Federal Fisheries Vessel Permit Application - Initial an

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

2019 Vessel Permit Renewal Instructions

Enclosed are the instructions for completing your renewal application for Federal Greater Atlantic Region (GAR) fishing permits. These instructions do not contain all of the regulatory provisions that pertain to each fishery, and are not a substitute for the regulations.

A copy of the regulations can be obtained through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) GAR web site: www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/regs/fr.html. If you have further regulatory questions, please contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (978) 281-9315.

Completing the application:

Please use this checklist to help ensure that your application is correct and complete. Incomplete applications will not be processed and will be returned to you.

To complete your application you must:

• Update or correct the information printed on your application, if necessary

• Include a current copy (not expired) of the vessel’s State Registration or U.S. Coast Guard Documentation

• Ensure that your Fishing Vessel Trip Reports (VTRs) have been submitted and accepted to be eligible for permit renewal (contact the Vessel Reporting Office (978) 281-9246 for information)

• Complete and submit a NMFS Owner Form. Identify all officers, partners, and shareholders (see page 3 for additional information)

• If you are renewing a charter/party permit, submit a copy of a valid state charter/party license, USCG Documentation with a Coastwise endorsement, or copy of a Captain’s license (see page 3 for additional documents required)

• Sign and date the application

• Submit completed Gillnet Form (if applicable)

• VMS activation/current position data (if applicable)

Choose only one of following options to send us your application

Fax completed forms to: (978) 281-9161 (fax) or (978) 281-9169 (fax)

or

Email scanned forms to: [email protected]

or

Mail completed forms to: NMFS Permit Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930

Important: If you email or fax your application, please do not mail the original.

When to submit: There is a 30-day processing period for all applications. This 30-day processing period begins when a complete application package is received in the GAR Permit Office. Please remember that you cannot fish unless you have a current and valid fishing permit.

If you would like to submit your application in person, you may visit our office at the address above from 8–4:30 Mon–Fri. Please note we do not provide same-day application processing when you visit our office.

Who to contact with questions: If you have any questions about your application or the application process, please contact us at (978) 282-8438 or by email at [email protected]. Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations, permit data, permit applications, and important announcements are available on our website at: www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/.

Section 1 - Vessel and Owner Information (all items must be filled in)

Please verify that all owner information is complete and correct. You can provide any new or updated contact or vessel information on the back of the form in Section 4a. The new information will replace the corresponding information on the front of the form. If your vessel is U.S. Coast Guard documented, a change of vessel name must also be reflected on your U.S. Coast Guard document in order for us to make that change.

Section 2 - Vessel Information

NMFS defines Home Port and Principal Port as:

Home Port: City and State where your vessel is moored.

Principal Port: City and State where the majority of your landings occur.

Please make sure the phone number and area code are complete and correct. Cross out any incorrect information on the front of the form and enter the correct information in the space provided on the back of the form. If you have an additional phone number where you can be reached, please include that number in the alternate telephone space in section 4a.

Section 3 - Fishery Information

Fishery information gives information about the Federal permits that were last issued to your vessel. Please review the fisheries listed in this section because NMFS will consider that you have applied for the fisheries indicated in this section unless you indicate, on the form, that they should be cancelled. See section 4 below on instructions for adding a fishery that your vessel is qualified for but is not listed in section 3. NMFS reserves the right to make a final determination on a vessel’s eligibility for any permit.

How to cancel a fishery: To cancel a fishery, put an “X” in the column marked “Cancel” on the front of the form in section 3. Please note that, except in certain specific cases, once you relinquish (cancel) a limited access permit, you will lose your right to renew that limited access permit in subsequent years. When cancelling a limited access permit, the application must be accompanied by verification, in writing, that the applicant has requested cancellation of a specific Federal limited access fishing permit(s) and understands that the vessel or any replacement vessel will no longer be eligible for those limited access permits.

Section 4a & 4b – Corrections and Additions

Address Corrections and Fishery Additions/Corrections are to be made in Section 4a and 4b on the back of the form. Please cross out information you want to remove, or place an “X” in the column marked “Cancel” for the permit you want to cancel on the front of the form.

