Search Results for keywords:"NMFS"

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has temporarily banned fishing for Pacific cod with jig gear in a specific area of the Gulf of Alaska. This decision aims to ensure that the amount of fish caught does not exceed the allowed limit for the A season of 2025. The restriction is active from April 14, 2025, to June 10, 2025, and is based on regulations established to protect fish populations. The agency expedited the rule's implementation due to urgent, recent data indicating the catch limit was nearly reached.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of NOAA and the Commerce Department, has announced a temporary rule to stop directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in a specific part of the Gulf of Alaska. This decision is to ensure the 2025 total allowable catch for this area is not exceeded and will be in effect from February 28, 2025, to June 10, 2025. The rule was enacted quickly without prior public notice or comment due to the urgent nature of the situation, based on data that became available in January 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a temporary rule to stop directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This action, effective from March 10 to June 10, 2025, is necessary to ensure the Pacific cod catch does not exceed the allowed limit for the 2025 season. The imposed closure responds to recent data indicating that the catch quota is nearing its limit. The rule was implemented without prior public notice or delay to quickly address the situation as per the guidelines of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is temporarily stopping fishing for Pacific cod by certain ships using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This step is to ensure that the limit for the amount of cod allowed to be caught isn't exceeded for the 2025 season. The prohibition is effective from March 17, 2025, until September 1, 2025. This action was taken quickly without prior public discussion because necessary data on the cod catch was only recently available.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced that New York's commercial fishing quota for summer flounder for the year 2024 has been fully used. Starting December 21, 2024, and continuing for the rest of the year, vessels with a Federal permit for summer flounder are not allowed to land flounder in New York unless new quota becomes available through a transfer from another state. This rule is necessary to ensure that the state does not exceed its allocated quota and aligns with both Federal and New York State management plans for fishery sustainability. The rule was issued urgently to avoid exceeding the quota, which supports conservation efforts.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced the 2025 fishing limits for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish to prevent overfishing and manage fisheries sustainably. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission worked with NMFS to set these limits based on scientific data. Most public comments supported these limits, although some expressed concerns about overfishing, particularly for black sea bass. NMFS clarified that the new limits are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and are not expected to harm fish populations.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced a temporary rule allowing Rhode Island to transfer part of its 2024 bluefish quota to North Carolina, in line with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan. The transfer involves 50,000 pounds of bluefish to help North Carolina avoid exceeding its quota. This adjustment keeps within the legal framework of fishery management laws and is effective from December 2 to December 31, 2024.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has announced a decrease in the fee rate for a loan financing the reduction of fishing capacity in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands non-pollock groundfish fishery. Starting January 1, 2025, the fee for Loan A will reduce from $0.020 to $0.016 per pound, while Loan B will remain at $0.001 per pound. This rate adjustment ensures that the loans are repaid on time based on current fish catch projections and financial requirements. Fee payments at the new rate are due by February 15, 2025.

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.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a temporary rule to close directed fishing for Pacific cod using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This closure is necessary to ensure the total allowable catch for the 2021 A season is not exceeded. The rule is effective from February 3, 2021, until June 10, 2021, as the limit of 1,060 metric tons has been reached, with an additional 8 metric tons reserved for bycatch. This action is based on the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.