Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to Meet August 11-14, 2025, in Annapolis, Maryland
July 25, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet August 11-14, 2025, at the Westin Annapolis (100 Westgate Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, 410-972-4300). A webinar option will be available for those who wish to participate virtually.
Meeting Materials: A detailed agenda is available on the August 2025 Council Meeting Page. Briefing materials and presentations will be posted as they become available.
Public Comment: The Council welcomes public comment from in-person and remote participants. Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are available on the meeting page.
Webinar and Live Stream: The webinar will be hosted via Webex. No pre-registration is required. Connection details will be posted on the meeting page. The meeting will also be live streamed on the Council’s YouTube channel.
Agenda Highlights: Key topics and actions for consideration include:
- Executive Order on Seafood Competitiveness – Develop recommendations to reduce burdens and increase U.S. fishery production.
- Blueline Tilefish – Review correspondence from the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and consider next steps.
- Illex Squid – Adopt 2026–2028 specifications and management measures.
- Longfin Squid (SQUIBS Project) – Review outcomes from the longfin squid biological sampling program.
- Atlantic Sea Scallops – Review results of the research track assessment and peer review.
- Recreational Sector Separation Amendment – Review preliminary conceptual alternatives and discuss plans for addressing recreational data collection issues.
- Bluefish – Adopt 2026–2027 specifications and recreational management measures.
- Summer Flounder, Scup, Black Sea Bass – Adopt 2026–2027 specifications and review commercial management measures.
- Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) White Paper – Review white paper on separate OFLs and ABCs for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass and discuss next steps.
- Council Membership and Officer Elections – Swear in new members and elect officers.
Portions of the meeting will be conducted jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fisheries Management Program (ISFMP) Policy Board, Bluefish Board, and Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board.
Questions? Contact Mary Sabo at msabo@mafmc.org or (302) 526-5261.
Quota Update to Area 1A 2025 Effort Controls – July 2025
July 23, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts met on May 13, 2025 to set the effort control measures for the 2025 Area 1A (inshore Gulf of Maine) fishery for June 1 – September 30.
Quota levels for Area 1A have been updated to reflect the lower quotas that are still in place. Higher revised quotas were expected to be implemented by NOAA Fisheries in July, however, they have not yet been implemented and there is no estimated implementation date.
The Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (ACL) is 692 metric tons (mt) after adjusting for the 30 mt fixed gear set-aside and the fact that Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL. In October 2024, the Board established the following seasonal allocations for the 2025 Area 1A sub-ACL: 72.8% available for season 1 (June 1 – September 30) and 27.2% available for season 2 (October 1 – December 31).
2025 Atlantic Herring 1A Quota Allocation by Season:
| Season | Current Area 1A Quota | Revised Area 1A Quota yet to be Implemented by NOAA Fisheries |
| 1. June 1-September 30 | 504 mt | 862 mt |
| 2. October 1-December 31 | 188 mt | 322 mt |
When landings are projected to reach the current Season 1 quota of 504 mt, the fishery will be adjusted to zero landing days. If NOAA Fisheries implements the revised quota before the fishery moves to zero landing days, then the fishery can operate to the revised 862 mt for Season 1. If the revised quota is implemented after the fishery moves to zero landing days, a days out call will be scheduled as soon as possible to discuss potential re-opening of the Season 1 fishery and/or possible rollover to the Season 2 fishery.
The following Area 1A measures remain the same for June 1-September 30:
Days Out of the Fishery
- Landing days will be set at zero (0) from June 1 until the start of the fishery on July 27 at 6:00 p.m.
- Landing days begin on Sunday of each week at 6:00 p.m. starting July 27.
- Vessels with an Atlantic herring Limited Access Category A permit that have declared into the Area 1A fishery may land herring five (5) consecutive days a week. The week shall begin at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays and conclude at 6:00 p.m. on Fridays. One landing per 24 hour period. Vessels are prohibited from landing or possessing herring caught from Area 1A during a day out of the fishery.
- Small mesh bottom trawl vessels with an Atlantic herring Limited Access Category C or Open Access D permit that have declared into the fishery may land herring six (6) consecutive days a week. The week shall begin at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays and conclude at 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Weekly Landing Limit
- Vessels with an Atlantic herring Category A permit may harvest up to 240,000 lbs. (6 trucks) per harvester vessel, per week starting July 27.
At-Sea Transfer and Carrier Restrictions
The following applies to harvester vessels with an Atlantic herring Category A permit and carrier vessels landing herring caught in Area 1A to a Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts port.
- A harvester vessel may transfer herring at-sea to another harvester vessel.
- A harvester vessel may not make any at-sea transfers to a carrier vessel.