Fishery Categories and Gears: You may add or change a fishery category or gear code by entering new information in this section. Your vessel must be qualified to apply for limited access fisheries. Contact Greater Atlantic Permit Office for further information. For each fishery category you want to add, circle the category numbers or letters in this column. Note that limited access permits require that you have met eligibility criteria. Selecting categories for which your vessel is not eligible may delay the processing of your application. For each fishery permit and category, you must select the applicable gear codes listed in section 4b. On your application, write the gear code numbers in the column marked Gear Code(s). Please note that some fishery categories have restrictions on the type of gear that can be used as noted on pages 4–10. You may select more than one gear code for a fishery category. If no gear code is selected, the application cannot be processed and will be returned to you.

Section 5 – Signature of Owner or Authorized Agent

Sign and date the form. Unsigned, or otherwise incomplete applications, will be returned. Your signature is an affirmation that, under penalty of perjury, all the information provided in order to obtain this permit is true and correct. Submitting false information in connection with an application could subject you to criminal/civil penalties or permit sanctions [18 U.S.C. 1001].

Additional Conditions and Documents Required

VMS Information

For further information on the Greater Atlantic Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program, go to: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/vms/index.html.

USCG Documentation/State Registration

With each application, submit a copy of your current (not expired) U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Certificate of Documentation. If the vessel is not documented, send a copy of a valid (not expired) state vessel registration for the vessel. Do not send your original. We cannot accept a bill of sale or an application for renewal of the USCG Certificate of Documentation. If your vessel's state registration does not list all owners of the vessel, also provide a copy of the vessel's title, or other documentation from the appropriate state agency that identifies all vessel owners. A permit application will not be accepted if the vessel registration or documentation has expired before we receive it.

Owner/Shareholder/Officer Information

Attach a completed NMFS owner form listing and identifying all owners and shareholders. Please provide the full name of all owners, officers, partners, and/or shareholders in the corporation, LLC, partnership, or sole proprietorship regardless of their percentage of ownership in the company/vessel.

Charter/Party/Headboat Vessels

If you are applying for a charter/party/headboat permit, submit a valid copy (not expired) of at least one of the following:

• State license showing the vessel is authorized to carry charter/party passengers.

• Certificate of Documentation showing vessel is documented for “Coastwise” trade.

• USCG license to operate or navigate passenger-carrying vessels.

Gillnet Vessels applying for Limited Access NE Multispecies and Monkfish

If applying for a NE multispecies category A, E, or F permit with the intention of fishing with gillnet gear, you must complete sections 1 and 3 of the NMFS Gillnet Form. If you wish to order gillnet tags for either the NE multispecies or monkfish gillnet fishery, you must also submit a completed NMFS Gillnet Form.

Gear Codes	120–Purse Seine	210 – Beach Seine	220 – Boat Seines	310–Bottom Trawl	320 – Midwater Trawl
330 – Other Trawl	410 – Dredge	700 – Gill/Entangling Nets	800 – Pots & Traps	911 – Hand Lines	912 – Rod & Reel
913 – Tub Trawl	1010– Harpoons	920 – Longlines / Setlines	1400 – Diving Gear	1200 – Other Gears

Description of Northeast Fisheries Permits – Categories Are Shaded

• Atlantic Sea Scallop

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. All permits issued will be valid for the entire fishing year. A vessel owner has 45 days from the first effective date of the permit within a permit year to make a change to the limited access Sea Scallop permit category. Further restrictions may apply. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

2*	Full-Time: This category is limited to dredge gear where the combined width in use or in possession does not exceed 31 feet.
3*	Part-Time: This category is limited to dredge gear where the combined width in use or in possession does not exceed 31 feet.
4	Occasional: This category is limited to dredge gear where the combined width in use or in possession does not exceed 31 feet.
5*	Full-Time Small Dredge: Category 3 (Part-Time) vessel may elect this category for the entire year if the vessel uses one dredge no larger than 10.5 ft. and with no more than five people on board. This category is limited to dredge (gear code 410) gear only.
6*	Part-Time Small Dredge: Category 4 (Occasional) vessel may elect this category for the entire year if the vessel uses 1 dredge no larger than 10.5 ft. and with no more than five people on board. This category is limited to dredge (gear code 410) gear only.
7*	Full-Time: Authorized to use trawl nets: This category is authorized to use bottom trawl nets (gear code 310) to fish for scallops under a scallop DAS.
8*	Part-Time: Authorized to use trawl nets: This category is authorized to use bottom trawl nets (gear code 310) to fish for scallops under a scallop DAS.
9	Occasional: Authorized to use trawl nets: This category is authorized to use bottom trawl nets (gear code 310) to fish for scallops under a scallop DAS.

