Search Results for keywords:"Bering Sea"

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is allowing certain fishing fleets to start catching Pacific cod again in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This decision was made because there are still about 2,200 metric tons of Pacific cod that need to be caught in 2025. The fishing had been closed earlier this year but is now open from April 9 to November 1, 2025, to make sure the yearly limit is fully used. People can send comments about this change until April 28, 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed a revised rule regarding the designation of critical habitat for the Arctic subspecies of the ringed seal (Pusa hispida hispida) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This rule specifies areas in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas as critical habitat and identifies essential features such as snow-covered sea ice suitable for birth lairs, sea ice for basking and molting, and primary prey resources like Arctic cod and shrimps. The proposal also considers national security impacts and suggests the exclusion of an area used by the U.S. Navy for training and testing activities. The NMFS seeks public comments on various aspects of this proposed designation to ensure that it is based on the best available scientific data.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is redistributing the unused quota of Pacific cod from vessels that use jig gear to smaller catcher vessels that use hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This reallocation is needed to ensure the 2021 Pacific cod catch limits are met. The action takes place from January 7, 2021, to December 31, 2021. It was deemed necessary to bypass public comments due to the urgency based on recent data.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is temporarily stopping targeted fishing for Pacific cod by certain trawl catcher/processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This closure is necessary to avoid surpassing the Pacific cod catch limits set for the year 2025. The fishing restriction will be in effect from February 12, 2025, to November 1, 2025. This measure is taken based on the latest data and aims to ensure sustainable fishing practices in the area.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is reallocating unused fishing allowances for pollock from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea to help reach the fishing goals for 2025. This change is based on recent data showing that some of the allocated pollock won't be harvested in the Aleutian Islands. The reallocation aims to use these allowances effectively, supporting the goals of the Fishery Management Plan for the region. This temporary rule, effective starting March 10, 2025, allows for adjustments without prior public notice to ensure timely use of the latest fisheries data.

In March 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed modifying an existing permit related to the discharge of seafood processing waste from vessels in federal waters off Alaska. The modification, requested by the Freezer Longline Coalition, would allow vessels to discharge waste closer to the shore during certain months due to changing conditions in the Bering Sea. The EPA determined the change could negatively affect the spectacled eider, a threatened bird species, but will include measures to reduce harm. Feedback on this modification is open to the public until March 31, 2021.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has temporarily stopped Pacific cod fishing by small catcher vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. This action, effective from January 21, 2025, until December 31, 2025, is necessary to ensure these vessels do not exceed their fishing limit for the year 2025. The closure provides immediate response to recent fishery data, preventing overfishing, which could be detrimental to Pacific cod populations.

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 North Pacific Fishery Management Council is hosting a webinar on March 6, 2025, to engage the public and provide information about the Council's Programmatic Evaluation. This evaluation will consider updates to the management policies for the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska fisheries in light of environmental changes. The webinar aims to clarify the materials related to the Evaluation before the Council discusses it in their April 2025 meeting. Public comments can be submitted online, and the webinar will be recorded and available on the Council's website.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is shifting unused pollock fishing allowances from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea to ensure the full harvest of the 2025 pollock quota. This reallocation involves transferring 12,100 metric tons from the Aleut Corporation's allocation and 1,900 metric tons from the Community Development Quota to various sectors in the Bering Sea. The action, effective March 28, 2025, ensures that the goals of the Fishery Management Plan are met and complies with regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Additionally, usual notice and comment procedures were waived to expedite this change based on recent data.