Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Southeast Region
    • Commercial Guiding


Notice To Commercial Permit Applicants: 
In early August 2009, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) and Canaveral National Seashore (Seashore) initiated a comprehensive update of the Commercial Use Authorization policy. Currently, this policy remains under review. Once the review process is completed, the Refuge and Seashore will notify all permit holders of any revisions to the August 2009 policy, and will post any revisions on the Refuge and Seashore websites.

Commercial Fishing Guides are required to obtain an Incidental Business Permit from Canaveral National Seashore Headquarters in Titusville. Instructions and application forms are available online.  The permit cost $250 and is good for one year from the date of issue.  In addition, first time applicants or previous applicants that have let their permit expire, must pay a $100 application fee.  The permit is good while commercial fishing in the waters of either Canaveral National Seashore or Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  Catch reports and annual revenue reporting requirements will also be mandatory and strictly enforced.  Further details on this permit can be found on the Canaveral National Seashore website http://nps.gov/cana/planyourvisit/permits.htm

Applicants for commercial permits on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and /or Canaveral National Seashore will undergo background checks for previous law and regulation violations, i.e., manatee speed zone violations, pole-troll zone/no motor zone violations, state and federal game and fish violations, commercial permit noncompliance violations, safety violations, DUI/BUI violations, firearms violations, felony convictions, and convictions involving resisting a law enforcement officer. Commercial permits will not be issued to individuals with more than three resource or other violations within the past five years. For those individuals receiving a commercial permit, the Refuge and Seashore will suspend a commercial permit for 60 days effective on the date of conviction for a second instance of a violation as outlined above within a 5 year period. The Refuge and Seashore will terminate a commercial permit for one year effective on the date of conviction for a third instance of a violation as outlined above within a 5 year period. If a Commercial Permit is suspended or terminated, the permit holder will have no claim for reimbursement for any portion of the commercial permit that remains unused. Authority to suspend or terminate permits is given in 50 CFR 25.43 and 36 CFR 1.6.

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