🎣Fisheries Regulation
NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland turbot, BS "other rockfish," BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) "other flatfish." This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.
Learn More🎣2025 Pacific Whiting TAC and Allocation Regulations Overview
This final rule announces the 2025 U.S. Total Allowable Catch of Pacific whiting and implements the domestic 2025 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (collectively, the West Coast), including the 2025 Tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-Tribal fishery Harvest Guideline and sector allocations, and a set-aside for research activities and incidental mortality in non- groundfish fisheries. These measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of Tribal treaty fishing rights.
Learn More🌊South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Details
The Council will hold a meeting of the Habitat and Ecosystem Advisory Panel Tuesday, July 15, 2025 through Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Learn More🎣2025-2027 Regulations for Golden and Blueline Tilefish Fisheries
This final rule implements and informs the public of specifications for the 2025 fishing year for the golden tilefish and the blueline tilefish fishery north of the North Carolina/Virginia border and projects specifications for golden tilefish in 2026 and 2027. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan (Tilefish FMP).
Learn More🎣Upcoming Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting Details
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Bluefish Monitoring Committee (MC) will hold a public meeting jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Bluefish Technical Committee.
Learn More🎣2025 Black Sea Bass Recreational Fishing Measures and Regulations
NMFS announces Federal management measures are waived for the 2025 black sea bass recreational fishery. The implementing regulations for this fishery require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of this action is to approve conservation equivalency and set management measures that allow this recreational fishery to achieve, but not exceed, the recreational harvest target and thereby prevent overfishing.
Learn More🎣2025 Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery Specifications Overview
NMFS is finalizing specifications for the 2025 small-mesh multispecies fishery, including an annual catch limit (ACL) and total allowable landings (TAL) limit. This action is necessary to fully implement previously projected allowable small-mesh multispecies harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield (OY). This action is intended to establish the allowable 2025 harvest levels, consistent with the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
Learn More🐟2025-2026 Pacific Sardine Fishing Regulation Specifications
NMFS proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine (hereafter, Pacific sardine), for the fishing year from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. This proposed rule would prohibit most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest would be allowed only for use as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The proposed harvest specifications for 2025-2026 include an overfishing limit of 4,645 metric tons (mt), an acceptable biological catch of 3,957 mt, an annual catch limit of 2,200 mt, and an annual catch target of 2,100 mt. This proposed rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
Learn More🎣Notice of SEDAR 100 Pre-Data Workshop Webinar on Gulf Gray Triggerfish
The SEDAR 100 assessment process of Gulf gray triggerfish will consist of a Data Workshop, and a series of assessment webinars, and a Review Workshop. see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Learn More🎣New Regulations on Dolphinfish and Wahoo for U.S. Caribbean Waters
NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas and St. John (Amendment 3), as prepared by the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule establishes new management measures for dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) in U.S. Caribbean Federal waters, including commercial and recreational minimum size limits and recreational bag and possession limits. The purpose of the management measures contained in this final rule and Amendment 3 is to ensure dolphinfish and wahoo have adequate time to mature and reproduce and to help protect against overfishing.
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