📊NOAA Requests Comments on Southeast Region Logbook Forms
The Department of Commerce seeks public comment on a necessary information collection for the Southeast Region Logbook Forms regarding fisheries. This process, mandated under federal law, involves commercial and recreational fishery data collection to assess fishing impact and management. Comments are invited to refine the collection requirements before submission for OMB review.
Learn More🎣Temporary Closure of Dusky Rockfish Fishing in Alaska's Gulf
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch of dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.
Learn More📊Groundfish Trawl Catcher Processor Economic Data Report Compliance
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More🐟Caribbean Fishery Management Council Virtual Meeting Announcement
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's (Council) Outreach and Education Advisory Panel (OEAP) will hold a public virtual meeting to discuss the items contained in the agenda in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Learn More🎣Closure of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Harpoon Fishery for 2025
NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permitted vessels.
Learn More🐟Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Announcement
The Mid-Atlantic and New England Fishery Management Councils will hold a public meeting of their joint Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel.
Learn More🐟Maritime Administration Proposes Changes to American Fisheries Act Regulations
On May 1, 2019, MARAD published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), titled "How Best to Simplify Filing Statements of American Fisheries Act Citizenship: Policy and Regulatory Review," soliciting public comment on steps MARAD could take to simplify and modernize the process for evidencing U.S. citizenship for owners of U.S.-flag fishing industry vessels of 100 feet or greater in registered length. In response to public support for updating our regulations, MARAD is soliciting public comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Consistent with comments received, the proposed rule would simplify the annual citizenship filing procedures under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) program in order to reduce costs or administrative burdens placed on owners of fishing industry vessels. MARAD proposes (1) to simplify and streamline annual renewal filing for vessel owners whose citizenship information has not changed since their affidavit of U.S. citizenship (AFA Affidavit) filing; (2) to update acceptable methods for evidencing citizenship of publicly traded entities; and (3) to eliminate requirements to provide personally identifiable information (i.e., social security numbers and dates and places of birth for corporate officers and directors) in affidavits of AFA citizenship.
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🎣2025 Salmon Fisheries Management Measures Correction by NOAA
NMFS established fishery management measures for the ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California for the season beginning May 16, 2025, and anticipated to end May 15, 2026 (the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season), under the authority of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The final rule, published in the Federal Register on May 16, 2025, included an error in the management measures for commercial ocean salmon fisheries in the area from Humbug Mountain, Oregon, to the U.S./Mexico border. This action edits formatting and corrects an error by adding the text that was unintentionally omitted from the May 16, 2025, rule.
Learn More🐟Notice on Exempted Fishing Permits Under Magnuson-Stevens Act
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an application to modify and extend an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) 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 Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF). Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act allow NMFS to publish a notification in the Federal Register if an EFP, as granted, is significantly different from the original application.
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