General
Registration
Permit Access Codes (PACs)
Account Maintenance
My Permits
Permit Information
Search Issued Permits
Applying for Permits
Payment
Track Application Status
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General
What is NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site?
The NOAA Fisheries Permits Web Site allows you to acquire information about
several permits offered by the National Marine Fisheries Service. With this information,
you can determine what permits are needed for the fishing activities you wish to partake in.
In addition to obtaining information, the Fisheries Permits Web Site also allows
its users to apply and pay for certain permits online in a quick and easy manner.
Permit availability and the actions that are avaliable for these permits are
determined by the NMFS Permits Office that is responsible for procssing the permit.
What are the benefits of using NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site?
One of the main benefits for all users of the web site is easy access to permit related
information. Information such as:
- Permit description
- Eligibility requirements
- Fishing season
- Associated processing fee information
and more can be found for permits offered by all of the National Marine Fisheries Service Regions.
Users that choose to register with the web site gain access to the site's extended features, including:
- Applying for new permits
- Renew, replace, transfer, and perform other actions to one of your existing permits
- Pay any associated processing fees
- Maintain permit related information
Using the web site to apply for permits is also beneficial, as the application
process is expedited by using previously supplied information to prefill online
permit application forms. Once you have submitted data by filling out an online permit
application from or have been given access to permit related information via
a Permit Access Code (PAC), the site allows you to reuse this data.
This allows you to provide commonly used information such as vessel, company,
and personal data once and then use it in multiple applications.
This web site does not; however, store any previously supplied financial
information that was collected to pay for any permit processing fees other than
the name of the account holder and whether the transactionwas successfully completed or not.
Payment information will need to be entered each time a payment is requested.
What are the system requirements to be able to use NOAA's Fisheries Web Site?
You will need an internet connection and a modern web browser capable of running
JavaScript and supports Secure Socket Layer (SSL) version 2.0.
The site has been optimized to be used with Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Fire Fox.
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Registration
Who may register to use NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site?
The site is open to the public. Anyone may register to use the site.
What information do I need to supply in order to register?
To register with the web site, you must supply:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Select a user type:
- Commercial vessel owner and operator
- Commercial vessel owner not operator
- Commercial captain, operator, or fisherman
- Seafood dealer or processor
- Agent
- Recreational vessel owner
- Other
- Select a fishing region where you predominantly reside, conduct, or have interest in fisheries-related activities
- Create a unique user name
All of the information you provide can be modified after you login; however, the unique user name that you
create for yourself cannot be changed. Once created, the user name is permanently associated with your account.
Will it cost me anything to register with the web site?
No. There are no fees associated with creating an account.
Once I have supplied the necessary registration information, what can I expect to happen next?
Shortly after supplying the needed registration information, a conformation notice is
sent to the email address you supplied during the registration process. This
email contains a temporary password that will allow you to log into the web
site for the first time.
After I have received the email that contains my temporary password, what should I do?
Since the password that was sent to your email address is a temporary one, it
must be changed. To do so, you will need to login
to the web site using the user name you created during the registration process and the temporary password that
was supplied to you via email. After logging in for the first time, you are required
to change the temporary password.
What are valid selections for my password?
Valid passwords must be at least eight characters long and contain at least one
number. Also, a valid password cannot match your user name or your email address.
Is there a way for me to retrieve my password or user name?
Yes. You may recover your user name or password on the User Name or Password Retrieval
web page. You will need the email address associated with your account
and either your account's user name or password, depending on which piece of data you are trying to recover.
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Permit Access Codes (PACs)
What's a PAC?
PAC stands for Permit Access Code. A PAC is a unique, 19 character sequence
in the form of ####-####-LLLL-LLLL, where # stands for number
and L stands for letter, that identifies a permit. PACs allow a permit owner or an authorized
representative to have access to the data related to the permit the PAC is
associated with. Once you have entered a PAC, you will have access to the permit
and be able to take an action (e.g., renew, transfer, etc.) on the permit.
In addition to allowing you to take action on the permit the PAC is linked
to, registering a PAC to your account allows you to reuse the information associated
with the permit when filling out an online application forms. When filling out
an online application form, the web site lists all of the permits you have
associated with your account. You are able to then select one of these permits
and the information you entered in when applying for that permit will be used to
fill out the current permit you are applying for as much as possible.
