Southeast Permits Information
General information on permits issued by the Southeast Regional Office in the Gulf of America* and South Atlantic.
Dealer Permits
Required to purchase, receive, trade, or barter regulated species landed by federally permitted commercial vessels.
| Code | Permit Name & CFR Citation | Target Species / Geographic Scope | Mandatory Prerequisites & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSAD | Gulf & South Atlantic Dealer | South Atlantic: Golden Crab, Rock Shrimp, Wreckfish, Spadefish, Snappers (Red, Vermilion, Mutton, Gray, Yellowtail, Cubera, +5 more), Groupers/Sea Bass (Gag, Red, Black, Snowy, Black Sea Bass, +13 more), Porgies/Grunts (Red Porgy, White Grunt, +9 more), Jacks (Greater Amberjack, Almaco, +4 more), Tilefish (Golden, Blueline, Sand, Goldface), Triggerfish Gulf of Mexico: Red Drum, Tilefish, Triggerfish, Hogfish, Snappers (Red, Gray, Vermilion, Silk, +6 more), Groupers (Gag, Red, Scamp, Yellowedge, +6 more), Jacks (Greater Amberjack, Almaco, +3 more) SA & Gulf: Spiny Lobster SA, Gulf & Atlantic: Cobia, King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel Atlantic: Dolphin, Wahoo | Mandatory for purchasing from federally permitted vessels. |
| SD | Atlantic Swordfish Dealer | Atlantic Swordfish | Required to purchase, receive, trade, or barter any Atlantic swordfish. |
| SK | Atlantic Shark Dealer | Atlantic Sharks | Must submit a valid Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop Certificate for each business location. |
Open Access Commercial Permits
These permits can be issued as "New" at any time, but may not be transferred between vessel owners.
| Code | Permit Name & CFR Citation | Target Species / Geographic Scope | Mandatory Prerequisites & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADW | Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo Commercial | Atlantic Dolphin or Wahoo | Required on board to commercially fish and sell in Atlantic federal waters. |
| SPA | South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp | Brown, Pink, or White Shrimp | Required on board to fish and sell in South Atlantic federal waters. |
| GRRS | Gulf Royal Red Shrimp Endorsement | Royal Red Shrimp (Gulf of America) | Must be held alongside a valid SPGM permit on board. |
| SM | Spanish Mackerel | Spanish Mackerel | Required on board to commercially fish and sell in Atlantic and Gulf federal waters. |
| LC | Spiny Lobster | Spiny Lobster (EEZ off TX, LA, MS, AL) | Requires proof of earned income. Not required off FL. NC, SC, GA capped at 2 lobsters/person. |
| LT | Spiny Lobster Tailing | Spiny Lobster Tail Separation | Requires trip duration of 48+ hours in federal waters. FL requires SPL with crawfish endorsement or joint LC+LT application. |
| RSCZ | South Atlantic Rock Shrimp (Carolina Zone) | Rock Shrimp (VA/NC border to FL East Coast) | Requires valid Operator Card (SERO/GARFO). Cannot be held concurrently with RSLA. |
| CCSB | Commercial Caribbean Small Boat | BAYS Tunas, Sharks, Swordfish (PR & USVI) | Restricted to vessels $\le$ 45 ft. Exclusive permit—cannot be combined with other commercial HMS permits. |
| SHS | Smoothhound Shark | Smooth Dogfish, FL & Gulf Smoothhound | Trawl gear retention capped at 25% of total catch weight. Excludes CCSB co-holding. |
Limited Access Commercial Permits
These permits cannot be issued as "New." They may only be acquired via transfer from an existing permit holder.
