click link for more information

Western Pacific Precious Corals Permit | Application
This permit is required for anyone harvesting or landing black, bamboo, pink, red, or gold corals in the EEZ in the western Pacific. The permit expires one year from the date of issuance. Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours of landing.

Specific conditions are associated with various established, provisional, and exploratory areas throughout the region. The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument prohibits precious coral harvests in the monument (Federal Register notice of final rule, 71 FR 51134, August 29, 2006). Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart F, and Title 50, Part 404 (Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument)

Western Pacific Receiving Vessel Permit | Application
The receiving vessel permit is required for anyone receiving pelagic species transshipped (off-loaded) from a permitted longline fishing vessel within the EEZ in the western Pacific and landing them in the region. Permits are renewed annually and expire on March 3 of each year. Vessel operators with a Western Pacific Receiving Vessel Permit must submit a NOAA Fisheries Service transshipment logbook form for each day of transshipment activity to Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center within 72 hours of each landing of Pacific pelagic management unit species.

Western Pacific Pelagic Squid Jig Permit | Application
This permit is required by anyone using a vessel longer than 50 feet to fish for three species of pelagic squids with squid jig gear in the EEZs around American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas. The species are: Diamondback squid (Thysanoteuthis rhombus), Neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii), and Purpleback flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis).

The permit expires one year after the date of issuance. Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries Service within 72 hours of landing or a catch report to a state agency, must notify NOAA Fisheries Service at least 72 hours before departing on a fishing trip, and must carry a NOAA Fisheries Service observer if requested. Vessel owners must also comply with Federal vessel identification requirements. Regulations governing this fishery can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 665, Subpart C.

Sustainable Fisheries Division

Fishing Permits

Pacific Islands Regional Office

Fisheries Service