🎣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🎣2025-2026 Recreational Fishing Regulations for Black Sea Bass
NMFS announces that the recreational fishing season for black sea bass in South Atlantic Federal waters will extend throughout the 2025-2026 recreational fishing year. Announcing the length of the recreational fishing season for black sea bass is one of the accountability measures (AMs) for the recreational sector. This announcement allows recreational fishers to maximize their opportunity to harvest the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for black sea bass while NMFS manages harvest to protect the black sea bass resource.
Learn More🎣Snowy Grouper Closure for 2025 Recreational Fishing Season
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the recreational harvest of snowy grouper in South Atlantic Federal waters. NMFS reduces the length of the 2025 recreational fishing season to prevent landings from exceeding the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) as they did in 2024. Accordingly, NMFS announces the adjusted closure date in 2025 for the recreational harvest of snowy grouper in South Atlantic Federal waters to protect the snowy grouper resource.
Learn More🎣Public Scoping Meetings for Recreational Fishing Management Plan
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) will hold 5 joint public scoping hearing to solicit public comments on potential topics to be addressed by a Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and the Bluefish FMP. The Council and Commission are also accepting written scoping comments through March 20, 2025.
Learn More🎣New Regulations for South Atlantic Red Snapper Fishing Proposed
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 59 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (Snapper-Grouper FMP) (Amendment 59). If approved, Amendment 59 and this proposed rule would, for South Atlantic red snapper: revise the fishing mortality (F) at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) proxy for determining overfishing, acceptable biological catch (ABC), sector annual catch limits (ACLs), fishing year, sector fishing season start dates, recreational fishing season structure, commercial trip limits, and establish an annual experimental studies program. Additionally, Amendment 59 and this proposed rule would establish a snapper-grouper discard reduction season in South Atlantic Federal waters. This action is intended to end and prevent overfishing of red snapper while reducing dead discards and providing additional fishing opportunities.
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