| Code | Permit Name & CFR Citation | Target Species / Geographic Scope | Mandatory Prerequisites & Transfer Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSLA | South Atlantic Rock Shrimp | Rock Shrimp (GA & FL East Coast) | Requires valid Operator Card. Must formally surrender RSCZ permit prior to applying for RSLA. |
| SG2 | South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper (225-lb) | Snapper-Grouper (225 lb trip limit) | Excludes Wreckfish. Transfers restricted strictly to vessels owned/leased by the current permit holder. |
| SG1 | South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper (Unlimited) | Snapper-Grouper (Uncapped trip limits) | Direct transfers limited to immediate family. Non-family transfers require 2 permits for 1 (2-for-1 rule). Wreckfish requires ITQ status. |
| SPBE | South Atlantic Sea Bass Pot Endorsement | Sea Bass Pots (South Atlantic) | Must be held alongside a valid SG1 permit on board. |
| GTFE | Golden Tilefish Longline Endorsement | Golden Tilefish with Longline Gear | Must be held alongside a valid SG1 permit on board. |
| GC | South Atlantic Golden Crab | Golden Crab (South Atlantic EEZ) | Required on board to commercially fish and sell. |
| RR | Gulf Commercial Reef Fish | Reef Fish (Gulf of America) | Requires an activated and operational Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) on board. |
| RRLE | Eastern Gulf Reef Fish Bottom Longline | Reef Fish Bottom Longline (East of 85°30' W) | Must be held alongside a valid RR permit. Transferable to owners of valid RR permits. |
| SPGM | Gulf Shrimp | Shrimp (Gulf of America EEZ) | Required on board to commercially fish and sell. |
| KM | King Mackerel | King Mackerel (Federal Waters) | Required on board to commercially fish and sell. |
| GN | Gillnet for King Mackerel | King Mackerel Run-Around Gillnet | Must be held alongside a KM permit. Transfers restricted to immediate family members. |
| ATL | Atlantic Tuna Longline | Atlantic Tunas & Bluefin (Longline) | Transferred as a "Tri-Pack" combined with Directed/Incidental Swordfish and Shark permits. |
| SKD / SKI | Atlantic Shark (Directed / Incidental) | Atlantic Sharks (Commercial) | Longline/Gillnet vessels must submit a Protected Species Workshop Certificate. |
| SFD / SFI / SFH | Atlantic Swordfish (Directed / Incidental / Handgear) | Atlantic Swordfish (Commercial / Bycatch) | Longline/Gillnet vessels must submit a Protected Species Workshop Certificate. |
Charter & Headboat Permits (For-Hire)
Authorizes passenger fishing in federal waters. Fish caught under these permits may NOT be sold.
| Code | Permit Name & CFR Citation | Sector Category | Geographic Scope | Mandatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | SA Snapper-Grouper Charter/Headboat | Open Access (New Issued) | South Atlantic EEZ | Required to take passengers for snapper-grouper. No fish sales permitted. |
| CHS | SA Coastal Migratory Pelagic Charter | Open Access (New Issued) | South Atlantic & Mid-Atlantic EEZ | Required to take passengers for coastal migratory pelagics. No fish sales. |
| CDW | Atlantic Dolphin Wahoo Charter/Headboat | Open Access (New Issued) | Atlantic EEZ | Required to take passengers for dolphin/wahoo. No fish sales permitted. |
| CHG | Gulf Coastal Migratory Pelagics Charter | Limited Access (Transfer Only) | Gulf of America EEZ | Cannot be issued as new. Transfer only. No fish sales permitted. |
| RCG | Gulf Reef Fish Charter/Headboat | Limited Access (Transfer Only) | Gulf of America EEZ | Cannot be issued as new. Transfer only. No fish sales permitted. |
More Information
- Southeast Fisheries Permits Home
- Southeast Region Application Status
- Permits Applications and Forms in the Southeast
- Southeast Fisheries Online Permit System
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Frequent FOIA Requests in the Southeast
- Check logbooks: vessels or dealers
- Contact Us
Privacy Act Statement
Authority: The collection of this information is authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C 1801 et seq., the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act, the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention Act, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFCIA; 16 U.S.C. 6901 et seq), the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Fur Seal Act. The authority for the mandatory collection of the Tax Identification Number (TIN) is 31 U.S.C. 7701.
Purpose: In order to manage U.S. fisheries, the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requires the use of permits or registrations by participants in the United States. Information on NOAA Fisheries permit applicants and renewing holders includes vessel owner contact information, date of birth, TIN and vessel descriptive information. Permit holder information may be used as sampling frames for surveys, as part of Fishery Management Council (FMC) analysis to support FMC decisions.
Routine Uses: The Department will use this information to determine permit eligibility and to identify fishery participants. Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a), to be shared within NMFS offices, in order to coordinate monitoring and management of sustainability of fisheries and protected resources, as well as with the applicable State or Regional Marine Fisheries Commissions and International Organizations. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all of the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice COMMERCE/NOAA-19, Permits and Registrations for the United States Federally Regulated Fisheries.
Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary; however, failure to provide complete and accurate information will prevent the determination of eligibility for a permit.
*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.