NOAA Considers 'Get Out of Fishing Jail' Research Permits
Published Date: 12/4/2025
Notice
Summary
NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center wants special permission for some fishing boats to try new gear that’s easier to spot and uses fewer buoys. This lets them test cool fishing tech outside the usual rules. If you’re into fishing or ocean stuff, you can share your thoughts by December 19, 2025—no cost, just your voice!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Permission to Trial Ropeless (On‑Demand) Gear
NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center applied for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would let up to 180 trap/pot vessels and up to 20 gillnet vessels trial on‑demand (ropeless) fishing systems in federal waters from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. The application requests exemptions from specific Federal gear‑marking rules so participants can test systems that use one or no surface buoys, with up to 15,000 trap/pot trips and up to 1,600 gillnet trips during the project period.
Testing Fully On‑Demand Gear in Restricted Areas
The EFP would allow testing of fully on‑demand gear (no persistent vertical lines) in Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) Restricted Areas, with a cap of 600 total modified trawls across those Restricted Areas and up to 20 modified trawls per participating vessel. NEFSC may require demonstrated history of fishing in Restricted Areas as a condition for participation there.
Limited Grappling Trials Allowed
The project would allow up to 5 vessels to use grappling to retrieve up to 20 trawls each as part of the trials (a subset of the 180 trap/pot vessels and the 1,800 modified trap/pot trawl effort cap). Grappling trials would not be allowed in ALWTRP Restricted Areas.
Mandatory Participant Operational Requirements
If approved, participating vessels must follow NEFSC best practices including reporting all right whale sightings to NMFS, providing weekly gear loss reports, operating at a 10‑knot speed limit when transiting ALWTRP Restricted Areas or when whales are observed, using the Trap Tracker or equivalent for unmarked gear, and may be required to carry NEFSC scientists or observers on some trips. Participants will receive training before use of gear.
Exemptions Limited to Specific Federal Gear Rules
The EFP, if granted, would only exempt vessels from the named Federal gear‑marking regulations; vessels would not be exempt from state requirements, the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, or other applicable laws, and applicants remain responsible for obtaining any required state authorizations.
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