NEFMC: In Case You Missed It – Sep. 2025

Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) is accepting applications for its Greater Atlantic Fisheries Science and Management Workshop, January 12-16, 2026, in Falmouth, MA. Space is limited; preference will be given to applications received by November 10, 2025. Attendance is free, and travel, lodging, and meals are covered for accepted participants.

NOAA’s Milford Lab Open House will be held on September 20, 2025, in Milford, CT. This is an opportunity for the public to tour a fisheries lab, view research projects and learn how NOAA serves the shellfish aquaculture industry and the community.

State and Federal Commercial Landings Sampling Workshop will be held September 22-23, 2025, at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, MA. The workshop will focus on sampling commercial landings and identifying best practices and efficiencies.

Fishing Effort Survey Virtual Workshop: NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology will host a two-day virtual workshop on September 23 & 24, 2025. This livestreamed meeting will give an overview of the independent peer review of the proposed Fishing Effort Survey (FES) calibration model that proposes to update the historical recreational fishing estimates, there will be the opportunity for public comment.

NRCC Peer Review of September Management Track Assessments for multiple groundfish stocks will take place September 15-18, 2025. This will be a hybrid meeting, held in person at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA and remotely via Google Meet.

Revised 2026 Assessment Scheule has been released and includes assessments for Atlantic herring, haddock (Georges Bank), haddock (Gulf of Maine) among others stocks. The revised 2026 schedule replaces the five year schedule, as the NRCC presently lacks the needed certainty to provide an assessment schedule beyond 2027.

NEFMC September Council Meeting will be held from September 23-25, 2025 in Gloucester, MA. Final Council recommendations are expected on multiple items:

NEFMC Committees, Plan Development Teams (PDT) and Advisory Panels (AP) will be meeting in advance of the September Council Meeting. Visit our Calendar for more information.

NEFMC Advisory Panels: The NEFMC is seeking commercial and recreational fishermen, and other interested public to serve on all its Advisory Panels (AP). AP members support the Council by providing guidance during the development of federal Fishery Management Plans, actions, and measures. Terms run for three years, from January 2026 through December 2028, and individuals may serve on more than one panel and/or for more than one term. To apply, download and submit this application form by October 3, 2025.

Supervising Fisheries Biologist: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is hiring a Supervising Fisheries Biologist to oversee trawl and near shore surveys, tributary resources and the R/V John Dempsey. The position closes on September 19, 2025.

Offshore Wind – Fisheries Compensation Program will offset potential losses and/or costs incurred by the fishing industry across eleven states from Maine to North Carolina. The project is being overseen by BrownGreer in partnership with the Carbon Trust. Visit therfainfo.com for more information.

LOC-NESS Project successfully completed the first ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trial in U.S. federal waters on August 13, 2025. The lead team of scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) dispersed and monitored the release of 16,500 gallons of highly alkaline sodium hydroxide into surface waters of the Gulf of Maine. The goal of OAE is to “enhance the ocean’s natural ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere, which is a critical part of Earth’s carbon cycle and a moderating influence on climate change.” (LOC-NESS). The trial was observed by members of the fishing industry along with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and marks the culmination of three years of planning. Details on outcomes and next steps are availablehere.

2025 State of the Ecosystem Report highlighted “colder, fresher waters in the Northwest Atlantic likely linked to species redistribution, delayed migrations” and included a section of “first-hand on-the-water observations from the fishing community that noted shifting distributions of species like pollock and bluefin tuna, and a delay in the timing of catch for species such as longfin squid and black sea bass.” NOAA’s Northeast Integrated Ecosystem Assessment.

NOAA’s Quota Monitoring webpage has moved to https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/commercial-fishing/quota-monitoring-greater-atlantic-region