🎣Atlantic Spanish Mackerel Commercial Harvest Closure Regulations
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel in the northern zone of the Atlantic exclusive economic zone (EEZ). NMFS projects that landings will soon reach the revised commercial quota for Spanish mackerel in the northern zone of the Atlantic EEZ for the 2025-2026 fishing year. According to regulations for Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic, NMFS closes the northern zone for commercial harvest to protect this fishery resource.
Learn More🐟Management Track Assessment Review Meeting for Fish Stocks
NMFS will convene the Management Track Assessment Peer Review Meeting for the purpose of reviewing Acadian redfish, white hake, Georges Bank winter flounder, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail 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🐟Pacific Sardine Fishing Regulations
NMFS is implementing 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 rule prohibits most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest is allowed for use only as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The incidental harvest of Pacific sardine will be limited to 20 percent by weight of all fish per trip when caught with other stocks managed under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP), or up to 2 metric tons (mt) per trip when caught with non-coastal pelagic species stocks. The harvest specifications for 2025-2026 include an overfishing limit (OFL) of 4,645 mt, an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 3,957, an annual catch limit (ACL) of 2,200 mt, and an annual catch target (ACT) of 2,100 mt. This final rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
Learn More🎣Notice of Pacific Fishery Management Council Public Meeting
The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Groundfish Subcommittee of the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a meeting to review additional analyses of 2025 groundfish stock assessments and other requests from the September 2025 Pacific Council meeting. This meeting is open to the public.
Learn More🎣NMFS Prohibits Fishing for Pacific Ocean Perch in Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🌊Notice of Proposed Modifications to Clean Air Act Consent Decree
The Department of Justice has lodged a proposed second material modification to the Consent Decree related to Trident Seafoods Corp's alleged violations regarding ozone-depleting refrigerants. The modification extends certain deadlines and introduces new compliance requirements, including early retrofitting and additional inspections, opening a public comment period for community feedback.
Learn More🎣NOAA Fisheries Announces Peer Review for Fishing Effort Survey Model
NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology will host a two-day virtual workshop with the opportunity for partner and public comment for the independent peer review of the proposed Fishing Effort Survey (FES) calibration model methodology. The model is proposed for use to update the historical recreational fishing estimates produced using the FES to the scale of the improved FES anticipated for implementation in January 2026. Pending peer review results and associated next steps, calibrated estimates using the peer-reviewed calibration model are anticipated to be available for use in subsequent stock assessments and fisheries management decisions in spring 2026. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
Learn More🎣Pacific Cod Fishing Closure Impact on Businesses in Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🎣North Pacific Fishery Management Council
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) Groundfish Plan Teams will meet September 16, 2025, through September 18, 2025.
Learn More🎣MAFMC Public Meeting on Spiny Dogfish Accountability Measures
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Spiny Dogfish Monitoring Committee will hold a public meeting.
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