Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane on August 29, 2021.
On September 8, 2021, NOAA Fisheries determined that catastrophic conditions existed in specific Louisiana Parishes.
On October 4, 2021, NOAA Fisheries extended the catastrophic conditions waiver through October 31, 2021.
NOAA Fisheries has received numerous reports of continued damage to the infrastructure in Jefferson Parish, such as power outages and interruption of water service.
Therefore, NOAA Fisheries is extending the prior catastrophic conditions determination in Jefferson Parish through November 30, 2021:
Therefore, for any federally permitted dealer in Jefferson Parish who does not have access to electronic reporting, NOAA Fisheries is authorizing, through November 30, 2021:
Delayed reporting of trip tickets to NOAA Fisheries; and
The use of paper-based reporting forms for red snapper and grouper-tilefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) participants.
Dealers are to report all landings through the state trip ticket program as soon as possible.
For any federally permitted for-hire operator in Jefferson Parish who does not have access to electronic reporting, NOAA Fisheries is authorizing, through November 30, 2021, the delayed reporting of for-hire logbooks.
More Information:
- Federally permitted dealers in Jefferson Parish are exempted from the weekly reporting requirement of trip tickets to NOAA Fisheries through November 30, 2021, but must report all landings as soon as possible. For questions, contact the Fisheries Monitoring Branch: 305-361-4581.
- Federally permitted for-hire operators in Jefferson Parish are exempted from the reporting requirement of logbooks prior to offload to NOAA Fisheries through November 30, 2021, but must report all logbooks as soon as possible. Participants should continue to use the electronic reporting systems if it is accessible. For questions, contact the Southeast For-hire Integrated Electronic Reporting customer service: 833-707-1632.
- The electronic systems for submitting landings and IFQ information to NOAA Fisheries will continue to be available to all dealers. Participants shall continue to use the electronic systems if it is accessible.
- NOAA Fisheries has previously provided IFQ dealers the necessary paper forms and instructions for reporting during catastrophic conditions. Paper forms are also available upon request by calling Catch Share Customer Support at the phone number listed above or by writing:
NOAA Fisheries
Southeast Regional Office
Sustainable Fisheries Division
263 13th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505
- The IFQ program functions available to participants in the geographic area affected by catastrophic conditions will be limited for those using the paper-based system. There will be no mechanism for transfers of IFQ shares or allocation for those using the paper-based system during catastrophic conditions.
- Assistance in complying with the requirements of the paper-based system will be available via Catch Share Customer Support 1-866-425-7627 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Federal regulations provide for delayed reporting by federally permitted for-hire vessels and IFQ paper-based reporting in the event of catastrophic conditions. These regulations require NOAA Fisheries to determine when the catastrophic conditions exist, the duration of the catastrophic conditions, and which participants or geographic areas are affected.
