🐢2026 Sea Turtle Observer Requirement and Its Business Impact
NMFS is providing notification that the agency will not identify additional fisheries to observe on the 2026 Annual Determination (AD), pursuant to its authority under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Through the AD, NMFS identifies U.S. fisheries operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America, and Pacific Ocean that will be required to take observers upon NMFS' request. The purpose of observing identified fisheries is to learn more about sea turtle bycatch in a given fishery, evaluate measures to prevent or reduce sea turtle bycatch, and implement the prohibition against sea turtle takes. Fisheries identified on the 2020 and 2023 ADs (see table 1) remain on the AD for a 5-year period and are required to carry observers upon NMFS' request until September 29, 2025, and December 31, 2027, respectively.
Learn More🐢Notice of Permit Application for Sea Turtle Research
Notice is hereby given that Inwater Research Group, 4160 NE Hyline Drive, Jensen Beach, FL 34957 (Responsible Party: Cody Mott), has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.
Learn More🦐Annual Certification of Shrimp-Harvesting Nations for U.S. Imports
On April 11, 2025, the Department of State certified to Congress that wild-caught shrimp harvested in the following nations and Hong Kong are eligible to enter the United States: Argentina, the Bahamas, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Russia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. The Department of State determined that wild-caught shrimp harvested in particular fisheries of certain nations and products from that shrimp are eligible to enter the United States: Australia (Northern Prawn Fishery, the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery, the Spencer Gulf, and the Torres Strait Prawn Fishery), France (French Guiana), Italy (giant red shrimp), Japan (shrimp baskets in Hokkaido), Republic of Korea (mosquito nets), and Spain (Mediterranean red shrimp). For nations, economies, and fisheries not listed above, only shrimp harvested from aquaculture and products from that shrimp are eligible to enter the United States. Shrimp and products from shrimp (products containing shrimp) imports into the United States must be accompanied by the DS-2031 Shrimp Exporter's/Importer's Declaration.
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