🐟New 5-Year Finding Allows Yellowfin Tuna Imports from Select Countries
The NMFS Assistant Administrator (Assistant Administrator) has issued a new 5-year affirmative finding for the Governments of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Spain (referred to hereafter as "The Nations") under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) related to the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) tuna purse seine fishery and the importation of yellowfin tuna from nations participating in this fishery. This affirmative finding will allow the importation into the United States of yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna products harvested in the ETP, in compliance with the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP), by purse seine vessels operating under The Nations' jurisdiction or exported from The Nations. NMFS bases the affirmative finding determination on reviews of documentary evidence submitted by the Governments of The Nations and of information obtained from the Inter- American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
Learn More🎣Exempted Fishing Permit Application and Its Business Implications
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc. (CFF). Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
Learn More🎣NOAA to Hold Public Meeting on Fish Stock Assessments
NMFS will convene the Management Track Assessment Peer Review Meeting for the purpose of reviewing black sea bass, bluefish, scup, and summer flounder stocks. The Management Track Assessment Peer Review is a formal scientific peer-review process for evaluating and presenting stock assessment results to managers for fish stocks in the offshore U.S. waters of the northwest Atlantic. Assessments are prepared by the lead stock assessment scientist and reviewed by an independent panel of stock assessment experts. The public is invited to attend the presentations and discussions between the review panel and the scientists who have participated in the stock assessment process.
Learn More🎣Notice of SEDAR 94 Pre-Data Workshop Webinar for Florida Hogfish
The SEDAR 94 assessment process of Florida hogfish will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Learn More🎣New England Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Overview
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Joint Groundfish Advisory and Recreational Advisory Panels via webinar 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🐟Business Implications of Endangered Species Permit Modification Notice
Notice is hereby given that Jason Kahn, Ph.D., National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, has requested a modification to scientific research Permit No. 24016-01.
Learn More🐟MAFMC Bluefish Advisory Panel Meeting Announcement
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) Bluefish Advisory Panel will hold a public meeting, jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Bluefish Advisory Panel.
Learn More🎣New Fishing Restrictions for Tropical Tuna
NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act (TCA) of 1950, as amended, to implement Resolution C-24-01 (Conservation Measures For Tropical Tunas In The Eastern Pacific Ocean During 2025-2026) adopted at the 102nd Meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in September 2024. This final rule maintains and extends management measures for fishing vessels targeting tropical tuna (i.e., bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). The fishing restrictions will apply to large purse seine vessels of class sizes 4-6 (i.e., vessels with a carrying capacity of 182 metric tons (mt) or greater) and longline vessels greater than 24 meters in overall length that fish for tropical tuna in the EPO. This rule is necessary for the conservation of tropical tuna stocks in the EPO and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.
Learn More🐟Proposed Exempted Fishing Permits for Skate Wing Fishing
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
Learn More🎣New Regulation Opens Fishing for Pacific Ocean Perch in Alaska
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch (POP) in the Bering Sea subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2025 total allowable catch of POP specified for the Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI.
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