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

Limited Access General Category (LAGC) Scallop permit categories: These permits may only be issued to qualified vessels or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations. Owners of vessels issued an NGOM or Incidental scallop permit shall have one opportunity each fishing year to request a change in its permit category by submitting an application within 45 days of the effective date of the vessel's permit. After that date, the vessel must remain in that permit category for the duration of the fishing year.

A*	LAGC – Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ permit)
B*	LAGC – Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM permit)
C*	LAGC – Incidental Catch (Incidental permit)

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

VMS Information

For further information on the Greater Atlantic Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program, please go to this link: http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/vms/index.html.

Northeast Multispecies - “Regulated” species (NE multispecies requiring regulated mesh): Cod, haddock, yellowtail flounder, pollock, redfish (ocean perch), winter flounder (blackback), American plaice (dab), witch flounder (grey sole), windowpane flounder (sand dab), white hake, Atlantic halibut, and Atlantic wolffish. Other NE multispecies: Silver hake (whiting), red hake (ling), offshore hake, and ocean pout.

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. A vessel owner has 45 days from the first effective date of his/her permit within a permit year to make a change to the NE multispecies permit category. Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

A*	Day-at-Sea (DAS): This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
C	Small Vessel Exemption (less than or equal to 30 feet): This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
D*	Hook Gear: (Vessels in this category may not change category) This category is limited to handlines (gear code 911), rod and reel (gear code 912), tub trawl (gear code 913) and longlines (gear code 920) gear only.
E*	Combination Vessels: This category includes all gear types except dredge gear and is only applicable for vessels that have a limited access scallop permit. Vessels in this category may not change category.
F*	Large Mesh Individual DAS: Category A (Individual DAS) or E (Combination) vessels may elect this category for the entire year provided the vessels meet the following requirements. Category A DAS for vessels fishing under this permit category will be increased by 36%. These vessels must fish with either gillnets or trawl nets having a minimum of 8.5-inch square or diamond mesh when fishing in the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, or Southern New England Regulated Mesh Areas, and 7.5-inch diamond or 8.0-inch square mesh when fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Regulated Mesh Area. This category is limited to gear types/codes 120, 210, 220, 310, 320, 330 and 700 only.
HA **	Handgear A: This category is limited to rod and reel (gear code 912), handline (gear code 911) or tub trawl (gear code 913) gear only. Vessels may not change category.

* An operational VMS is required to be on board the vessel to fish for groundfish under a NE multispecies DAS or on a sector trip.

** A Handgear A vessel in the common pool must declare its trips using the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, unless it intends to fish in more than one broad stock area (BSA) on a single trip, in which case, it would need a VMS unit to declare its trips.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

HB	Handgear B: This category includes rod and reel (gear code 912), handline (gear code 911) or tub trawl (gear code 913) gear only.
I	Charter/Party: The vessel may possess and land multispecies in the EEZ when carrying passengers for hire (See page 3, additional documents required). This category is limited to rod and reel (gear code 912) and handline (gear code 911) gear only.
J	Scallop Multispecies Possession Limit: The vessel may possess and land up to 300 lb of regulated species while fishing under a scallop DAS. Vessel must have a Limited Access Scallop Permit (Categories 2 – 9) to qualify for this category. This category includes all gear types.
K	Open Access Multispecies: The vessel may participate in an exempted fishing program to fish for small-mesh multispecies such as silver hake (whiting), red hake (ling), or offshore hake, among other species. This category includes all gear types.