- Carrier vessels may not receive at-sea transfers from a harvester vessel.
Harvesters are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A until July 27, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. Landings will be closely monitored and the fishery will be adjusted to zero landing days when the season 1 quota is projected to be reached.
Please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at efranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740 for more information.
Motions
Move to implement for the 2025 Area 1A herring fishery in Season 1:
- Zero landing days before Sunday, July 27 at 6:00 pm;
- For Category A vessels, 5 landing days per week;
- For Category A vessels, a 6 truck (240,000 lbs.) weekly landing limit;
- Allow harvester-to-harvester transfers but not allow transfers to carriers;
- For Category C/D SMBT vessels, 6 landing days per week.
Motion made by Ms. Ware and seconded by Mr. Abbott. Motion passes by unanimous consent.
June 2025 Council Meeting Recap
July 11, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
June Council Meeting Recap
The New England Fishery Management Council met in Freeport, ME, from June 24-26, 2025. Notable outcomes are summarized below.
Sea Scallop
Research Track Stock Assessment:
The Council received a presentation on the Scallop Research Track Stock Assessment, which underwent peer review in April 2025. Several Council members expressed concerns with the assessment’s findings, particularly regarding the fishing mortality reference points (FMSY). The Scallop Plan Development Team will develop methods to determine catch advice that consider a range of options. These will be reviewed by the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) in August.
2025 Scallop Surveys:
Council staff provided an overview of the 2025 Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) survey efforts, including coverage areas and progress. The 2025 survey used towed camera, drop camera, dredge, and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) gear, covering all scallop resource areas from the Gulf of Maine to the Delmarva region of the Mid-Atlantic Bight.
The Council also received an update on the status of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) HabCam survey. On June 9, while conducting transit lines on Georges Bank aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow, the HabCam system struck an uncharted shipwreck. Recovery efforts have been hampered by strong currents and potential hazards near the wreck. A private salvage company has been contracted to attempt recovery of the HabCam unit. NEFSC HabCam operations are suspended for the remainder of the 2025 survey season. The NEFSC’s long-range AUV survey completed partial coverage of the planned area, and RSA survey partners are collaborating to provide coverage of the areas missed due to the HabCam incident.
Framework Adjustment 40 (FW 40):
The Council initiated FW 40, which will set specifications for the 2026 fishing year (FY) and default measures for FY 2027. Final action is scheduled for December 2025.
Limited Access General Category (LAGC) IFQ Program Review:
The Council received an update on the LAGC Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program review, which covers the period from 2016 to 2023. The review includes analyses of fleet characteristics, quota and leasing activity, fishing effort, economic performance, crew income, and other metrics. The draft report is currently in progress, with additional analyses to be completed over the summer. The Council is scheduled to approve the final report in September.
ASMFC Seeks Contractor to Facilitate a Stakeholder Workshop and Engagement Process
July 9, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a contractor to design and conduct a stakeholder engagement process to inform revisions to the Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework using structured decision making methods. The contractor would facilitate educational meetings, design and facilitate a stakeholder workshop, meet with the Commission’s horseshoe crab technical committees to develop potential modifications to the ARM Framework based on stakeholder input, and develop a report of workshop conclusions and recommendations to the Commission’s Delaware Bay Ecosystem Technical Committee and Horseshoe Crab Management Board (Board).
Since 2013, the Board has used the Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework to determine harvest levels for the bait fishery in the Delaware Bay states of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia based on the abundance levels of horseshoe crabs and shorebirds. In 2021, a revision to the ARM Framework was completed to address feedback from the previous peer review panel, incorporate newly available data, and transition to new modeling software. The adoption of the 2021 ARM Framework Revision resulted in extensive public concern, focused in large part on the potential for female horseshoe crab harvest under the revised ARM Framework and its impact on the rufa red knot, a migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act that depends on horseshoe crab eggs as a major food source in the Delaware Bay region during its migration. However, stakeholder groups in the Delaware Bay region hold diverging values and perspectives on management of the horseshoe crab resource. Commercial industry participants indicate they still value the harvest of female horseshoe crabs. Conversely, environmental groups have advocated for zero female horseshoe crab harvest from the Delaware Bay population.
