Search Results for keywords:"Bering Sea"

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is temporarily stopping fishing for Pacific cod by certain ships using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This step is to ensure that the limit for the amount of cod allowed to be caught isn't exceeded for the 2025 season. The prohibition is effective from March 17, 2025, until September 1, 2025. This action was taken quickly without prior public discussion because necessary data on the cod catch was only recently available.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced a decrease in the fee rate for a loan financing the reduction of fishing capacity in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands non-pollock groundfish fishery. Starting January 1, 2025, the fee for Loan A will reduce from $0.020 to $0.016 per pound, while Loan B will remain at $0.001 per pound. This rate adjustment ensures that the loans are repaid on time based on current fish catch projections and financial requirements. Fee payments at the new rate are due by February 15, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has temporarily stopped Pacific cod fishing by small catcher vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This action, effective from January 21, 2025, until December 31, 2025, is necessary to ensure these vessels do not exceed their fishing limit for the year 2025. The closure provides immediate response to recent fishery data, preventing overfishing, which could be detrimental to Pacific cod populations.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is allowing certain fishing fleets to start catching Pacific cod again in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This decision was made because there are still about 2,200 metric tons of Pacific cod that need to be caught in 2025. The fishing had been closed earlier this year but is now open from April 9 to November 1, 2025, to make sure the yearly limit is fully used. People can send comments about this change until April 28, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a temporary rule to stop fishing for Pacific cod using pot gear by large catcher vessels (60 feet or longer) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This decision is to ensure the fishing limits for the 2021 A season aren't exceeded. This rule went into effect on January 21, 2021, and will last until September 1, 2021. NMFS made this decision quickly based on the latest fishing data to protect the fish population and ensure sustainable fishing practices.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is shifting unused pollock fishing allowances from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea to ensure the full harvest of the 2025 pollock quota. This reallocation involves transferring 12,100 metric tons from the Aleut Corporation's allocation and 1,900 metric tons from the Community Development Quota to various sectors in the Bering Sea. The action, effective March 28, 2025, ensures that the goals of the Fishery Management Plan are met and complies with regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Additionally, usual notice and comment procedures were waived to expedite this change based on recent data.

In March 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed modifying an existing permit related to the discharge of seafood processing waste from vessels in federal waters off Alaska. The modification, requested by the Freezer Longline Coalition, would allow vessels to discharge waste closer to the shore during certain months due to changing conditions in the Bering Sea. The EPA determined the change could negatively affect the spectacled eider, a threatened bird species, but will include measures to reduce harm. Feedback on this modification is open to the public until March 31, 2021.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented a final rule that allows hook-and-line catcher/processors to use longline pot gear when targeting Greenland turbot in the Bering Sea. This regulation aims to improve fishing efficiency, boost economic benefits, and reduce interactions with killer whales, which have negatively impacted this fishery. With the approval of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the rule addresses gear restrictions, whale depredation, and species retention, promoting effective fishery management and conservation. The new rules will be effective from April 28, 2025, and include requirements for gear marking and reporting to aid in monitoring and enforcement.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is reallocating unused fishing allowances for pollock from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea to help reach the fishing goals for 2025. This change is based on recent data showing that some of the allocated pollock won't be harvested in the Aleutian Islands. The reallocation aims to use these allowances effectively, supporting the goals of the Fishery Management Plan for the region. This temporary rule, effective starting March 10, 2025, allows for adjustments without prior public notice to ensure timely use of the latest fisheries data.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a temporary rule to reallocate unused Pacific cod catch limits in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Specifically, 1,000 metric tons originally allocated for jig gear will be transferred to smaller vessels using hook-and-line or pot gear. This decision helps ensure more of the Pacific cod catch limit is used effectively before the end of 2025. The action bypasses normal public comment due to the urgency of incorporating the latest fisheries data.