Tournament fishing in the Pacific Islands region occurs year-round, drawing in local participants and visitors (non-residents) to the state. The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected in-person fishing activities and much of the fishing and seafood industry. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Pacific Islands Fishing Permits
All permit applications must be submitted online. Contact the Permits Office at (808) 725-5190 or piro-permits@noaa.gov for questions.
Pelagic
Hawaiʻi Longline Limited Entry
A vessel using longline gear to fish for pelagic species within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Hawaiʻi, or landing or transshipping longline catch in Hawaiʻi or within the EEZ around Hawaiʻi, must be registered to a valid Hawaiʻi longline limited entry permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
American Samoa Longline Limited Entry
A vessel using longline gear to fish for pelagic species within the EEZ around American Samoa, or landing or transshipping longline catch in American Samoa or within the EEZ around American Samoa, must be registered to a valid American Samoa Longline limited entry permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Western Pacific General Longline
A vessel using longline gear to fish for pelagic species in the EEZ around Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or Pacific Remote Island Areas, or landing or transshipping longline catch in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or Pacific Remote Island Areas, must be registered to a valid western Pacific general longline permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Western Pacific Receiving Vessel
A vessel 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 must be registered to a valid Western Pacific receiving vessel permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
High Seas Fishing Compliance Act
This permit is required for any U.S. fishing vessel fishing outside the EEZ in international waters.
Western and Central Pacific Commission Area Endorsement
A valid Western and Central Pacific Convention (WCPFC) Area Endorsement is a supplement to the High Seas Fishing Act Compliance permit and 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 Convention Area.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Foreign EEZ
Information required for U.S. vessels used for commercial fishing for highly migratory species in the WCPFC Convention Area in areas under the jurisdiction of any nation other than the United States.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Pacific Remote Island Areas Troll and Handline
A vessel 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, or Wake Island) must be registered to a valid Pacific Remote Islands Areas troll and handline permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Western Pacific Pelagic Squid Jig
A vessel longer than 50 feet using squid jig gear to fish for three species of pelagic squids in the EEZs around American Samoa, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Northern Mariana Islands, or the Pacific Remote Islands Areas, must be registered to a valid Western Pacific pelagic squid jig permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Bottomfish
Guam Large Vessel Bottomfish
A 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 must be registered to a valid Guam large vessel bottomfish permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Main Hawaiian Islands Non-Commercial Bottomfish
This permit is required for any person, including vessel owners, fishing non-commercially for bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ around the main Hawaiian Islands. If the participant possesses a current State of Hawaiʻi Commercial Marine License, or is a charter fishing customer, he or she is not required to have this permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Northern Mariana Islands Bottomfish
A vessel commercially fishing for, landing, or transshipping bottomfish management unit species in the EEZ around the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, must be registered to a valid Northern Mariana Islands bottomfish permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Pacific Remote Island Areas Bottomfish
A vessel 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, or Wake Island), must be registered to a valid Pacific Remote Island Areas bottomfish permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Coral Reef Fishing and Precious Coral
Note: The following permits are valid for American Samoa, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas
Special Coral Reef Ecosystem
A vessel used to fish for coral reef ecosystem management unit species in a low-use management protected area, fishing for species on the list of Potentially Harvested Coral Reef Taxa, or using fishing gear not specifically allowed in the regulations, in the EEZ, must be registered to a valid special coral reef ecosystem fishing permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Western Pacific Precious Coral
A vessel used to harvest or land black, bamboo, pink, red, or gold corals in the EEZ in the western Pacific, must be registered to a valid Western Pacific precious coral permit issued for the precious coral bed where they are fishing.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Crustaceans
Western Pacific Crustacean (Lobster or Deepwater Shrimp)
A vessel used to fish for lobster or deepwater shrimp in the EEZ around American Samoa, Guam, Hawaiʻi, Northern Mariana Islands, or the Pacific Remote Islands Areas, must be registered to a valid Western Pacific crustacean permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Marine National Monuments
Marine National Monument Non-Commercial or Charter Fishing
A vessel used to fish non-commercially in the Rose Atoll Monument, Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, or the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, must be registered to a valid Marine National Monuments non-commercial or charter fishing permit.
Permit Details | Download Application | How to Apply
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Entry Notification
Commercial fishing is prohibited within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The operator of a fishing vessel intending to transit through the Monument must notify NOAA before entering the monument and when exiting the monument.
Details of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Entry Notification Requirement
Trade Permits
Highly Migratory Species International Trade
This permit is required for dealers who import, export or re-export bluefin tuna, southern bluefin tuna, swordfish, or frozen bigeye tuna.
Short-tailed Albatross Recovery Data Form
Used to report a mortality or injury to a short-tailed albatross recovered on board a Hawaiʻi longline fishing vessel.
Marine Mammal Authorization Program Certificate
The Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) automatically issues the Marine Mammal Authorization Program (MMAP) Certificate annually to each vessel registered to a Hawaiʻi longline permit, American Samoa longline permit, and Marine Mammal Protection Act Category I or II fishing vessels with an High Seas Fishing Compliance Act permit issued by PIRO. A valid MMAP Certificate must be on-board the vessel when fishing. Permit holders do not have to apply for the MMAP Certificate, but may download certificates below:
- MMAP Letter and Certificate for Hawaii Longline Vessels
- MMAP Letter and Certificate for American Samoa Longline and HSFCA Permitted Vessels
- MMAP Letter and Certificate for Western and Central Pacific Ocean Tuna Purse Seine Fishery
MMAP Mortality/Injury Reporting Form
Vessel operators must report every time there is an incidental mortality or injury of a marine mammal during commercial fishing operations. The report can be made online or on paper.
Learn more about the MMAP Program
Logbooks
Permit holders must submit a logbook to NOAA Fisheries within 72 hours of landing (except when fishing in the Pacific Remote Island Areas—those reports are due within 30 days).
To obtain or submit logbooks, contact pifsc.elogsupport@noaa.gov with the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
Protected Species Workshop
Owners and operators of pelagic longline vessels working in the Pacific Islands Region must complete the Protected Species Workshop each year. A vessel owner, or authorized representative, must have a current certificate of completion to renew a longline fishing permit.
Register for a Protected Species Workshop
More Information
- How to Apply
- Current Permit Holders
- Regulation Summaries and Compliance Guides
- Sustainable Fisheries in the Pacific Islands
Contact Us
For additional information, visit our contact page.
Tournament fishing in the Pacific Islands region occurs year-round, drawing in local participants and visitors (non-residents) to the state. The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected in-person fishing activities and much of the fishing and seafood industry. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
