Search Results for keywords:"National Marine Fisheries Service"

The National Marine Fisheries Service of the NOAA is correcting a previous notice about the SEDAR 101 Data Scoping Webinar for the HMS Sandbar Shark that was published on March 3, 2025. The corrections involve changes to the subject heading and details about the fishery management councils involved. The correct councils are the Gulf, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils. This information is important for ensuring accurate communication and planning related to fisheries management.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is opening applications for permits to use deep-set buoy gear to catch fish like swordfish off the coasts of California and Oregon. This is part of a plan to support sustainable fishing and was authorized by amendments to the fisheries management plan. Applicants have from February 1 to March 31, 2025, to apply for these limited entry permits online. The NMFS will issue up to 25 permits annually on a first-come, first-served basis, and priorities will be given in subsequent years to those who applied but didn't receive a permit in the previous year.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to issue a permit that would allow for the unintentional capturing or harming of certain endangered marine mammals during commercial fishing activities, specifically in the California thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet fishery. This permit is valid for three years and would authorize incidental takes of humpback and sperm whales, ensuring they meet criteria related to negligible impact and recovery plans. NMFS is seeking public comments on the proposed permit, and detailed information is available for review online.

Sea Shepherd Global is seeking a permit to conduct commercial and educational photography of marine mammals. They plan to film 13 species of non-listed marine mammals in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica for documentaries and media over five years. The application is under review by the National Marine Fisheries Service, and they are inviting public comments by April 30, 2025. This activity is considered categorically excluded from needing an environmental assessment.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a notice about various fish stocks that are either currently overfished or undergoing overfishing. This includes the Gulf of Mexico cobia, lane snapper, South Atlantic golden tilefish, and silky shark in the Pacific Ocean, which have been identified as subject to overfishing. Also highlighted are the Sacramento River Chinook salmon and other species, which remain overfished, while Pacific bluefin tuna is both overfished and experiencing overfishing. The NMFS is working with regional fishery management councils to address these issues.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing changes to regulations for West Coast salmon fisheries. They plan to remove rebuilding plans for the Queets River and Strait of Juan de Fuca coho salmon from the rules because these fish stocks have been successfully rebuilt. This action aims to prevent confusion by eliminating outdated plans that are no longer necessary under the Pacific Fishery Management Council's guidelines. Additionally, this proposed rule is considered a deregulatory action, meaning it simplifies existing regulations without significant economic impacts on small fishing businesses.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to bp Exploration and Production, Inc., permitting them to incidentally take marine mammals during a geophysical survey in the Gulf of Mexico. The survey involves using a marine vibrator source, which is less harmful to marine mammals compared to traditional airgun sources. NMFS determined the survey will have a negligible impact on marine mammal populations, and the level of animal disturbance will be within permissible limits. The LOA is valid from January 14, 2025, to December 31, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has announced a 5-year review of 15 types of reef-building coral from the Indo-Pacific region. This review, required by the Endangered Species Act, aims to determine if these corals should remain classified as threatened. The NMFS is calling for public input, especially new scientific and commercial data on these corals, to ensure the information used in the review is up-to-date and comprehensive. The deadline for submitting information is February 8, 2021.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of NOAA has announced that Rhode Island's 2024 commercial quota for summer flounder has been fully harvested. From December 5, 2024, federally permitted vessels are prohibited from landing summer flounder in Rhode Island unless additional quota is acquired from another state. This temporary closure aligns Rhode Island with federal conservation measures to prevent overfishing and maintain sustainable fishery practices. The closure is enacted immediately to ensure the state's commercial quota is not exceeded before the year ends.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is planning a recovery planning workshop for the Beringia Distinct Population Segment of bearded seals and the Arctic ringed seals, both listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The workshop aims to gather information and insights from experts but will not seek consensus on recovery strategies. Scheduled for January 23-24, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska, the event is open to the public, and contributions of information to aid in recovery planning are welcomed. Topics of interest include potential recovery criteria, human-related threats, environmental challenges, and necessary recovery actions.