Fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico can continue to fish on expired permits through the government shutdown as long as they have applied for renewals, according to NOAA’s Southeast regional office.
In a bulletin issued Wednesday, regulators said the shutdown, now in its 23rd day, has created a backlog of applications at the agency’s St. Petersburg permitting office, creating a potential disruption for thousands of fishermen and dockside dealers who purchase their catches.
“For permits that are expired but have timely and complete renewal applications pending at the Southeast Regional Office, the permit will remain valid beyond the stated expiration date until NOAA Fisheries makes a final decision on the application once the Permits Office reopens,” the agency said.
NOAA did not respond to a request for additional information about what was titled the “extended validity of vessel and dealer permits” bulletin.
