The National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the NOAA, has released an interim final rule to lower the 2025 Atlantic herring fishing limits across four management areas. This adjustment is based on new scientific studies showing the herring stock is overfished and aims to prevent overfishing and support the rebuilding of the herring population by 2028. To ensure the reduced limits are in place at the start of the 2025 fishing season, NMFS is bypassing the usual public comment period. The overall catch limits for 2025 have been significantly reduced to protect the fishery from further decline.
Simple Explanation
The people in charge of fishing in the Northeast noticed that there aren't enough Atlantic herring fish, so they decided to let fishermen catch fewer herring in 2025 to help more fish grow and make sure there are lots of herring in the future.