• Monkfish

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

A	Vessels may elect this category if they do not possess a limited access multispecies (with the exception of a Handgear A) permit or a limited access scallop permit. This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
B	Vessels may elect this category if they do not possess a limited access multispecies (with the exception of a Handgear A) permit or a limited access scallop permit, and that are less than 51 Gross Registered Tons (GRT) and do not qualify for a Category A permit. This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
C	Vessels may elect this category if they possess a limited access multispecies permit or a limited access scallop permit. This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
D	Vessels may elect this category if they possess a limited access multispecies permit or a limited access scallop permit, and are less than 51 GRT and do not qualify for a Category C permit. This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.
F*	Offshore Fishery Program: Vessels may elect this category if they are eligible for monkfish limited access permit categories A, B, C, or D and have an operational Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) installed on the vessel. Monkfish permit category A, B, C, and D vessels may opt into this program for an entire fishing year, which begins on May 1 and ends on April 30. The request to opt into the offshore fishery must be completed within 45 days of the effective date of the monkfish permit. Vessels in this program are restricted to fishing under a monkfish Days At Sea during the specified season of October 1–April 30 each year and within the Offshore Fishery Program Area. This category includes all gear types except dredge gear.

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

Limited Access Permit Categories for Vessels Fishing in the Southern Fishery Management Area (SFMA) – Vessels issued a limited access Category H permit are restricted to fishing under a monkfish DAS in the monkfish SFMA.

H	Vessels may elect this category if they were issued permits in this category in the previous fishing year and that did not qualify for a category G permit. This category includes all gear types.

Area Declaration: Please note that vessels without an operational VMS unit fishing exclusively in the Northern Fishery Management Area (NFMA) for monkfish must request a SFMA Exemption Certificate in order to be exempt from the more restrictive management measures of the SFMA. Contact the Permit Office at 978-282-8438.  Vessels with an operational VMS unit must declare the appropriate code to indicate they intend to fish exclusively in the NFMA.

Open Access Permit Categories: This permit may be issued to any vessel not issued a monkfish limited access permit—to fish for, possess, or land monkfish. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

E	Incidental Catch: Allows a vessel to possess and land a limited amount of monkfish, depending on fishing year, area fished, and gear fished. For specific limit amounts, contact the Sustainable Fisheries Division at 978-281-9315. This category includes all gear types.

• Surfclam/Ocean Quahog/Maine Mahogany Quahog

Surfclam and ocean quahog vessels, as well as Maine mahogany quahog vessels, are required to have an operational vessel monitoring system (VMS) on board their vessel. For open access surfclam and ocean quahog vessels, VMS installation and operation must be verified prior to issuance of the permit. Maine mahogany quahog permitted vessels are not required to install a VMS unit until they fish for, land, take, possess, or transfer ocean quahogs under a limited access Maine mahogany quahog permit. For more information on VMS requirements, call 978-281-9315. 

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1*	Surfclam: The vessel may fish for surfclams. This category is limited to dredge (gear code 410) gear only. VMS required.
6*	Ocean Quahog: The vessel may fish for ocean quahogs. This category is limited to dredge (gear code 410) gear only. VMS required.

To possess and land surfclams or ocean quahogs from the EEZ, an allocation of quota is required.

Limited Access Permit Categories: This permit may only be issued to vessels that have previously held it or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

7*	Maine Mahogany Quahog: The vessel may harvest and land ocean quahogs without an allocation from the EEZ in the area north of 43° 50´N. latitude. This category is limited to dredge (gear code 410) gear only.

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

• Summer Flounder (Fluke)

Limited Access Permit Categories: This permit may only be issued to vessels that have previously held it or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	Summer Flounder Commercial Moratorium: This category includes all gear types.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

2	Charter/Party: May fish for or possess summer flounder in the EEZ while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.

• Scup (Porgy)

Limited Access Permit Categories: This permit may only be issued to vessels that have previously held it or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	Scup Commercial Moratorium: This category includes all gear types.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

2	Charter/Party: May fish for or possess scup in the EEZ while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.

• Black Sea Bass

Limited Access Permit Categories: This permit may only be issued to vessels that have previously held it or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	Black Sea Bass Commercial Moratorium: This category includes all gear types.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

2	Charter/Party: May fish for or possess black sea bass in the EEZ north of 35º 15.3´ N. latitude while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.

• Mid-Atlantic Forage Fish Species / Atlantic Chub Mackerel

To fish for, land or possess Mid-Atlantic forage species (see list below) and Atlantic chub mackerel in or from Federal waters (EEZ) from New York through North Carolina, your vessel must be issued any of the Greater Atlantic Region fishing vessel permits.  Please contact us at (978) 281-9315 if you have any questions about the regulations for forage species.