PACs are only needed for permit owners that own a permit that is not listed
under their account in the
My Permits section of the web site. Users that apply for a permit using NOAA's
Fisheries Permits Web Site will not need to receive a PAC, as the web site
automatically keep track of these permits.
How do I obtain my PACs?
If you are the owner of one the permits that are currently supported by the web
site (click here
to see a list of permits that are available by region), you
should have received a letter containing your PACs. If you have lost or never
received your PACs, you must contact
the National Marine Fisheries Service Permit Office
you conduct business with and request the PACs to be mailed to you.
Once I received my letter containing my PACs, how do I associate my permits to my account?
Once you have received a letter containing your PACs, you will need to create an
account with the NOAA Fisheries Web Site, if you already have not done so.
Once you have logged into the web site, click on the
My Permits link, found in the "My Account" box on the left hand side of
the screen, to load the "My Permits" web page.
In the "Enter New PAC" text field, enter one of the PACs that can be found on the
letter and click on the "Validate" button. If the PAC you entered can be
validated, the permit that is associated with the PAC is displayed on the
"My Permits" web page. This processes needs to be repeated for each PAC you
would like to associate with your account.
Once a permit has been associated with your account, you may take an action
(e.g., renew, transfer, etc.) on that permit and use the information associated
with the permit to prefill online application forms.
Can I share my PACs with someone?
Like a bank's ATM card PIN code, it is important to always safeguard your PACs
so that online access to your permits remains under your control only. The
decision to share your PACs with others (such as agents, office administrators,
spouses, etc.) so that they can make online requests on your behalf is solely
yours and it is something you should consider carefully.
Can a PAC be changed?
Yes. If you would like a PAC to be changed, you must contact a NOAA Fisheries
Permits Office and request the PAC to be changed. A new PAC will be generated
and mailed to the current owner's address of record. Once the PAC has been changed,
all accounts that were associated with the PAC will no longer be able to see the
permit the PAC was linked to. Once you receive the new PAC in the mail, you
will need to link the PAC to your account, if you would like to have access to
the permit's information on this web site.
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Account Maintenance
Is there way for me to change my password once I have created one?
Yes. After logging into the web site, click on the
Change Password link, found under the "My Account" box on the left hand
side of the screen.
Is there a way for me to update the information associated with my account?
Yes. Once you have logged into the system, click on the
Edit Account Information link, found under the "My Account" box, on the
left hand side of the screen. You are allowed to update your name, email
address, user type, and fishing region. You are not able to change
your user name.
Is there a way for me to retrieve my password or user name?
Yes. Click on the
Forgot Username or Password link, found below the "Login" button on the "Welcome" web page.
To retrieve your password, you will need to supply your user name and the email
address that is currently associated with your account.
To retrieve your user name, you will need to supply the password you created
for your account and the email address that currently associated with your
account.
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My Permits
Does NOAA's Fisheries Web Site keep track of the permits that I own?
Yes. Each approved permit that you apply for by filling out an online application
form via the web site is displayed on the
My Permits web page. Furthermore, existing permit owners
are able to add their permits to the "My Permits" web page via a
"Permit Access Code (PAC)." See the PAC section for more information relating to
PACs.
What information does the "My Permits" web page display?
For each permit NOAA's Fishery Permits Web Site knows about (either by applying for the permit
via the web site or by entering a Permit Access Code), the "My Permits" web page displays:
- Who the permit was issued to
- The name of the permit
- The permit's number
- The permit's expiration date
- If an action can be taken with the permit via the web site, a "Go" button is
displayed
What can I do with the permits that NOAA's Fisheries Web Site keeps track of?
A permit that the web site knows about allows you to select these permits for
renewal, transfer, to update their information, and more. The actions that can be taken against a permit
are determined by the NMFS Permit Office that processes the permit. Furthermore, the information
associated with these permits can be used to prefill online application forms when
applying for a new permit. By allowing users to prefill an online application form
with information related to another permit, NOAA's
Fisheries Permits Web Site makes the application process shorter and more
convenient.
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Permit Information
Do I need to register with the web site in order to view permit related information?
No. Information offered by the Fisheries Permits Web Site is open to the public.
If you would like to apply for a permit using thing web site; however, you will
need to create a free account.
What kind of permit information can be obtained from NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site?
