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West Coast Regional Office Permits

Published by West Coast Regional Office | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: April 12, 2026 at 01:28 PM | Dataset Last Updated: February 29, 2024 at 12:00 AM
NOAA Fisheries implemented a license limitation program for the trawl and fixed gear sectors of Pacific Coast commercial groundfish fishery on January 1, 1993. The agency issued federal fishing permits based on vessel catch histories. This limited entry program was designed to control the capacity of the groundfish fishing fleet by limiting the number of fishing vessels, limiting the number of vessels using each of the three specified gear types (trawl, trap/pot, longline), and limiting increases in harvest capacity by limiting vessel length. The Pacific Coast Groundfish Limited Entry Permit (LEP) authorizes the holder (owner of a vessel) to participate in the federal limited entry groundfish fishery in waters off of Washington, Oregon, and California. NOAA Fisheries no longer issues new LEPs. Any new entrant to the groundfish LEP fishery, must either purchase or lease an existing LEP. In addition, as part of the shorebased IFQ Fishery, NOAA Fisheries issues First Receiver Site Licenses (FRSL).

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