Copyright Policy

Guidelines for Reproducing or Using Material from the NOAA Fisheries Web Site
NOAA Fisheries' policy is to use externally produced material (graphics, text, etc.) on our web site only with permission of the copyright holder. If you believe material to which you have rights has been improperly included, please provide the URL to the contact identified on the page on which the material appears or to the NOAA Fisheries Web Editor-in-Chief (cyber.fish@noaa.gov).

Texts
Most text appearing on NOAA Fisheries web pages was either prepared by employees of the United States Government as part of their official duties and therefore not subject to copyright or prepared under contracts that gave NOAA Fisheries the right to place the text into the public domain. The same is true of most publications available for downloading from this web site. You may freely copy that material. NOAA Fisheries requests that, when doing so, you include a "Courtesy: NOAA Fisheries" notation.

If copyrighted text is included on a NOAA Fisheries web page or in a NOAA Fisheries publication, it will be specifically identified. Copyrighted material may not be utilized in whole or in part without the express written permission of the copyright holder. For information about copyright holders, how they can be contacted, and what, if any, use those owners allow of their material, please provide the URL to the point of contact identified as contact for the page on which the text or download link appears. If no contact is given, contact the NOAA Fisheries Web Editor-in-Chief (cyber.fish@noaa.gov).

Graphics
Permission to use NOAA Fisheries graphics is granted on a case-by-case basis. Some are public domain, some are created by NOAA Fisheries contractors, and some are used by NOAA Fisheries with specific permission granted by the owner. Therefore, graphics found on the NOAA Fisheries web site should not be reused without permission.

Copyrighted material may not be utilized in whole or in part without the express written permission of the copyright holder. For information about the copyright holders of a given photo or illustration on the NOAA Fisheries web site, how the owners can be contacted, and what, if any, use those owners allow of their material, please provide the URL and file name to the point of contact identified as contact for the page on which the photo or illustration appears. If no contact is given, contact the NOAA Fisheries Web Editor-in-Chief (cyber.fish@noaa.gov).

Granting the right to use a graphic from the NOAA Fisheries web site does not explicitly or implicitly convey NOAA Fisheries' endorsement of the site where it is used. If a NOAA Fisheries image includes an identifiable person, using the image may infringe that person's right of privacy or publicity, and permission should be obtained from the person.

Once you receive confirmation from us that a graphic is available for use, we request that you credit NOAA Fisheries with a "Courtesy: NOAA Fisheries"

These materials have been prepared for informational purposes only and are not legal advice. Online readers should not act upon this information without seeking appropriate professional counsel.