Each permit that is hosted on the Fisheries Permits Web Site contains a wide
variety of information. The following is some of the permit information that can
be found on this web site:
- Permit descriptions
- Eligibility requirements
- Associated processing fees
- Expiration date information
- Authorized and prohibited gears
- Fishing season information
- Prerequisites permits
How do I access this information?
To access this information, click on the
Permit Information link, found in the "Online Services" box in the upper
left hand corner of the web page. In the displayed map, click on the region that
processes the permit you would like to learn more about. After selecting a region,
all of the permits in that region are shown. To learn more about a permit, click on the
icon.
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Search Issued Permits
Does NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site allow me to view information on permits that have been issued?
Yes. Click on the
Search Issued Permits link, found in the upper left hand corner in the "Online Services" box,
to view information about permits that have been issued.
Do I need to register with the web site in order to search issued permits?
No. Simply click on the
Search Issued Permits link and you will be able to
configure the search parameters and execute a search.
What search parameters does the search support?
You may search issued permits by vessel name and by permittee name. These
parameters are used in conjunction with the selected permit type.
What kind of information is returned by the search?
After executing a successful issued permit search, the following information is displayed for
each returned permit:
- Type
- Permittee information
- Vessel associated with the permit (if any)
- Status
- Expiration date
After running a successful search, what do the acronyms mean under the "Permit" column?
These acronyms represent permit names. To learn what the acronym means, hover the
mouse pointer over it.
Is there a way to learn more information about the permittee of a permit?
Yes. If the address of record belonging to the permittee has been collected and the permit is
a commercial permit, it may be viewed by hovering the mouse pointer over the permittee's name.
If there is a vessel associated with an issued permit, can I view its information?
Yes. If there is a vessel associated with the permit, the vessel's name is shown
next to the permittee's name. To view information about the vessel, simply click
on the vessel's name.
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Applying for Permits
What kind of permit actions can I take by using NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site?
You may use the NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site to apply for certian new permits. Permit
availability and the actions that can be taken against these permits are determined
by each individual NMFS Permits Office. Furthermore, existing permit owners that
have been issued and used a Permit Access Code (PAC) to gain access to their
permit or have applied for a permit in the past using NOAA's Fisheries
Permits Website may renew, transfer, and take other actions with these permits.
Each National Marine Fisheries Permit Office determines which permits and actions
are available on the web site. If a permit and/or an account is not available, check with
the permit office responsible for issuing the permit to find out more information.
Will I be charged any additional fees for using the web site to apply for a permit?
No. There are no additional fees for using the web site.
Do I have to use the web site to apply for my permit?
Most permits will still allow to you submit a paper application form.
Check the information associated with the permit for more information on which
submission methods may be used.
How do I apply for a new permit?
After logging into NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site, click on the
Apply for a New Permit link, found on the "Permit Application"
web page.
On the map that displays the different fishing regions, select the region that
processes the permit you wish to apply for. Selecting a region displays all
of the permit application forms that are associated with that region. After
selecting a region, click on the application form that belongs to the permit
you wish to apply for.
Once you have selected an application form, follow the on screen instructions.
How do I renew, replace, surrender, or take some other action on a permit that is listed on the
My Permits
section of the web site?
After logging into the web site, click on the "My Permits" link,
found in the "My Account" box.
After clicking on the link, find the permit you wish to take an action on.
Only permits that you have been giving access to via a Permit Access Code (PAC)
or have applied for in the past using NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site are displayed.
Once you have found the permit you would like to work with, click on the "Go"
button and follow the on screen instructions.
Permits that do not display a "Go" button are either not up for renewal or the
National Marine Fisheries Permit Office responsible for managing the permit has decided
not to accept online submissions for the permit at this time.
Am I allowed to save an application and finish filling it out later?
Yes. To save your current process, click on the "Continue" button that can be
found at the bottom of each section of an application form. Information that
has been entered into previous sections and in the current one will be saved.
Once you have decided to continue working with the application form, log into
the web site and click on the
Continue an Application From Where You Left Off link to be taken to the
"Applications Not Submitted" web page.
On this web page, you may see all of the unfinished applications that you are currently
working on. Each application listed displays its request ID, when it was created, if it has
been electronically signed, if it has been paid for, and the permit(s) the
application is for.
