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For Participants

Fisheries Permit Requirements

The project leader is responsible for obtaining all appropriate, proper, and necessary permits for the proposed activities.  If required, exempted fishing permits (EFPs) must be obtained from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) prior to beginning fieldwork.  If desired Northeast Consortium staff will attempt to assist project leaders in expediting review of projects and obtaining permits, and (upon request) will send copies of approved project proposals directly to NMFS. The links below provide information helpful in determining whether or not a permit is necessary, and if one is likely to be issued.

• Do I need a permit? What type of permit do I need? A series of yes and no questions help direct you to the appropriate permit type. Read NMFS guidelines specifying who needs an EFP and how to apply for an EFP.
• Will I be able to get a permit for the proposed research? This document outlines scenarios where permits are never issued, and where permits are only issued after stringent review.
• Click here to read additional EFP information.

If you need to apply for a permit, NMFS has provided the following list of questions to help expedite the review process. Response to these questions by applicants would provide NMFS reviewers (i.e., staff in Sustainable Fisheries, Habitat Conservation, Protected Resources, and State/Federal Divisions, and NEPA) adequate information to conduct a proper review for NEPA and other statutes.

1. Location and Time of Year - specific time of year and areas where fishing will occur (e.g., coordinates, 10 minutes square, closed areas, include map if possible).
2. Gear Type Including Mesh Size - trawl, pot, gillnet, dredge, acoustic gear, including frequency and amplitude.
3. Fishing Effort - number of vessels, number of tows, length of tows, number of pots, duration of tended gear, sampling frequency, etc.
4. Catch - estimated species composition and amount (directed catch, bycatch and discards)
5. Regulatory Exemptions - provide any regulatory exemptions that may be necessary in order to conduct the proposed research (exemptions from A or B DAS, closed areas, closed seasons, minimum fish or mesh size, possession limits, etc.)