Mid-Atlantic Forage Species include the following:

Anchovies	Greeneyes	Sand lances
Argentines	Halfbeaks	Scaled sardine
Atlantic saury	Lanternfish	Silversides
Atlantic thread herring	Pearlsides	Spanish sardine
Cusk-eels	Round herring	Pelagic molluscs
Copepods, krill, amphipods, and other species less than 1 inch as an adult

• Squid, Atlantic Mackerel, and Butterfish

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1*	Longfin squid/Butterfish Moratorium: This category includes all gear types.
5	Illex Squid Moratorium: This category includes all gear types.
T1*	Atlantic Mackerel Tier 1: May fish commercially in the EEZ for unlimited amounts of mackerel. This category includes all gear types.
T2*	Atlantic Mackerel Tier 2: May fish commercially in the EEZ for up to 135,000 lb of mackerel per trip. This category includes all gear types.
T3*	Atlantic Mackerel Tier 3: May fish commercially in the EEZ for up to 100,000 lb of mackerel per trip. This category includes all gear types. Vessels issued Tier 3 permits will be limited to no more than 7% of the annual commercial mackerel quota.

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

2	Squid/Mackerel/Butterfish Charter/Party: May fish for or possess unlimited amounts of Longfin or Illex squid, mackerel or butterfish in the EEZ while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.
3	Squid/Butterfish Incidental Catch: May fish commercially in the EEZ for up to 2,500 lb of Longfin squid per trip, 10,000 lb of Illex squid per trip, or 600 lb of butterfish per trip. This category includes all gear types.
4	Atlantic Mackerel Incidental Catch: May commercially fish for Atlantic mackerel in the EEZ for up to 20,000 lb of mackerel. This category includes all gear types.

Note: Atlantic mackerel at-sea processing vessels must apply for a permit as a dealer/processor.

• Incidental Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Squid Trawl

Limited Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries Regulations.

1	Incidental Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Squid Trawl Permit: Allowed only for vessels issued a valid Illex Squid Moratorium permit. Authorizes the limited retention of incidentally-caught swordfish. This category only includes trawl gear.

• Spiny Dogfish

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	General: May commercially fish for, possess, or land spiny dogfish caught in or from the EEZ. This category includes all gear types.

• Atlantic Bluefish

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	Commercial: May possess or harvest Atlantic bluefish from the EEZ. This category includes all gear types.
2	Charter/Party: May fish for or possess Atlantic bluefish from the EEZ while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.

• Atlantic Herring

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to qualified vessels or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

A*	All Areas: Authorizes the harvest of herring in any management area, without being subject to possession limits during the time when the sub-annual catch limit (ACL) in the defined management area has not been reached. This category includes all gear types.
B*	Areas 2/3: Authorizes the harvest of herring only in Areas 2 or 3, without being subject to possession limits during the time when the sub-ACL in the defined management area has not been reached. This category includes all gear types.
C*	Incidental Catch: Authorizes the harvest of up to 55,000 lb of herring in any management area during the time when the sub-ACL in the defined management area has not been reached, with a limit of one landing per calendar day. This category includes all gear types.

* All vessels applying for and issued a limited access herring permit, with the exception of fixed gear (weirs and stop seines) fishermen, must install and maintain an operable VMS unit, and comply with all VMS notification and reporting requirements. Such vessels may power down the VMS unit when in port, but must re-power the VMS unit and enter an appropriate trip designation prior to leaving port.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

D

Open Access: Authorizes the harvest of up to 6,600 lb of herring in any management area during the time when the sub-ACL in these management areas has not been reached, with a limit of one landing per calendar day. This category includes all gear types.

E*

Open Access Areas 2/3: Authorizes a vessel to possess up to 20,000 lb of herring per trip, limited to one landing per calendar day, in or from Herring Management Areas 2 and 3. Allowed only for vessels issued a valid limited access mackerel permit but not a limited access herring permit. A vessel may hold both the All Areas Open Access Herring Permit (Category D) and the new Category E permit at the same time. This category includes all gear types.

* An approved Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is required as a condition of this permit.

