- Hurricane Ian made landfall in the U.S. near Cayo Costa, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane on September 28, 2022, then moved across the Florida peninsula into the South Atlantic and made another U.S. landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Georgetown, South Carolina, on September 30, 2022.
- For those who do not have access to electronic reporting, Federal regulations provide for delayed reporting by federally permitted for-hire vessels and individual fishing quota (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. Participants must continue to use the electronic systems if it is accessible.
- NOAA Fisheries has determined that catastrophic conditions exist in the following counties:
- Florida:
- Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Nassau, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Saint Johns, and Volusia.
- South Carolina:
- Horry
- Florida:
- Therefore, for any federally permitted dealer in the affected area who does not have access to electronic reporting, NOAA Fisheries is authorizing, through November 7, 2022:
- Delayed reporting of trip tickets to NOAA Fisheries; and
- The use of paper-based reporting forms for red snapper and grouper-tilefish 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 the affected area who does not have access to electronic reporting, NOAA Fisheries is authorizing delayed reporting of logbooks through November 7, 2022. Fishermen are to report all landings through electronically as soon as possible.
- If you are located in these counties, please contact the Permit Office for any questions related to expiring or terminating permits. The Permit Office customer service line is 877-376-4877, Option 8, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
- NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor and reevaluate the areas and duration of the catastrophic conditions. A subsequent Fishery Bulletin will be published if reporting requirements are extended.
More Information:
- Federally Permitted Dealers
- Federally permitted dealers in affected areas are released from the weekly reporting requirement of trip tickets to NOAA Fisheries through November 7, 2022, but must report all landings as soon as possible.
- For questions, contact the Fisheries Monitoring Branch: 305-361-4581.
- Gulf of Mexico For-Hire Owner/Operators
- Federally permitted Gulf of Mexico for-hire owner/operators in affected areas are released from the prior to offload reporting requirement of logbooks to NOAA Fisheries through November 7, 2022, but must report all logbooks as soon as possible.
- Participants must continue to use the electronic reporting system if it is accessible.
- For questions, contact the Southeast For-hire Integrated Electronic Reporting customer service: 833-707-1632, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
- South Atlantic For-Hire Owner/Operators
- Federally permitted South Atlantic for-hire operators in affected areas are released from the weekly reporting requirement to NOAA Fisheries through November 7, 2022, but must report all landings or a weekly Did Not Fish report as soon as possible.
- Participants must continue to use the electronic reporting system if it is accessible.
- For questions, contact the Southeast For-hire Integrated Electronic Reporting customer service: 833-707-1632, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
- IFQ Participants
- The electronic systems for submitting landings and IFQ information to NOAA Fisheries will continue to be available to all dealers. Participants must 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. Assistance in complying with the requirements of the paper-based system will be available via IFQ customer service: 866-425-7627 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Paper forms are also available upon request by calling IFQ customer service at 866-425-7627 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.
- NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor and reevaluate the areas and duration of the catastrophic conditions. A subsequent Fishery Bulletin will be published if reporting requirements are extended.
What Other Assistance Is Available From NOAA Fisheries:
- Like many Americans, NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office has witnessed the devastation to our coastal communities and resources in Puerto Rico and Florida over the last several weeks.
- Our first concern is public safety, including what we can do to help our federal and state agency partners immediately activate recovery efforts.
- Secondly, is to do our part working with those partners to ensure the fishery disaster determination process can be as efficient and effective as possible in helping the fishing industry recover.
- In addition to this determination of catastrophic conditions and working with our fishermen to address permitting concerns, NOAA Fisheries financial assistance may be available to reimburse losses specific to fishing communities and industry.
- Disaster assistance is administered under two statutes—the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act. Under both, a state governor or official representative of an affected fishing community can request a fishery disaster determination from the Secretary of Commerce.
- The Secretary may also initiate a review. If the Secretary determines that a fishery disaster has occurred, the fishery is eligible for disaster assistance subject to appropriation of funds by Congress.
- The impacted state or territory will be responsible for disbursement of funds according to a spend plan approved by NOAA Fisheries.
- For more information about this process, please see our frequently asked questions.
- If the Secretary has determined a fishery resource disaster, then small fishing-related businesses may qualify for certain Small Business Administration (SBA) Ian and Fiona Disaster Assistance loans, which can, in certain cases, help address economic injury and physical damage.
- Additional resources provided by FEMA for Fiona Assistance and Ian Assistance, may assist with housing and home repair, personal property replacement, and unemployment.
- Apply through DisasterAssistance.gov , the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
