We approved Amendment 20 to the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan on October 22, 2018. This action created a new Tier 3 longfin squid incidental moratorium permit.To be issued the new Tier 3 longfin squid incidental permit, vessel owners must apply for this new permit by February 29, 2020.
More detailed information can be found in the Amendment 20 final rule and in the Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish fishery management plan.
Longfin Squid Moratorium Tier 3 Permit (SMB1C) Qualification Criteria
To qualify for an SMB1C longfin squid permit, a vessel must have been issued an open access SMB3 permit and landed at least 5,000 lb of longfin squid in any year during 1997-2013. We will use available dealer landings data to determine whether a vessel qualifies for a SMB1C permit.
Application and Appeals Process
You may apply for an SMB1C longfin squid permit by filling out this application.To be eligible for an SMB1C permit, you must submit an application before February 29, 2020.
If you apply for an SMB1C permit, but are denied, the denial letter will provide detailed instructions about how to appeal that denial.The appeal must be in writing and mailed to the Regional Administrator within 30 days of the denial notice. It should include the reason for the appeal and evidence to support your claim. Evidence could include additional landings records, affidavits by dealers, vessel replacement or ownership change paperwork, and other evidence documenting that your vessel landed at least 5,000 lb of longfin squid in any year during 1997-2013.
During your appeal, you may request a letter of authorization (LOA) to fish under the SMB1C longfin squid possession limit instead of those for the open access SMB3 permit. An LOA is required to allow your vessel to land up to 2,500 lb of longfin squid per trip while your appeal is under review, unless possession for all vessels is reduced to 250 lb per trip when the Trimester II quota is caught.
Each appeal will be reviewed by the National Appeals Office. We will make the final decision on each appeal based on the decision of the National Appeals Office. If your appeal is denied, your LOA will be cancelled, and you will be limited to possessing up to 250 lb of longfin squid per trip, consistent with the SMB3 permit possession limit.
Vessel Replacement and Reporting Requirements
Amendment 20 does not establish a vessel baseline for SMB1C permits or restrict the size of any replacement vessel. A vessel owner may move such permits onto a replacement vessel consistent with the vessel replacement/upgrade provisions applicable to other permits issued to that vessel.
The reporting requirements for the new SMB1C permit are the same as for the current SMB3 permit. Vessels issued an SMB1C permit must submit vessel trip reports (logbooks) on a weekly basis.There is no vessel monitoring system (VMS) requirement or VMS daily catch reporting requirements for this permit.
Questions?
Contact Sustainable Fisheries, (978) 281-9315