You may also delete any unfinished applications by clicking on the trash can icon
that can be found to the right of the application. Unfinished applications that
are deleted cannot be recovered and any work you had saved on that application
will be lost.
Can I validate my address while filling out an application form?
Yes. NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site automatically validates any U.S. address
that you enter into the system. After entering in a address, city, state, and a
zip code, the web site attempts to match the address against the
United States Postal Service's (USPS) database.
If a match is found, the standardized version of the USPS' database returned
and entered into the proper fields. Furthermore, a green "Valid Address" message is
displayed next to the "Address" text field.
Is there a way for me to copy information from one section of an online permit application form to another one?
Yes. Sections that collect similar information allow you to mark a section "Same as"
another one. Sections that support this feature display check box(es) below any
displayed instructions for the section. Each check box represents previous
section in the application form that has been filled out and contains information
that can be copied into the current section you are working with.
Place a check mark in the check box that represents the section you wish to copy
data from and place into the current section. Data that is copied in this manner
cannot be edited.
Once I have finished entering my data, what will I be required to do next?
After finishing an online application form, you are presented with all of the
information you entered into the application. After reviewing the information to
make sure it is correct and is what you would like to submit to NMFS, you will
need to electronically sign the application form. After successfully signing the
application form, you are presented with a PDF file that contains all of the
information that you have submitted to NMFS. It is recommended that you save
and/or print this file for your records.
You may then apply for another permit or move on to pay any associated
processing fees. Once you are done paying, you are presented with any additional
instructions.
Does NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site allow me to view the information I have submitted at a later date?
Yes. Once you have electronically signed the application form and paid any
associated processing fees, click the
Track Application Status
link, found in the "Online Services" box in the upper left hand side of the screen.
From this web page, you are able to download the PDF file that was generated
and displayed to you after the electronic signing process.
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Payment
Can I use NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site to pay any processing fees I have accrued?
Yes. If there any processing fees associated with the permits you have applied
for, you may pay them via the web site.
Does NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site store any of my financial information?
All payment information is sent to
Pay.gov,
a secure web site used to handle payment transactions.
NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site does not collect or store any of the
payment information that is sent to Pay.gov other than the name of the account
holder and whether the transaction between you and Pay.gov was successfully completed.
What forms of payment may I use?
Pay.gov supports two payment methods, credit/debit cards (VISA, MasterCard,
Discover, AMEX) and checks.
What information will I need to make an online payment?
To make a payment online via credit card, you will need a valid credit card
number, billing name, billing address, and expiration date.
For electronic check payments, a valid bank routing number and Savings/Checking
account number are needed.
Can I get a receipt for my transaction?
Yes. Pay.gov will send you an electronic receipt for your transaction, if you
provide them an email address to send it to. Additionally, NOAA's Fisheries
Permits Web Site also provides you with a record of all of the information
that you have submitted to NMFS in the form of a PDF file after you have electronically
signed an online application.
In addition to the PDF file, NOAA's Fisheries Permits Web Site also sends an email to the email
address associated with your account once you have successfully submitted an online application form
for processing. This email acknowledges that the permit office that processes the permit
has received your application and contains any additional information about your permit request.
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Track Application Status
Once I submit my application for processing, I can track its progress?
Yes. Click on the Track Application Status link,
found in the "Online Services" box on the left hand side of the web page,
to be taken to the "Permit Application Status" web page. Each
application that is submitted for processing is displayed on this web page,
along with each application's request identification number, creation date,
status, and the permit(s) the application is for.
Furthermore, you are also able to download the PDF file that was generated
for you after you completed the electronic signature process. This PDF file
contains all of the information that was entered by you when you were filling
out your online application.
What are the different statuses displayed on "Permit Application Status" web page?
The statuses an application can have along with their meanings are:
|
Status |
Meaning |
|
New |
This application has been recently created by you and has not been submitted
to NMFS for processing. |
|
Submitted |
This application has been electronically signed for, any associated processing
fees have been paid, and the application has been received by a NMFS Regional
Office for processing. |
|
Open |
The application has been opened by a permit processor for processing. |
|
Hold |
The application has been placed on hold. This could happen for a variety of reasons. Contact the permits office for more information.
|
|
Completed |
The application has been processed and is complete.
|
|
Disabled |
The application has been canceled, withdrawn, or abandoned.
|
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