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The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee and Advisory Panel will have a public meeting on March 4, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The meeting can be attended in person at the Hilton BWI Airport in Linthicum Heights, MD, or online via webinar. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Council's Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Review and the draft reports prepared for it. Participants will review the nine components required for an EFH Review to ensure they are addressed in the draft summary report.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to regulations for the American alligator to improve clarity and eliminate unnecessary rules, while still ensuring conservation efforts. The proposed rule aims to remove certain state-based sales conditions for alligator products, like hides, under the Endangered Species Act, which would streamline interstate and international commerce. These changes are in response to a petition from Louisiana and would help eliminate confusion between federal, state, and tribal regulations. Public comments on this proposed rule are invited until March 22, 2021.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed giving the National Science Foundation permission to potentially disturb northern sea otters during a marine survey in the northeast Pacific Ocean. This activity is intended to take place from May 1 to June 30, 2021, and involves using sound waves in the ocean, which might bother the otters. Up to 13 otters could be affected, but the goal is to ensure that this does not harm the species as a whole. The Service is also seeking public feedback on this plan and the related environmental assessment.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing new hunting regulations for migratory game birds for the 2025-26 season. These regulations are part of an annual process where they set general guidelines, called frameworks, within which individual states can decide specifics like hunting season dates. The proposal includes various regulatory alternatives, particularly for duck hunting, and potential changes to the system of zones and split seasons. The Service is also exploring a new administrative process to streamline regulation, aiming to increase efficiency and save costs while maintaining conservation goals. Public comments are encouraged on all aspects of the proposal.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has updated its rules to allow the general public, educators, and government agencies to possess migratory birds and eagles under certain conditions without needing a permit. This change improves clarity and reduces administrative burdens by moving from a permit system to regulatory authorizations for various activities, such as the salvage of dead birds, exhibition use of bird specimens, and relocating birds trapped in buildings. The revisions also address specific rules for handling, possessing, and using eagle specimens for educational purposes, and clarify situations under which these birds can be handled. The updates aim to streamline processes while ensuring the protection of migratory birds and eagles.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council will hold an online meeting from February 2 to February 4, 2021. The meeting will focus on developing reports and products for the council's future gatherings. Key topics include the essential fish habitat review and a management framework for the northern anchovy population. This meeting is open to the public, and those interested can find more details on the Pacific Council's website.

The Department of Commerce is requesting public comments on a proposal related to information collection from federally permitted fish dealers. This data is gathered to help manage fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The collection involves a mandatory weekly report detailing all fish transactions for commercial purposes. The public is invited to submit comments within 30 days on the website www.reginfo.gov.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced the availability of the records of decision for a highway right-of-way project and an amended incidental take permit in Washington County, Utah. The project involves the Northern Corridor, which was previously challenged in court due to environmental concerns, including impacts on the Mojave desert tortoise. A settlement was reached, leading to further evaluation and public comment periods. The BLM has decided to terminate the highway right-of-way grant, while the FWS has amended the permit to allow incidental take of the desert tortoise without the highway construction, focusing on conservation of land within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of NOAA, has issued a final rule under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to implement rebuilding plans for three overfished salmon stocks on the West Coast: Juan de Fuca, Queets, and Snohomish natural coho salmon. These stocks were declared overfished due to a decline in spawning escapement between 2014 and 2016. Although comments from the public were mostly supportive, some suggested more restrictive measures. NMFS concluded that habitat conditions, rather than fishing, primarily caused the decline, and thus, further restrictions were not deemed necessary. The rule aims to rebuild the salmon stocks within 10 years while considering the impact on fishing communities.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts of modifying the Silver Peak Lithium Mine operations in Esmeralda County, Nevada. This action is necessary to address unauthorized surface disturbances and potential expansion on private and public lands. The public is invited to comment on the scope of the EIS and potential alternatives by March 31, 2025, with virtual scoping meetings to be held. The analysis will consider various environmental factors like air quality, water resources, and cultural resources, and the outcome may lead to approval, conditional approval, or denial of the proposed amendments.