Experimental Shrimp Trawl Bycatch Reduction Device

The exempted fishing permit (EFP) would exempt, with certain conditions, the applicant from federal bycatch reduction device (BRD) requirements.  The primary goal of the project is to gauge industry acceptance of the Nested Cylinder BRD (NCBRD). Successful NMFS at-sea BRD certification trials were completed in December 2016, as prescribed in the BRD Testing Protocol Manual.  Under this EFP, cooperating Gulf shrimp fishermen would be provided a new NCBRD to gauge their acceptance ahead of final administrative certification.  Issuance of the EFP would allow fishermen to replace an existing certified BRD with the NCBRD in one outboard net during normal fishing operations, to provide a side-by-side comparison.  All trawls under tow during the evaluations must be equipped with approved turtle excluder devices.

Exempted Fishing Permit Application

Application of a New Bycatch Reduction Device For Use in the U.S. Shrimp Industry

Exempted Fishing Permit

Coming Soon!

More Information

• Notice, 84 FR 25535 
• FB19-031 NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on an Application for an Exempted Fishing Permit to Test an Experimental Shrimp Trawl Bycatch Reduction Device in Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters
• Return to the Gulf of Mexico Branch homepage
• Return to all recent and current Gulf of Mexico Exempted Fishing Permits