The U.S. government shutdown has led to some concerns among fishermen and dealers regarding permit renewals. Among other things, the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region Permits Office has been unable to process renewals, with some permit holders finding their renewal applications in limbo.
Those with permits expiring during the shutdown have been reassured by the Southeast Regional Permit Office that their permits will remain valid even after their expiration dates, provided they have submitted their renewal applications prior to the existing permit's expiration. The Southeast Permit Office notification applies to This notification applies to all Gulf of America, South Atlantic, and Highly Migratory Species vessel permits, and dealer permits.
"The permit extension issued by NOAA Fisheries minimizes the potential impact of a government shutdown on shrimpers who file for permit renewals in a timely fashion. We have not heard that permit delays are causing any disruption to normal fishing operations,” says Blake Price, deputy director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA).
While the extension applies to existing permits, it does not apply to permit transfers or new permit applications.
The SSA notes that it has not received any other feedback from members regarding the impact of the shutdown on commercial fisheries. “The permits are all we have heard about,” says an SSA spokesperson. “Although there may be other issues with things like Coast Guard services.”
For commercial fishing vessels that require some crew with AB or OS ratings, there may be problems. The National Marine Center (NMC) is closed and currently not renewing merchant mariner credentials and medical certificates, without which these crew cannot legally work.
An email to the NMC currently gets this response: “Due to the government shutdown, the NMC and all Regional Examination Centers (RECs) are closed until further notice. Customer walk-in service at the RECs is suspended. Examinations and other REC appointments are canceled. For updates on operating status, please visit the NMC website.”
While the Coast Guard’s essential search and rescue services remain operational, vessel safety exams and other non-essential services may depend on the availability of qualified personnel. In Maine and New Hampshire, for example, only one vessel safety inspector is working, and according to one of the inspectors in the Southeast Region, formerly District 7, he and all the other inspectors in that sector are currently furloughed.
For U.S. commercial fishing vessels that may have had to enter foreign ports for whatever reason, the good news is that U.S. Customs and Border Protection stations remain operational and can clear vessels re-entering U.S. waters.
