June 30, 2026 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has finalized a rule reclassifying cephalopods as shellfish, a move advocates claim will reduce red tape and unnecessary fees around squid harvesting.
“On behalf of Lund’s Fisheries, we would like to thank the Trump administration for a solution to a burdensome requirement that will save us time, money and administrative difficulties,” Wayne Reichle, president of Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based squid harvester Lund’s Fisheries, said in a release. “This is a perfect example of numerous federal agencies working in cooperation with the U.S. commercial fishing industry to make our seafood competitive on a global scale and creating thriving business here at home.”