Search Results for keywords:"sustainable fisheries"

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has finalized a rule that amends the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan to introduce Amendment 8. This rule establishes a new Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) control rule that considers the role of herring in the ecosystem and prohibits midwater trawling within federal waters inshore from the U.S./Canada border to the Rhode Island/Connecticut border. The aim is to sustainably manage herring resources, addressing both overfishing risks and potential conflicts between different user groups such as commercial fishermen and ecotourism operators, while ensuring herring is available as essential forage for other marine species. These measures respond to the declining herring biomass and are expected to provide both ecological and long-term economic benefits, despite potential short-term economic impacts on the fishing industry.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has announced a temporary rule prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This rule is in place to ensure the A season limit of the 2021 Pacific cod catch is not exceeded. It is effective from January 20, 2021, to April 1, 2021. This decision was made to manage fish populations sustainably and in accordance with national fishing regulations.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is considering a request for an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) that would allow fishing boats to operate outside the usual fishery regulations. This permit, requested by the Northeast Seafood Coalition in partnership with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, aims to study the effectiveness of cod protection areas and gather biological data on cod. The project will also help fishermen access underutilized groundfish stocks while ensuring that cod spawning thresholds are not exceeded. Public comments on the proposal are welcome until April 28, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has published a notice about an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) application by Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., in partnership with Rutgers University. This permit, if granted, would allow certain vessels to catch both surfclams and ocean quahogs during the same trip, something normally restricted by current regulations. The aim is to research and develop accurate methods for estimating the number of these species discarded and mixed at sea. Public comments on this proposal must be submitted by April 7, 2025.

NOAA has announced its plan to create a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to support the implementation of projects under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Research and Development Program. This program aims to promote, market, research, and develop U.S. Fisheries to help fishing communities, ensuring sustainable and economically beneficial fisheries. As part of the process, NOAA is seeking public input by inviting comments on the potential environmental impacts and alternatives of the proposed projects, and it will hold several public scoping meetings to gather feedback. The deadline for written comments is March 25, 2021.