ITQ Permit Application

OMB Control No. 0648-0240 Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

U .S. Department of Commerce NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service 55 Great Republic Drive Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Tel: (978) 282-8483

Application for Surfclam / Ocean Quahog Individual Transferable Quota (ITQ) Permit Fishing Year YYYY January 1, YYYY – December 31, YYYY

Section A – Permit Holder Information
Name of Applicant:			ITQ Permit Number: [C-XXX or Q-XXX] Leave blank for initial application
			DOB (if person) or TIN (if business):
Business Mailing Address: Street or PO Box			Telephone Number:
			Email address (optional):
City	State	Zip Code
For an initial application, please select desired ITQ permit type(s):  Atlantic Surfclam  Ocean Quahog

Section B – Permit Eligibility

The applicant must be eligible to own a documented vessel under the terms of 46 U.S.C. 12103(b). Specifically, the applicant must be:

1. An individual who is a citizen of the United States.

2. An association, trust, joint venture, or other entity if—

   1. each of its members is a citizen of the United States; and

   2. it is capable of holding title to a vessel under the laws of the United States or a State.

3. A partnership if–

   1. each general partner is a citizen of the United States; and

   2. the controlling interest in the partnership is owned by citizens of the United States.

4. A corporation if–

   1. it is incorporated under the laws of the United States or a State;

   2. its chief executive officer, by whatever title, and the chairman of its board of directors are citizens of the United States; and

   3. no more of its directors are noncitizens than a minority of the number necessary to constitute a quorum.

5. The United States Government.

6. The government of a State.

Is the applicant eligible to hold a surfclam ITQ permit, consistent with this requirement?

 Yes  No

Section C – ITQ Quota Share Holdings

Your ITQ Quota Share is: [Insert Ratio]

Your annual cage tag allocation is determined by multiplying the total surfclam quota by this ratio. The result is divided by 32 to determine the appropriate number of cage tags to be allocated. Amounts of allocation of 0.5 cages or smaller are rounded down to the nearest whole number, and amounts greater than 0.5 cages are rounded up to the next whole number, so that allocations are in whole cages.

Please refer to your ITQ permit, when issued, for your actual YYYY cage tag allocation.

An ITQ permit does not need to have associated quota share to be used for leasing cage tags.

Section D – Certification of Applicant
Under penalty of perjury, I hereby declare that I, the undersigned, am authorized to certify this application on behalf of the applicant and completed this form, and the information contained is true, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Applicant Signature:	Date:
Print Name:

To avoid delay in processing, please include all information requested.

Any information submitted by any person to obtain a permit is not confidential, and may be disclosed upon request.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 5 minutes per Individual Fishing Quota application, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to the Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

Permit holder name, address, phone, and permit information will be released via a NOAA Fisheries website. All other data submitted will be handled as confidential in accordance with 16 U.S.C. 1881 and NOAA Administrative Order 216-100, Protection of Confidential Fisheries Statistics. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Instructions – Application for Surfclam / Ocean Quahog ITQ Permit

If you wish to receive surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ by temporary lease of cage tags or permanent transfer of quota share, you must submit this application in order to obtain a Surfclam or Ocean Quahog ITQ permit. The Surfclam or Ocean Quahog ITQ permit, once issued would authorize you to receive ITQ allocation through the cage tag transfer program. Please make sure that you also complete the Surfclam and Ocean Quahog ITQ Identification of Ownership Interest form.

Although we use one application form, we issue separate permits for surfclam ITQ and ocean quahog ITQ. Surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ permits are issued annually and must be renewed each year. If you hold both surfclam and ocean quahog ITQ permits you must submit separate renewal applications for each permit. If you hold surfclam or ocean quahog ITQ quota share (Section C), and do not renew the ITQ permit in any fishing year, you will no longer be eligible for the permit in subsequent years. Any associated ITQ quota share would therefore be considered voluntarily relinquished.

SECTION A - Permit Holder Information:

If applying for a new ITQ permit: Please complete all required fields, leaving the ITQ permit number blank. Once an ITQ permit is issued, you may submit an allocation transfer form to transfer ITQ quota share or cage tags to your ITQ permit.

If renewing an existing ITQ permit: All fields should already be filled out with the information we have on file. Please enter information only for items that have changed or are incorrect, or if you need to submit additional information.

SECTION B - Permit Eligibility:

In order to receive your ITQ permit you must certify the applicant’s eligibility to hold a quota share permit as specified at 50 CFR 648.74.

SECTION C - ITQ Quota Share Holdings:

Information only. Do not modify. If you believe this section is incorrect, please contact NMFS Program Support Line at 978-282-8483.

SECTION D - Certification of Applicant:

Please sign the form. Unsigned or incomplete applications will be returned. Your signature is an affirmation under penalty of perjury, that all the information provided in obtaining this permit is true [18 USC 1001].

When completed, submit the application along with a Surfclam / Ocean Quahog ITQ Identification of Ownership Interest form to the following address:

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

Attn: Permits

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930

For questions, please call 978-282-8483

Annual SC/OQ ITQ Permit Application

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