All vessels that fish for, or may incidentally take and retain, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species must have a vessel permit. These permits must be renewed annually. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species include:
- Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
- Bigeye, Albacore, Yellowfin, and Skipjack Tuna
- Swordfish
- Blue Marlin
- White Marlin
- Sailfish
- Roundscale Spearfish
- Sharks (requires endorsement)
See the NOAA Fisheries Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Permits webpage to learn more.
North Carolina does not use the NOAA Fisheries' call-in or website reporting process. Instead, all anglers in North Carolina must fill out a catch card and receive an HMS landing tag from a Reporting Station prior to the fish being removed from the vessel or the vessel from the water. Learn more below.
For questions about the reporting process in North Carolina, please contact Dallis Tucker, 252-948-3816.