• Tilefish

Open Access Permit Categories:  A vessel must fish under the authorization of an Individual Fishing Quota Allocation permit to possess more than the incidental trip limit. Further restrictions may apply to these categories.  Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	Open Access Commercial/Incidental: May possess or land tilefish in or from the EEZ, north of the VA/NC border, up to 500 lb whole weight, or 458 lb head-on and gutted, per trip. In order for any vessel to possess more than 500 lb of tilefish per trip, the vessel must also fish under the authorization of an IFQ Allocation permit. This category includes all gear types.
2	Open Access Charter/Party: May fish for or possess tilefish in the EEZ, north of the VA/NC border, while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types.

• Skate

Northeast Skate Complex (Skate) - The following species of skates comprise the NE skate complex and are included under the Federal skate permit: Winter skate; barndoor skate; thorny skate; smooth skate; little skate; clearnose skate; and rosette skate.

Open Access Permit Categories: Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

1	General: May commercially fish for, possess, or land skate caught in or from the EEZ. This category includes all gear types.

• Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. Further restrictions may apply to this category. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations.

B	This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only.
C	This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only.

Open Access Permit Categories: This permit may be issued to any vessel not issued a red crab limited access permit—to fish for, possess, or land red crab in or from the EEZ.

A	May possess or land red crab in or from the EEZ up to 500 lb per trip. This category includes all gear types.

• American Lobster and Jonah Crab

Limited Access Permit Categories: These permits may only be issued to vessels that have previously held them or to approved replacements of such vessels. If eligible, you may select more than one category. Note, if you designate more than one category, you will be subject to the most restrictive management measures, including trap allocations, of all of the categories selected. A vessel owner has 45 days from the first effective date of his/her permit within a permit year to make a change to the American Lobster permit category. Further restrictions may apply to specific categories. Refer to Greater Atlantic Fisheries Regulations at 50 CFR 697.

1	Commercial Non-Trap: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in the EEZ. This category includes all gear types except pots and traps. If you plan to fish with non-trap gear only, you are not required to elect trap gear areas.
2	Charter/Party Non-Trap: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in the EEZ while carrying passengers for hire. This category includes all gear types except pots and traps.
A1	Commercial Trap Gear Area 1: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 1. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have Area1 trap gear eligibility.
A2	Commercial Trap Gear Area 2: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 2. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have a valid historic allocation to elect this area. Includes Area 2/3 overlap.
A3	Commercial Trap Gear Area 3: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 3. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have a valid historic allocation to elect this area. Includes Area 2/3 overlap.
A4	Commercial Trap Gear Area 4: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 4. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have a valid historic allocation to elect this area.
A5	Commercial Trap Gear Area 5: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 5. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have a valid historic allocation to elect this area.
A6	Commercial Trap Gear Area 6: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Federal Lobster Management Area 6. Vessel owner must possess a valid CT or NY state lobster license to be eligible for this category. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only.
AOC	Commercial Trap Gear Outer Cape Area: May harvest lobster and Jonah crabs in Outer Cape Federal Lobster Management Area. This category is limited to pots and traps (gear code 800) gear only. Must have a valid historic allocation to elect this area.

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Public reporting burden for the collection of information on the initial vessel application is estimated to average 45 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining data needed, and completing and reviewing the information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or suggestions for reducing this burden to: National Marine Fisheries Service, Permit Office, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that potential respondents for a fishing vessel permit be notified of certain information regarding their rights and the burden associated with applying for Federal fisheries permits.

One of the regulatory steps taken by the National Marine Fisheries Service to carry out its conservation and management objectives is the requirement of a permit for users of the resources. All the fisheries included on this application require a permit to fish for or retain these species in or from the EEZ. Section 303(b)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act specifically recognizes the need for permit issuance. The purpose and use of these permits are to: (1) Register industry participants and fishing vessels; (2) list the characteristics of fishing vessels; (3) exercise influence over compliance; (4) provide a mailing list for the dissemination of important information to the industry; (5) register participants to be considered for limited access; and (6) provide a pool of participants for data collection samples. Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Owner names, vessel characteristics, address, phone, and permit information will be posted on a public NOAA Fisheries website or released upon request. All other data submitted will be handled in accordance with NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Protection of Confidential Fishery Statistics and Section 402(b) of the MSA.

OMB# 0648-0202 Expires: 8/31/2019

Revised: January 3, 2018 OMB# 0648-0202 Expires 8/31/2019 Page 14 of 14