HMS EFP Annual Report

Office of Sustainable Fisheries

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division

Exempted Fishing Permit Annual Report

This form is mandatory for all Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) exempted fishing permit (EFP), scientific research permit (SRP), and display permit holders and voluntary for all letter of acknowledgment (LOA) holders. Please complete this form within 30 days of the expiration of your permit. The annual report can be auto-generated based on the interim report data submitted through the HMS EFP Electronic Reporting website. Alternatively, the annual report may be manually filled out and submitted electronically to nmfs.hms.efps@noaa.gov

Permit Number:

Permit Holder:

Authorized Vessel(s):

Authorized Sampler(s):

Was NOAA Fisheries funding used to collect these specimens? Yes No

Certification: I certify that the information provided by me on this form is true to the best of my knowledge, and made in good faith. False statement on this form is punishable by law.

Permit Holder Signature: Date:

Annual Report Form

INSTRUCTIONS: Fill out the table below with the disposition of all fish caught or collected under the authority of the EFP, SRP, display permit, or LOA. The “Total Number Caught” column should be the sum of the “Total Number Kept” and “Total Number Discarded” numbers.

Species (Common Name)	Total Number Caught	Total Number Kept		Total Number Discarded
		Alive	Dead	Alive (Tag)	Alive (No Tag)	Dead
Swordfish
Swordfish
Swordfish larvae
Sharks
Atlantic angel
Atlantic sharpnose
Basking
Bigeye sand tiger
Bigeye sixgill
Species (Common Name)	Total Number Caught	Total Number Kept		Total Number Discarded
		Alive	Dead	Alive (Tag)	Alive (No Tag)	Dead
Bigeye thresher
Bignose
Blacknose
Blacktip
Bonnethead
Bull
Carolina hammerhead
Caribbean reef
Caribbean sharpnose
Common thresher
Dusky
Finetooth
Florida smoothhound
Galapagos
Great hammerhead
Gulf smoothhound
Lemon
Longfin mako
Narrowtooth
Night
Nurse
Oceanic whitetip
Porbeagle
Sand tiger
Sandbar
Scalloped hammerhead
Sevengill
Shortfin mako
Silky
Sixgill
Smalltail
Smooth dogfish
Smooth hammerhead
Spinner
Tiger
Whale
White
Tunas
Albacore
Bigeye
Species (Common Name)	Total Number Caught	Total Number Kept		Total Number Discarded
		Alive	Dead	Alive (Tag)	Alive (No Tag)	Dead
Bluefin
Skipjack
Yellowfin
Tuna larvae
Billfishes
Blue marlin
Longbill spearfish
Roundscale spearfish
Sailfish
White marlin
Billfish larvae
Protected Species

Annual Report Form

Data Confidentiality: All data provided are confidential and will be used to determine the cumulative effects of exempted fishing activities on marine resources as well as provide scientific information on species that would otherwise be prohibited from collection/possession. Consistent and accurate reporting is critical for achieving the benefits of conservation and management of HMS fisheries. This form is mandatory for EFP, SRP, and display permit holders. This form is voluntary for LOA holders.

HMS EFP Contact Information

Electronically generate and submit your annual report on the HMS EFP Electronic Reporting Portal. Alternatively, you may manually complete and electronically submit annual reports to nmfs.hms.efps@noaa.gov. 

The most up-to-date versions of the HMS EFP application and reporting forms are available for download from the HMS EFP Program webpage. 

For additional HMS EFP information, email nmfs.hms.efps@noaa.gov or call 301-427-8503.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT NOTICE: Collection of information through an exempted fishing permit program provides essential information for the conservation and management of Atlantic tunas, swordfish, and billfish. Information on distribution and migratory patterns will be used for stock assessment and in developing international catch sharing agreements. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 minutes per response. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: NMFS, Highly Migratory Species Management Division (F/SF1), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Reporting of exempted fishing permit activity is required under the authority of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. It is NOAA policy to preserve the confidentiality of information submitted under this reporting requirement, except that NMFS may release such information in aggregate or summary form, such that individual identifiers are not disclosed (NAO 216-100). Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject 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. OMB Control #0648-0471 Expires 9/30/2027.

PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT

Authority: The collection of this information is authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, 16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.

Purpose: In order to manage Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) fisheries, including the scientific research on, and collection for public display of, managed species, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requires the use of exempted fishing and related permits. Information collected on applicants include: name, mailing address, email address, and phone number. Information collected on potential authorized vessels include: owner’s name, owner’s address, owner’s phone number, operator’s name, and copies of the vessel registration and any HMS fishing permits. Applicant and vessel information may be used to support NMFS decision making in issuing an exempted fishing or related permit.

Routine Use: NMFS will use this information to determine permit and vessel eligibility, and to identify the permit holder and authorized vessels. Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a), to be shared within NMFS offices, in order to coordinate monitoring and management of sustainability of fisheries and protected resources, as well as with the applicable State or Regional Marine Fisheries Commissions and International Organizations. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all of the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice COMMERCE/NOAA-19, Permits and Registrations for the United States Federally Regulated Fisheries.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary; however, failure to provide complete and accurate information will prevent the determination of eligibility for a permit or authorized vessel.