Welcome To The Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office

The Greater Atlantic Region Permit Office issues fishing vessel, dealer, and commercial operator permits and fishing authorizations for fisheries along the Atlantic Coast. Greater Atlantic Region fishing vessel, dealer, and commercial operator permits are required under the various Federal Fishery Regulations administered by the Region.

You can obtain applications and information in the following ways:

• Application materials can be downloaded and printed from the links provided on this page 
• To have an application sent to you, call us at (978)-282-8438 or email us at NMFS.GAR.Permits@noaa.gov 
• For fisheries regulations and species under management, please click here

For Tuna, Swordfish, Shark and other HMS vessel permits:

Call 1-888-872-8862 or go to https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/ to buy or renew federal vessel permits for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (tunas, billfishes, swordfish, and sharks).

Call 1-727-824-5326 or go to http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/permits for shark and swordfish directed and incidental, and Atlantic tunas longline permits.