Search Results for keywords:"National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)"

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has announced the final groundfish harvest specifications for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) for the years 2025 and 2026. This includes details on total allowable catches (TACs), acceptable biological catches (ABCs), and prohibited species catch (PSC) limits, aimed at conserving fish resources while balancing ecological and economic needs based on the latest scientific data. These regulations follow goals set by the Fishery Management Plan prepared by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and align with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to manage fisheries sustainably. The rule notes that TACs are intentionally set below ABCs to ensure sustainability, and it addresses how these specifications were informed by public comments and scientific assessments.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has set a new rule limiting Atlantic herring catches to 2,000 pounds per trip or day in Management Area 3, effective from February 12 to December 31, 2025. This rule was put in place because it's expected that herring catches will reach 98% of the area's annual limit soon, aiming to prevent overfishing and ensure future fishing opportunities. By skipping a previously required 40,000-pound limit when catches hit 90%, NMFS plans to avoid confusion and more potential overfishing. This decision was made to protect herring stocks and abide by fishing conservation goals without further public input since the industry was already aware of these updates through earlier notices.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a final rule to update regulations on the confidentiality of information under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This rule aligns with legislative changes such as the 2006 Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization, the 1996 Sustainable Fisheries Act, and amendments from the 2015 Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act. It ensures that confidential information collected for fisheries management is protected, though certain conditions allow for its disclosure, for example, for enforcement purposes or international agreements. The rule also includes provisions for transparency and cooperation between federal and state agencies, while maintaining the necessary confidentiality in line with legal requirements.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing a rule that would allow the incidental take of certain marine mammals over five years due to surveys along the Oregon and California coasts. These surveys are part of the University of California Santa Cruz's monitoring of rocky intertidal zones. To protect the marine mammals, specifically pinnipeds like seals and sea lions, the rule includes measures such as avoiding disturbance to pups and monitoring for predators. The rule seeks public comments to help finalize these regulations, aiming to minimize harm while conducting important environmental research.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced the closure of the 2025 recreational fishing season for golden tilefish in the South Atlantic starting March 21, 2025, due to reaching the annual catch limit. This means that no one is allowed to catch or keep golden tilefish in the mentioned area until the end of the year to protect the fish population. The NMFS prepared this regulation in advance to avoid overfishing and to conserve marine resources, as previously agreed upon in public discussions. The fishing season will reopen on January 1, 2026.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is temporarily adjusting the total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands for 2025. This change is necessary because the previous TACs were incorrectly specified, and the adjustment aligns them with the best scientific information available. The updated figures are based on recommendations from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and aim to ensure sustainable fishing practices while considering the conservation of endangered Steller sea lions, which share this habitat. Public comments on this adjustment are invited until January 13, 2025.