| All
shrimp vessel owners are reminded that a commercial shrimp
vessel moratorium permit needs to be issued and aboard vessels
fishing for or possessing shrimp in federal waters of the
Gulf of Mexico beginning on March 26, 2007. A 10-year moratorium
on the issuance of new federal shrimp vessel permits for
the shrimp fishery of the Gulf of Mexico was established
in October 2006. All currently active open access federal
shrimp vessel permits will no longer be valid as of March
26.
Only
those commercial shrimp vessels which were issued a valid
commercial shrimp vessel permit prior to and including Dec.
6, 2006, will be eligible for a moratorium permit. Failure
to apply in a timely manner will preclude permit issuance
even when the applicant otherwise meets the permit eligibility
criteria.
Additionally,
an owner who sold his qualified vessel, had his qualified
vessel repossessed, or otherwise lost use of his qualified
vessel (i.e., damage, sinking, unaffordable repairs), but
who obtained a valid commercial shrimp vessel permit for
the same vessel or another vessel equipped for offshore
shrimp fishing, of at least 5 net tons, and was documented
by the Coast Guard, prior to Sept. 26, 2006, is eligible
for a shrimp vessel permit under the moratorium.
NOAA
Fisheries Service permit records are the sole basis for
determining eligibility based on permit history. Any vessel
owner who believes they meet the permit eligibility criteria
based on ownership of a vessel under a different name, as
may have occurred when ownership changed from individual
to corporate or vice versa, must document his/her continuity
of ownership.
According
to the rule, it is the responsibility of the vessel owner
to ensure an application is obtained and submitted to NOAA
Fisheries Service within the specified time frame. Owners
of vessels who desire a commercial vessel permit for Gulf
shrimp must submit an application to the Southeast Regional
Office Permits Branch, postmarked or hand delivered not
later than Oct. 26, 2007.
Owners
who believe they meet the moratorium permit requirements
and have not received application materials should contact:
NOAA
Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office
Permits Branch
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701
Phone: 727-824-5326; FAX 727-551-5747
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