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The National Marine Fisheries Service, part of the NOAA, has released an interim final rule to lower the 2025 Atlantic herring fishing limits across four management areas. This adjustment is based on new scientific studies showing the herring stock is overfished and aims to prevent overfishing and support the rebuilding of the herring population by 2028. To ensure the reduced limits are in place at the start of the 2025 fishing season, NMFS is bypassing the usual public comment period. The overall catch limits for 2025 have been significantly reduced to protect the fishery from further decline.

The Department of Commerce is seeking public input on a proposed information collection related to fishing permits for various Pacific Islands, including Hawaii and American Samoa. The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service requires vessel owners and permit holders to register their vessels to manage fisheries effectively. This notice extends the comment period by an additional 30 days, inviting individuals, businesses, and federal agencies to comment on these requirements. Feedback is crucial for evaluating the impact and minimizing the reporting burden on the public.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a notice of appeal from Robert Hagopian. He is seeking to override an objection by the New York State Department of State regarding his project to stabilize the shoreline, install a dock, and dredge a property along the Hudson River. Public comments and requests for a hearing on this matter should be submitted by February 12, 2025. The decision depends on whether the project aligns with national interests or is necessary for national security.

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) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has implemented a temporary closure on directed Pacific cod fishing by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This measure, effective from March 17, 2025, to June 10, 2025, aims to ensure that the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod is not surpassed. The decision was made quickly to respond to recent data on Pacific cod catches, preventing delays that might have led to overfishing.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is inviting comments on an information collection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This rule would permit the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. citizens engaged in certain activities. The goal is to evaluate whether the information collection is necessary and to minimize the public's reporting burden. The public can submit comments until May 30, 2025, to help improve the quality and clarity of the information collected.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comments on an information collection related to observer programs for at-sea processing vessels involved in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. This initiative aims to ensure the efficient gathering of data by observers, which is important for monitoring fishery activities and managing resources to prevent overfishing, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The public is invited to submit comments by March 8, 2021, to assist in evaluating the necessity, efficiency, and burden of these data collection activities. The proposed methods of collection involve both electronic and paper forms, as well as interviews and phone calls.

The New England Fishery Management Council will hold a public meeting via webinar on January 8, 2025, to discuss issues related to fishing gear conflicts in New England fisheries within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). During the meeting, the On-Demand Fishing Gear Conflict Working Group will review gear marking regulations and receive updates from various organizations, such as NOAA and the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. The discussions will include feedback from the Council's Enforcement Committee and the planning of the group's 2025 work agenda. The meeting will be accessible to people with disabilities, and any additional issues may be addressed if they require emergency action.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is hosting the second SEDAR 91 Assessment Webinar for the U.S. Caribbean Spiny Lobster on February 28, 2025. This is part of a series of meetings aimed at assessing the Caribbean spiny lobster fishery, involving various data collection and analysis steps. These assessments are conducted to evaluate the health of fish stocks in the Southeast Region. The meeting is open to the public, and registration can be done by contacting the SEDAR coordinator, Emily Ott.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comments on a proposed information collection related to its Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program. This program, part of the Department of Commerce, aims to improve ocean and coastal environmental understanding through education grants. To achieve this, NOAA is extending its existing data collection efforts to monitor and improve B-WET activities by gathering feedback from grant recipients and teachers. Comments on the proposal are invited until February 18, 2025, to help evaluate and enhance the program’s effectiveness.