The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is implementing a temporary rule to set a possession limit of 2,000 pounds for Atlantic herring in Management Area 1B. This measure is necessary because the herring catch from this area is projected to reach 92% of its sub-annual catch limit, and the rule aims to prevent overfishing, which could lead to stricter catch limits in the future. The rule is effective from January 8, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The agency waived the requirement for public notice and a comment period since the regulation was previously discussed and anticipated by the fishing industry.
Simple Explanation
The people in charge of making sure we don't catch too many fish decided that folks can only catch a little bit of a special kind of fish called Atlantic herring from one area. They did this because we almost caught too many, and they want to make sure there are enough fish for next time.