Highly Migratory Species
Exempted Fishing Permits
An exempted fishing permit (EFP) is a federal permit, issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service, which authorizes a vessel to engage in an activity that is otherwise prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act or other fishery regulations for the purpose of collecting limited experimental data. EFPs may be granted to promote increased utilization of underutilized species, realize the expansion potential of the domestic HMS fisheries, and increase the harvest efficiency of the HMS fisheries consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the management goals of the FMP. However, EFPs are commonly used to explore ways to encourage innovation and efficiency in the fisheries, measure bycatch associated with different fishing gears and/or fishing strategies (e.g., during certain times or in certain areas), and to evaluate current and proposed management measures.
The Council normally reviews EFP applications at their June and September meetings for EFPs that would begin during the next fishing year (which begins on April 1). For the fishing year beginning on April 1, 2006, the Council reviewed applications at the November 2005 and March 2006 Council meetings.
Current EFPs
At their April 2008 meeting, the Council recommended NMFS issue an EFP to allow one vessel to fish with shallow-set longline (SSLL) gear in the U.S. west coast EEZ to assess whether SSLL gear using the latest gear modifications is a cost-effective alternative to potentially reducing bycatch in the California and Oregon swordfish fishery.
NMFS SWR web page:
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