March 19, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Under guidance from the Department of Commerce, NOAA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO) has adjusted its facilities and operating procedures. This is a rapidly evolving situation that we are monitoring closely.
Effective immediately and until further notice, access to all GARFO buildings is restricted to employees, and to visitors and deliveries that are deemed essential to our mission. This measure is taken out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees and constituents during the COVID-19 virus pandemic.
Despite restrictions on building access, we are continuing to operate. The majority of our staff are teleworking to the maximum extent possible, and we also have a few staff working in the buildings to keep critical functions and operations moving. Feel free to call or email GARFO staff as you normally would, but please be patient if their response time is delayed.
All meetings and events for March and several in April have been canceled or postponed. We will continue to provide updates through email and on the Events page on our website.
Permit Questions?
If you need a permit, we encourage you to use our new online portal. Permit Office staff are available to assist you over the phone at (978) 282-8438 or by email at NMFS.GAR.Permits@noaa.gov.
Other Inquiries
Please call 978-281-9300 or email nmfs.gar.garfo@noaa.gov if you have any questions or need further information.