Atlantic Herring

Vessels fishing for herring that are less than 165 feet in length overall, less than 750 gross registered tons, or have a shaft horsepower of less than 3,000 may receive one of the herring permits listed below. Herring vessels exceeding the size and horsepower restrictions may receive a herring at-sea processing permit. 
 

* A Confirmation of Permit History allows a vessel owner to retain permit eligibility in the event the vessel has been destroyed or sold but the owner retains the permit eligibility. The permit in Confirmation of Permit History may then be placed on a vessel at a later date.

** Any vessel issued a limited access mackerel permit can be issued this herring open access permit.

Control Date:  September 16, 1999

Other Permit Information:

Vessels can possess herring without a federal herring permit under two conditions:

• Vessels can possess herring solely for use as bait, as long as they do not use or have on board, purse seine, mid-water trawl, pelagic gillnet, sink gillnet, or bottom trawl gear. These vessels may not transfer, sell, trade, or barter herring.
• A skiff or other similar craft used exclusively to deploy the net in a purse seine operation with a vessel that has the proper herring permit.

Carrier Vessels:  An Atlantic herring carrier must have been issued and have on board a herring at-sea dealer permit and a letter of authorization to receive and transport Atlantic herring caught by another permitted fishing vessel or it must have been issued and have on board a herring permit and have declared an Atlantic herring carrier trip via VMS.

Commercial Operator Permit:  Operator cards are required for any operator of a charter/party boat or a commercial vessel (including carrier and processor vessels) issued a vessel permit from the Greater Atlantic Region and fishing for or in possession of fish.

Transfer at Sea:  A vessel issued a herring permit must obtain a Transfer and Receive Herring at Sea Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the Regional Administrator in order to transfer fish at sea. A vessel may not transfer or receive herring in amounts greater than its possession limit or any management area possession limit.