Welcome to the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region Permit Office homepage, your resource for managing federal fishing permits across the South Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America, and Caribbean Sea (governed by 50 CFR part 622 & 50 CFR 635.4). Through our Southeast Fisheries Online Permit System, you can set up an online account or log in to submit new open access applications, renew existing permits, or transfer limited access vessel permits.
Before applying or renewing, please ensure all required reporting is up to date:
- Commercial Logbook Compliance: Check your [Vessel Logbooks] or [Dealer Logbooks] online, or contact the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, FL at (305) 361-4581.
- For-Hire Reporting Compliance: For charter requirements, contact the Southeast For-Hire Electronic Reporting Program in St. Petersburg, FL at (833) 707-1632 or email nmfs.ser.electronicreporting@noaa.gov.
- Vessel Monitoring System (VMS): For VMS compliance questions or to request a Power Down Letter of Exemption, contact the Office of Law Enforcement at (727) 314-2862.
- Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ): For assistance with catch shares, call (727) 460-2475, email nmfs.ser.catchshare@noaa.gov, or visit the Catch Share Program.
Permit Renewals
- Online Availability: You may create an online account at any time. However, eligible permits will only appear for renewal once you are within 60 days of their expiration date.
- Renewal Reminders: Auto-generated reminder emails are sent 60 days before your permit expires. Look for emails from "NOAA Fisheries - Southeast Region Permit Office" with the subject line "NMFS SERO Permit Renewal Reminder."
- Compliance Pre-Check: Ensure all commercial logbooks and for-hire electronic reports are fully up to date before submitting your renewal application.
Customer Support & Contact Information
We operate a hybrid call center: depending on call volume, you may reach a representative directly or be directed to leave a message.
- By Phone: Call 877-376-4877. If a representative is unavailable, please leave a detailed voicemail with your name, callback number, reason for calling, and your application number (or your vessel's official number or dealer number). Calls are returned Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
- By Email: Reach permit support at nmfs.ser.permitssupport@noaa.gov. To protect your data, do not include Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Business Identifiable Information (BII) in your emails.
For information regarding the purpose, use, and disclosure of data collected through permit applications, please review our Privacy Act Statement.
*Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” (Jan. 20, 2025), directs that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. On August 7, 2025, NOAA Fisheries and the National Ocean Service amended regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations to reflect the renaming. The name change did not result in any changes to, and had no effect on the applicability or enforceability of, any existing regulations. This website continues to use “Gulf of Mexico” when quoting statutes or previously published materials.