Given these conflicting stakeholder goals and values, in July 2024, the Board convened a Horseshoe Crab Management Objectives Workshop to explore potential future objectives and management approaches for the Delaware Bay-origin horseshoe crab fishery. The workshop included a small group of stakeholders representing environmental NGO, fishing, biomedical, bird and horseshoe crab scientists, and management perspectives, and produced several recommended actions to address stakeholder concerns and values. A consensus recommendation from the workshop was that the Utility, Reward, and Harvest Policy (U/R/H) Functions of the ARM Framework (i.e., mathematical functions within the ARM Framework that reflect values placed on horseshoe crabs and red knots) be reevaluated and refined with stakeholder input. The structure of these functions is the key mechanism by which stakeholder values are translated into horseshoe crab harvest levels. Thus, increased stakeholder understanding, engagement, and input into these functions is the key mechanism by which ASMFC seeks to increase acceptance of the ARM across disparate groups and interests.
Proposals must be submitted, as a single file, an electronic proposal by email no later than 11:59 PM on August 8, 2025, to Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator. Please see the RFP for more details, qualifying requirements, and submission instructions. The RFP is available athttps://asmfc.org/resources/
Please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org for questions regarding the request for proposals.
NEFMC votes to pause work on multiple existing groundfish priorities and resubmit Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Plan
July 2, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
After extensive deliberation at the June meeting, the New England Council voted to resubmit Amendment 25 (A25), which would replace the current Atlantic cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine and on Georges Bank with the newly identified cod stocks in Eastern Gulf of Maine, Western Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England. The resubmission will include the Council’s previously recommended cod measures from Framework 69 (FW69).
The Council’s decision was based on NOAA’s disapproval of A25 in May due to procedural issues. NOAA’s disapproval letter detailed that A25 lacked critical management elements including reference points, accountability measures, and catch limits, but noted that the revised stock structure, with four cod stock units, is the best scientific information available. The “missing management elements” noted in the disapproval letter were included in the parallel action, Framework 69 (FW69), which is currently under NOAA review.
FW69 was intended to work in tandem with A25, but upon publication it will only replace the current Emergency Action specifications for the non-cod, groundfish stocks. The emergency measures for cod are anticipated to be extended for the entirety of Fishing Year (FY) 2025.
The Council will pause work on several 2025 groundfish priorities to complete the resubmission of A25 later this fall, including:
•Redfish sector exemption
•Evaluation of the monitoring system, per Amendment 23
•Revise ABC control rules for Northeast Multispecies stocks
Many Council members voiced frustration over NOAA’s disapproval of A25 and the recommended guidance for the Council to resubmit the action, citing unforeseen “procedural issues”. However, the Council supported continued engagement to ensure the 2026 groundfish season opens on May 1, 2026, and voted with no opposition to “finish the job”. The revised A25 is scheduled for final action at the September Council meeting.
Framework 72
The Council also initiated groundfish Framework Adjustment 72 with anticipated final action scheduled for December 2025. This action will set specifications for groundfish stocks for FY2026-2028, US/Canada Total Allowable Catch for FY2026, and other measures:
• FY2026-FY2027 specifications for Georges Band cod and haddock; FY2026-FY2028 specifications for Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank winter flounder, Gulf of Maine winter flounder, Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic winter flounder, white hake, Acadian redfish, ocean pout, and Atlantic wolffish
• Establish Regional Administrator authority to adjust recreational measures for haddock and cod on a permanent basis
LISTEN LIVE: NEFMC Meeting – June 24-26, 2025
June 23, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:
The New England Fishery Management Council’s June meeting will run from Tuesday, June 24 until Thursday, June 26, 2025. This will be an in-person meeting with a Zoom webinar option for individuals who prefer or need to attend remotely.
START TIME: 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday and 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The webinar will end shortly after the Council adjourns each day. View the detailed agenda here.
- Please refer to the Council’s Zoom Remote Participation Guide for instructions on logging in and navigating the webinar platform.
- If you encounter technical difficulties, email helpdesk@nefmc.org and we’ll get back to you promptly.
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Open Period for Public Comment: Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Members of the public may comment on issues relevant to Council business that arenot listed on the agenda. Please limit remarks to 3-5 minutes and review theGuidelines for Providing Public Comment
- In-person comments: Use the sign-up sheet located on the table at the entrance to the Council meeting room.
- Remote comments: Email Alex Dunn at adunn@nefmc.org to be added to the commenter list.
- Comments on Motions: these are accepted at the discretion of the Council chair. (if commenting remotely, raise your hand on the webinar and unmute yourself when called upon)
Voices from the Sea: Shaping the Future of Fishing in American Samoa
June 23, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is coming to American Samoa to hear directly from the people who know the ocean best—the local fishermen. Through a series of community meetings, the Council aims to gather first-hand insights about the changes being seen in local waters and the real-life challenges faced by the fishing community. This effort is part of a two-year initiative to build stronger partnerships and support the future of fishing in American Samoa.
