🎣Reopening of Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Commercial Harvest
NMFS announces the re-opening of commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel in the northern zone of the Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS recently approved a second transfer of commercial quota from the southern zone to the northern zone for the 2025-2026 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS re-opens the commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel in the northern zone for an additional 8 days. The purpose of this temporary rule is to allow commercial fishermen to harvest the increased commercial quota of Spanish mackerel in the northern zone while managing the risk of exceeding the commercial quota.
Learn More🎣2025-2026 Recreational Closure for Greater Amberjack Fishing
NMFS implements an accountability measure for recreational greater amberjack in the Gulf of America (Gulf) reef fish fishery for the 2025-2026 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that for Gulf greater amberjack, the adjusted recreational annual catch target (ACT) for the 2025-2026 fishing year has been exceeded. Therefore, the recreational fishing season for greater amberjack in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will close on September 27, 2025, and the sector will remain closed through, July 31, 2026, the end of the 2025-2026 fishing year. This closure is necessary to protect the Gulf greater amberjack 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.
Learn More🎣Public Meeting on Groundfish Management by Pacific Council
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Management Team (GMT) will hold a 5-day online work session split over the course of 2 weeks that is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to prepare materials for the 2027-28 harvest specifications and management measures and discuss other items on the Pacific Council's November 2025 meeting agenda.
Learn More🎣New Regulatory Changes Impacting California Groundfish Fisheries
This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries. These inseason adjustments will change depth restrictions and trip limits for some stocks in recreational and commercial groundfish fisheries off the California coast to allow more attainment of healthy stocks that co-occur with California quillback rockfish. This action is intended to allow commercial and recreational fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
Learn More🎣Proposed Regulations for Summer Flounder Fishing Industry
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 18 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. This framework would modify exemptions to the minimum mesh size requirements in the commercial summer flounder fishery. The purpose of this action is to increase flexibility for the commercial fishing industry.
Learn More🐟Notice of Public Meeting for New England Fishery Management Council
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a 3-day hybrid meeting with both in-person and webinar participation options to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Learn More🐟Proposed Annual Catch Limits for MHI Deep 7 Bottomfish
NMFS proposes to implement an annual catch limit (ACL) for Deep 7 bottomfish in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) for fishing years 2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027. The fishing year for the fishery begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of the following year. This rule does not revise, add, or remove the current accountability measures (AM). The proposed rule supports the long-term sustainability of the Deep 7 bottomfish fishery.
Learn More🎣Exempted Fishing Permit Application Affecting Maine Fisheries
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 Maine Department of Marine Resources. Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act require publication of this notification to provide interested parties the opportunity to comment on applications for proposed EFPs.
Learn More🎣Public Meeting Notice
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will hold an online meeting of its Ad Hoc Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fisheries Innovation Workgroup (FIW) to discuss procedures to facilitate the development of new HMS gears and achieve the goals of the HMS Roadmap. This meeting is open to the public.
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