Northeast

Marine Mammal Protection in the Northeast

For more information, please go to NOAA’s Northeast Marine Mammal Program website.

For more information about marine mammal viewing in the Northeast, please go to NOAA’s Responsible Marine Wildlife Viewing page and NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office’s Marine Mammal Viewing page.

Special Agents James Cassin and Jeffrey Ray, from left, inspect shark fins that were seized during a 2003 joint investigation by NOAA's Office for Law Enforcement and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Agents discovered a New York company had purchased approximately 300,000 pounds of federally regulated shark meat and fins over a two-and-a-half year period without the required federal shark dealer permit.

Permitting in the Northeast

Atlantic Tuna

• Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat and Highly Migratory Species Angling Vessel Permit, contact customer service, such as non-regulatory calls, at (888) 872-8862 and dial 0 for a customer service representative.
• For Atlantic tuna dealer permits, contact NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region Permit Office at (978) 281-9370 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday or by e-mail at permits.ne@noaa.gov.

Atlantic Swordfish and Shark

• For swordfish and shark dealer permits, contact the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office at 727-824-5326 or check the Southeast Region website.
• Commercial shark and swordfish vessel permits are limited access only.

Other Permits

For Northeast permits other than shark, tuna, swordfish, and billfish, call NOAA Fisheries Northeast Region Permits office at (978) 281-9370. For more contact information, go to the Northeast Region Permits website.

Compliance Guides

• Sector Regulations Overview FY2012
• VTR Question and Answer Compliance Guide
• Common Pool Size and Possession Limits
• Northeast Recreational and Charter/Party Size and Possession Limits
• Mid-Atlantic Recreational and Charter/Party Size and Possession Limits
• NOAA Office of Law Enforcement Kids' Coloring and Activity Book
• Compliance Guide for Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Rule