2024 Federal Fisheries Permit
Renewal Notice and Annual Bulletin
 Fishing Year 2024
To: Federal Fisheries Permit Holders:
It's time to renew your Federal Fisheries Permit (FFP). The 2024 fishing year marks a new three-year cycle for Federal Fisheries Permits, which once renewed by you, will be valid from January 1, 2024 (or the effective date of your renewal) through December 31, 2026. Please note that an original permit is not required to be on board the vessel when it is fishing for groundfish in Federal waters. However, a legible copy of the valid Federal Fishing permit must be on board the vessel.
You may obtain copies of your permit by logging into the NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) Alaska Region web application, eFISH, at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/webapps/efish/login To access eFISH, you must use the eFISH username issued by NMFS, Alaska Region, Restricted Access Management (RAM) Program. If you do not know your eFISH username, please contact our office for assistance.
Amending or Surrendering Your FFP
Federal regulations at 50 CFR 679.4 limit amending and/or re-issuing FFPs that have certain endorsements. Visit the link below for information on these restrictions. If you wish to amend or surrender your FFP, you will need to complete and submit a new application. FFP applications may be downloaded from our website: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/alaska-federal-fisheries-permit-and-federal-processor-permit-applications
Observer Program Requirements
You, as a vessel owner, and/or your vessel operator may have observer coverage requirements under the North Pacific Observer Program (Observer Program). Some vessels are in the full observer coverage category and are required to carry an observer at all times while participating in fisheries subject to observer coverage requirements. Other vessels are in the partial coverage category and are required to carry an observer or electronic monitoring (EM) when selected to do so. A vessel in the partial coverage category may request to be monitored by EM instead of an observer. Details of how observers and EM will be deployed in the partial coverage category can be found in the Annual Deployment Plan available on the NMFS Alaska Region website (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/2023-annual-deployment-plan-observers-and-electronic-monitoring-groundfish-and). Owners or operators of vessels in the partial coverage observer or EM pools must log all fishing trips in ODDS either by visiting https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/ords/f?p=140%3A1, or by phone at (855) 747-6377; vessels that carry an observer (instead of EM) must complete fishing trip logging in ODDS at least 72 hours prior to departure.
Vessels that carry an observer are required to have a valid U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Decal issued within the past two years, which ensures the vessel is in compliance with USCG safety equipment requirements. Please plan ahead for this requirement because USCG examiners are not located in all communities and may have difficulty reaching your location on short notice.
For more information and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, see the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/fisheries-observers/frequent-questions-north-pacific-observer-vessel-plant-operator.
You may also call the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (907) 586–7228 if you have questions regarding Observer Program requirements.
Paper Logbook Information
With limited exceptions, the operator of a catcher vessel 60 ft. length overall (LOA) or greater and operators of catcher/processor vessels that are required to have an FFP and that use longline or pot gear must maintain a daily logbook. In addition, the operator of a catcher vessel less than 60 ft. LOA using longline pot gear to harvest individual fishing quota (IFQ) sablefish or IFQ halibut in the Gulf of Alaska must maintain a daily logbook. If you need a logbook you may request one through our website at https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/lborderform or by calling Amanda Oliver with the Sustainable Fisheries Division at (907) 586–7228. Paper logbooks are also available at the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement in Kodiak or from NMFS Dutch Harbor offices.
Note: If your vessel is permitted as a catcher/processor, you may be required to report electronically (see Electronic Logbook Information below).
Electronic Logbook (ELB) Information
The operators of catcher/processors and motherships required to use motion-compensated flow scales to weigh groundfish catch at sea must use a NMFS-approved electronic logbook (ELB) in lieu of using the NMFS-prescribed catcher/processor trawl, longline, or pot gear Daily Cumulative Production Logbook.
Under the Amendment 91 Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report regulations, the operator of an AFA-permitted catcher/processor or mothership must, as part of the eLandings submittal, report movement of a catcher vessel or catcher/processor to avoid salmon bycatch in the ELB.
For complete ELB instructions specific to vessel and gear type, follow this link: https://elandings.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/doc/pages/25034815/eLandings+eLogbook+Instructions.
If your vessel is not required to use an ELB, you may choose to use one voluntarily to report your vessel’s activity. For more information about using the ELB system, contact Amy Hadfield at (907) 586-7376 or Amy.Hadfield@noaa.gov.
eLandings Report Information
Any operator of a catcher/processor or a mothership that is issued an FFP under 50 CFR
679.4 and harvests groundfish must use eLandings to submit a daily groundfish production report.
Motherships must submit a groundfish landing report after completion of each catcher vessel groundfish delivery.
Reminder about Diligent Use of Seabird Avoidance Requirements and Information on Endangered Species Act Seabird
We remind fishermen using longline (hook-and-line) gear to continue efforts to keep seabirds away from longline hooks. Longline vessel operators should be alert to their presence and are required to use seabird avoidance measures, most notably streamer lines that are correctly constructed and deployed.
The type of streamer line you are required to use depends on the area you fish, the length of your vessel, the superstructure of your vessel, and the type of hook-and-line gear you use (e.g., snap gear). For information about seabird avoidance requirements, including diagrams, see our website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/alaska-regulations-seabird-avoidance-and-listed-seabirds or contact Josh Moffi at (907) 586–7072 or Joshua.Moffi@noaa.gov. A limited number of streamer lines are available; please contact Josh Moffi (contact information above). Commercially available streamer lines for Alaska fisheries can be purchased at LFSI (1–800–647–2135).
What do I do if I see or if I hook a short-tailed albatross, spectacled eider, or Steller’s eider? We continue to be concerned about endangered or threatened seabirds. Especially the short-tailed albatross with a world population estimated at approximately 10,200 birds. Please report all observations of short-tailed albatross to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service using the form at https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/dam-migration/threatened-endangered-species-encounter-report-form2018.pdf. If you hook or have a vessel strike of a short-tailed albatross, spectacled eider, or Steller’s eider, and have a fisheries observer on board your vessel, the observer will report the take to NMFS. If there is not an observer on board your vessel, please retain the bird and report it immediately to NMFS or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can be reached toll free at 1–800–858–7621, or by contacting Neesha Stellrecht at (907) 347–8906 or Neesha_Stellrecht@fws.gov; further instructions on what to do with the albatross will be provided.
Thank you for complying with these important permitting requirements. Have a safe and productive fishing year.
|
