🐟Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Public Meetings Overview
The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its Program Planning Standing Committee (SC), Pelagic and International SC, Executive and Budget SC, and its 202nd Council meeting to take actions on fishery management issues in the Western Pacific Region.
Learn More🐋Renewal Authorization for Marine Mammal Incidental Take in RI
In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) to incidentally harass marine mammals during construction activities associated with the relocation of NOAA research vessels at Naval Station Newport (NAVSTA) in Rhode Island.
Learn More🎣Inseason Adjustments for Pacific Coast Groundfish Management 2025
This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. This action is intended to allow commercial fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
Learn More📅NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel Meeting Canceled
On February 12, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a notice in the Federal Register announcing a Hydrographic Services Review Panel public meeting to be held on March 4th and March 5th, 2025. This notice announces the cancellation of that public meeting.
Learn More🐋Permit Issued for Commercial Marine Photography - Business Implications
Notice is hereby given that a permit has been issued to Humble Bee Wild Ltd (subsidiary of Humble Bee Films Ltd), 8 Elmdale Road, Bristol, BS8 1SL, United Kingdom, (Responsible Party: Natasha Busjeet) to conduct commercial and educational photography on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).
Learn More🎣Closure of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Southern Area Fishery in 2025
NMFS closes the Angling category southern area fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm)) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally.
Learn More🎣Closure of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery for 2025
NMFS closes the General category fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the January through March time period. The General category may only retain, possess, or land large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) BFT when the fishery is open. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. During the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On June 1, 2025, the fishery will reopen automatically.
Learn More🎣Amendment 25 to Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has transmitted Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendment 25 would revise the stocks of Atlantic cod managed in the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. This action is necessary to incorporate the best scientific information available into the fishery management plan. The intended effect of Amendment 25 is to revise the fishery management plan to manage Atlantic cod in U.S. waters as four stocks rather than two. This document is intended to alert the public to this action and provide an opportunity for comment.
Learn More🚀Cancellation of Advisory Committee Meeting on Space Commerce
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published a notice in the Federal Register concerning a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space. The notice is in the Federal Register of January 29, 2025, in FR Doc. 2025-01885, on page 8387. The meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) is cancelled.
Learn More🎣New England Fishery Management Council Public Meeting Notice
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public hybrid meeting of its Joint Skate and Monkfish Committees 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.
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