Key Discussion Topics: Shark depredation; Seasonal changes in fish spawning; Juvenile fish abundance; Barriers to sustaining fishing livelihoods; Access and harbor issues; Market challenges; and Executive Order 14276 – Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness: Among other provisions, directs NOAA to review marine national monuments, including Rose Atoll, to ensure alignment with national seafood priorities
Meeting Schedule:
Manu‘a Residents on Tutuila Island – Tues, June 24, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. (SST)
Sadie’s by the Sea Conference Room, Goat Island Cafe, Utulei Village
Ofu & Olosega Islands Residents – Wed, June 25, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (SST)
Conference Room at EOB, Ofu Village
Ta‘u Island Residents – Thurs, June 26, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (SST)
ASG Building by the High School, Faleasao Village
Tutuila & Aunu‘u Residents – Fri, June 27, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (SST)
DYWA Conference Room, Tafuna Village
In addition, the American Samoa Council Advisors meeting will also be held Saturday, June 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (SST) at the Flying Fox Gastropub, Pava‘ia‘i Village.
The American Samoa Regional Ecosystem Advisory Committee meeting will be held Monday, June 30 from 9 a.m. to noon (SST) at the Sadie’s by the Sea Conference Room, Utulei Village.
Major agenda items for both meetings include an overview of the Council’s community consultation efforts; fishery issue discussions on deep-sea mining, shark depredation, marine national monuments and recent executive orders, and climate change impacts in American Samoa.
You can provide public comments on EO 14276 at these meetings, and you can also send comments to the Council office at info@wpcouncil.org by July 15, 2025. Would you like to see the boundary of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument reduced from 50 nm offshore? Your voice matters as we work together to navigate changes and enhance the fishing community’s future.
The monument prohibits all commercial fishing and other extractive activities within its boundaries. However, subsistence fishing by local communities and recreational fishing are allowed and subject to certain restrictions and regulations. For example, recreational fishing is allowed for pelagic species such as tuna and billfish, but is prohibited for bottomfish and other reef-associated species.
For more information, contact Felix Penalosa (felix.penalosa@wpcouncil.org) or Nate Ilaoa (pavafox684@gmail.com), and visit www.wpcouncil.org/
About the Council
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional councils established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to manage fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Council is responsible for developing and implementing fishery management plans for waters surrounding Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the CNMI and U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas. The Council works to promote sustainable fisheries, protect marine ecosystems and support the livelihoods of fishing communities through science-based decision-making and stakeholder engagement.
Federal Fishery Managers Consider New Approaches
June 18, 2025 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
Members of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council met this past week in Cape Canaveral, Florida, to address federal fishery management issues in the South Atlantic region. During the week-long meeting, the Council acknowledged that new approaches may be necessary to federal fisheries management given recent changes that include reductions in staffing and funding at NOAA Fisheries, as well as Executive Order 14276 Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.
The Council will develop its response to the directives in Executive Order 14276, including identifying measures to reduce regulatory burden and promote domestic fisheries. Information will be provided on the Council website and input solicited from the public and Council advisory panels. Council members identified initial items that respond to the Executive Order during last week’s meeting, including revision or removal of the “2 for 1” provision for commercial snapper grouper federal permits, removing species from the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Unit, addressing shark depredation, and shifting management of Spiny Lobster to the State of Florida. The Council will review public input and continue discussions during its September 2025 meeting.
Mid-Atlantic Council Invites Public Input in Response to Executive Order 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”
June 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council:
The Mid‑Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) invites fishermen, processors, scientists, seafood businesses, non‑governmental organizations, and other interested parties to provide input on ways to reduce regulatory burdens and increase production in domestic fisheries. Submitted comments will inform the Council’s response to Executive Order (EO) 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.”
Background
Signed on April 17, 2025, EO 14276 directs federal agencies to “promote the productive harvest of our seafood resources; unburden our commercial fishermen from costly and inefficient regulation; combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; and protect our seafood markets from the unfair trade practices of foreign nations.”
Section 4 of the order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to ask each Regional Fishery Management Council to provide updated recommendations that reduce burdens on domestic fisheries and increase production, building on lists first developed in 2020 under EO 13921 (see the Mid-Atlantic Council’s previous recommendations here). Recommended actions should stabilize markets, improve access, enhance economic profitability, and prevent closures. NOAA’s Office of Sustainable Fisheries has requested that Councils submit their updated recommendations by September 30, 2025.
How to Submit Comments
- Online: Use the Council’s Executive Order 14276 Comment Form
- Email: Send comments to msabo@mafmc.org with the subject line “Executive Order Comment”
All comments must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, July 18, 2025. Submitted materials will be posted publicly on the Council’s website.
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