🎣Corrections to Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Regulations
NMFS is correcting the 2025-2026 harvest specifications and management measures for groundfish caught in the U.S. exclusive economic zone seaward of Washington, Oregon, and California published on December 16, 2024. These corrections are necessary to accurately implement the 2025-2026 specifications. This correcting amendment revises regulations to fully implement the recombination of shortspine thornyheads north and south of 34[deg]27' N lat., by clarifying the coastwide quota share (QS) and quota pound (QP) accumulation limits are the same as the area-specific limits but are now managed coastwide. This correction also revises the limited entry trip limits for shortspine thornyheads and sablefish, which were mis-specified in table 2b (South). Finally, this correction also fixes an amendatory instruction intended to correct instances of "Nontrawl" to "Non- trawl".
Learn More🎣2025 Management Measures for Pacific Halibut Fishery Regulations
NMFS is proposing annual management measures for the 2025 non- Tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery that operates south of Point Chehalis, WA, (lat. 46[deg]53.30' N) in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. Annual management measures include fishing periods and fishing period limits. NMFS is also proposing to modify permit deadlines for all Area 2A non-Tribal commercial fisheries and modify inseason action announcement procedures for the Area 2A non- Tribal directed commercial fishery. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut and provide fishing opportunity where available.
Learn More🎣Proposed Management Measures for 2025 Black Sea Bass Fishing
NMFS proposes Federal management measures 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 set management measures that allow this recreational fishery to achieve, but not exceed, the recreational harvest target and thereby prevent overfishing.
Learn More🎣2025 Regulatory Changes for Pacific Halibut Fisheries Impacting Businesses
This final rule approves changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (CSP) for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. In addition, the rule implements new management measures for the 2025 recreational fisheries in Area 2A, including the recreational fishery season open dates and subarea allocations for Area 2A. This action also adds a new inseason management provision that explicitly allows for the inseason transfer of anticipated uncaught recreational fishery allocation from the Northern California subarea to the South of Point Arena subarea. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut, while providing additional angler opportunity to achieve the Area 2A allocation set by the IPHC.
Learn More🎣Correction to Fishery Management Plans for U.S. Virgin Islands
NMFS corrects the final rule that implemented management measures described in the Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and St. Thomas and St. John Fishery Management Plans (collectively, island-based FMPs), which published in the Federal Register on September 13, 2022. Among other measures, the final rule revised species tables in Appendix A to part 622 and inadvertently removed banded rudderfish from the South Atlantic snapper-grouper species table. The purpose of this correcting amendment is to fix this inadvertent error.
Learn More🎣Proposed Revisions to West Coast Salmon Fisheries Regulations
NMFS proposes revisions to regulations that implement the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Pacific Coast Salmon Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This proposed action would remove the rebuilding plans for Queets River natural coho salmon (Queets coho salmon) and Strait of Juan de Fuca natural coho salmon (JDF coho salmon) from regulation, as these stocks have been rebuilt and are no longer required to be managed under a rebuilding plan.
Learn More🎣NOAA's Data Collection for Fishing Industry Research in Pacific Coast
The Department of Commerce intends to collect information from the fishing community to support the expansion of fishery-independent groundfish research surveys. This initiative aims to close data gaps and improve stock assessments while involving industry stakeholders in the research process.
Learn More🐟New England Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Overview
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its On-Demand Fishing Gear Conflict Working Group 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🌊New Regulations for Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is reviewing, for consistency with the Administration's policies and Executive Orders, the final rule that published on January 16, 2025 to designate Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS). The designation and regulations for PNMS became effective on March 3, 2025.
Learn More🐟Notice of Exempted Fishing Permit Application for Fisheries Regulations
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 Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., in partnership with Rutgers University. 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 EFP.
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