🐟New England Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Notice
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is holding a public hybrid meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.
Learn More🎣New Jersey and North Carolina Bluefish Quota Transfer Regulation
NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of their 2025 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2025 commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey and North Carolina.
Learn More🎣Summer Flounder Quota Transfer Regulation Impacting MA and RI Businesses
NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is transferring a portion of its 2025 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of Rhode Island. This adjustment to the 2025 fishing year quota is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2025 commercial quotas for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Learn More🎣2025 Scup Fishery Quota Adjustment Impacts Northeastern Fisheries
NMFS adjusts the 2025 Winter II commercial scup quota and per- trip Federal landing limit. This action is necessary to comply with regulations implementing Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan that established the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I to the Winter II period. This notification informs the public of the quota and trip limit changes.
Learn More🎣NMFS Temporarily Closes Pacific Ocean Perch Fishery in Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific Ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific Ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA has been or will be reached.
Learn More🎣Fisheries Regulation
NMFS is prohibiting retention of "other rockfish" in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2025 "other rockfish" total allowable catch (TAC) in the Aleutian Islands subarea of the BSAI will soon be or has been reached.
Learn More🎣Temporary Fishing Closure for Pollock in Bering Sea Area
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels using trawl gear in the Winter Herring Savings Area of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 herring bycatch allowance specified for the midwater pollock fishery in the BSAI. This action includes prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the Winter Herring Savings Area by vessels participating in the Community Development Quota Program.
Learn More🐋Regulatory Notice on Marine Mammal Protection for Northeast Pipeline Project
Notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco), a subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P., to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction activities associated with the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project in Raritan Bay, Lower New York Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Learn More🐟2025 Temporary Closure of Commercial Red Snapper in South Atlantic
NMFS implements an accountability measure for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects that commercial landings of red snapper will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2025 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for red snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper resource.
Learn More🐟2025-2026 Fisheries Management Specifications for Northeastern U.S.
NMFS approves and implements 2025-2026 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This action sets 2025 and projected 2026 butterfish fishery specifications and reaffirms 2025 chub mackerel, Illex squid, longfin squid, and Atlantic mackerel fishery specifications. These final specifications are intended to establish allowable harvest levels that will prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information. This action also adjusts the minimum square mesh size for directed butterfish trawl trips and corrects existing regulations.
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