NOAA Renews Fishing Paperwork for Pacific Island Vacationers
Published Date: 9/22/2026
Notice
Summary
NOAA is renewing the rules for non-commercial fishing permits in the Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench, and Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monuments. If you fish there for fun or research, you’ll need a permit and must keep a simple daily log. This update keeps the process easy, with just 15 people affected, and takes about 20 minutes per day to report—no extra fees or big changes.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Permit required to fish in monuments
If you operate a vessel that non-commercially fishes, takes, retains, or possesses any management unit species in the Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench, or Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monuments, you must hold a valid permit issued by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under 50 CFR Part 665. This requirement applies to owners and operators of vessels used for non-commercial fishing and to owners/operators of vessels chartered to fish recreationally.
Charter business establishment requirement
If you run a charter business that will operate in these monuments, the charter business must be legally established in the permit area where it will operate and the charter vessel must be registered to the permit. Charter vessel clients do not need to hold a permit.
Daily catch log and submission timing
Vessel operators must record a complete log of catch, effort, and other requested data on an NMFS log sheet within 24 hours of the completion of each fishing day, then sign, date, and submit the form to NMFS within 30 days of the end of each fishing trip.
Small reporting burden and respondent count
NOAA reports 15 respondents for the permit application and daily log. The application averages 0.25 hours (15 minutes) per response; each daily log averages 0.33 hours (20 minutes); total annual burden is 19 hours.
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Key Dates
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