Saving Seafood

State and Local

MASSACHUSETTS: Tarr Statement on the Sinking of the Gloucester F/V Lily Jean

February 2, 2026 — Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today regarding the sinking of the Gloucester F/V Lily Jean:

 “Every day, men and women leave ports like Gloucester to harvest the bounty of the ocean for the people of our state and our nation, carrying with them the very real risk of not returning home. The sinking of the F/V Lily Jean makes the consequences of that risk painfully real. 
 
Tonight, we are deeply appreciative of the ongoing and courageous efforts of the United States Coast Guard, whose personnel continue to search through the night, in dangerous conditions, for the crew of the F/V Lily Jean. Thank you also to the Gloucester Police Department, Gloucester’s Harbor Masters, elected officials and all of the those who are supporting the community during this difficult time. We are praying for those aboard the vessel and their families who are enduring the anguish of not knowing the fate of their loved ones.
 
Most of all, we stand together with those families, sustained by the enduring strength, unity, compassion, and faith that have long defined the Gloucester community since its earliest days.”

 

Number of right whale calves along Southeast coast gives researchers hope

January 30, 2026 — Researchers have spotted 21 North Atlantic right whale calves off the Southeastern coast in recent months, a glimmer of hope for the severely endangered species.

“We’re excited,” said Jessica Thompson, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “We have hope that as long as other protections … are in place that these whales will continue to reproduce and give birth to calves and be able to recover.”

The number of mother-calf pairs is the largest identified in 15 years, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The right whale calving season starts in the middle of November and runs through the middle of April, which means there’s a chance more could be seen.

The number of females and calves is critical. There are roughly 380 right whales remaining, and just 70 of those are females that can actively reproduce. The species also has been experiencing what scientists call an “unusual mortality event” since 2017. This means 20% of its population is sick, injured or killed every year.

Read the full article at The Atlanta Journal Constitution 

Sanctions threats loom as IPHC sets historic low 2026 halibut harvest

January 30, 2026 — The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) set the 2026 Pacific halibut harvest at a historic low last week, following tense U.S.-Canada negotiations that included threats of economic sanctions against Canadian halibut exports.

The Northern Journal reported that the four-day annual IPHC meeting in Bellevue, Washington, came amid strained relations between the two countries under the Trump administration, whose tariff policies and rhetoric toward Canada have fueled political friction.

Serving as the non-voting head of the U.S. delegation was Drew Lawler, a political appointee to NOAA. During private negotiations, U.S. representatives threatened tariffs or other trade restrictions unless Canada agreed to reduce British Columbia’s share of the halibut catch.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NEFMC: Council Addresses Recreational Groundfishing and Initiates Updates to Habitat Designations

January 30, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) met virtually for their January Council meeting and took actions on the recreational groundfish measures and initiated an Essential Fish Habitat Framework. The Council received updates on a range of initiatives, including strategic planning and risk policy work.

GROUNDFISH RECREATIONAL MEASURES RECOMMENDED TO GARFO

AFTER ADJUSTMENT FOR DATA DELAYS

The Council made recommendations for recreational fishing measures for fishing year (FY) 2026 for Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) cod and GOM haddock. The Recreational Advisory Panel (RAP) and Groundfish Committee provided recommendations for the Council’s consideration. However, due to the federal government shutdown, updated Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data were received after the RAP and Committee reviews.

This new “wave 5” MRIP data, from September and October, showed higher cod catch and mortality than previously analyzed and indicated the RAP and Committee recommendations no longer met the criterion of 50% of model runs remaining under both the cod and haddock recreational sub-ACLs.

The Council’s fishing year 2026 recommendations for Atlantic cod are based on the new understanding of cod stock structure, with the intent for implementation of the new cod stock units (including WGOM cod) for May 1, 2026, through Amendment 25 (Revised). Emergency measures remain in place for FY2025 under the existing 2-stock management units, and the Council will transmit a letter to NOAA Fisheries while the final submission on Amendment 25 (Revised) moves toward implementation.

Council Recommendations to GARFO

Western Gulf of Maine Cod:

  • Open season: October 1 – October 31

  • Minimum size: 23 inches

  • Possession limit: 1 fish per day

Gulf of Maine Haddock

  • Open season: May 1 – February 28/29 and April 1 – April 30

  • Minimum size: 17 inches

  • Possession limit: 15 fish per day

The measures would reduce the current cod open season by one month to October only and maintain the minimum size for haddock proposed for FY2025 but not yet implemented. The Council’s recommendations now go to GARFO for final determination.

Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) has redesigned its Fishing Effort Survey, with testing showing improved accuracy and fewer reporting errors. The new design will be implemented in 2026.

NOAA Fisheries is also advancing a state-federal recreational data partnership and a strengthened review process to improve the accuracy, transparency, and timeliness of recreational catch estimates.

NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina Coastal Federation seeks commercial fishers for recovery project

January 30, 2026 — The North Carolina Coastal Federation is asking more commercial fishers to enlist in its Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project to locate and collect lost crab pots.

The Federation kicked off the project in January. For 12 years, the Federation worked in cooperation with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to remove lost crab pots from the North Carolina sounds and waterways.

“Every year, crab pots and other fishing gear are lost in our sounds in a variety of ways. Lost gear can get hung up or drift into channels, creating serious hazards for boaters, wildlife, and fishermen,” Federation representatives wrote in a press release.

Commercial fishers are hired to collect pots during the annual closure of internal coastal waters to all crab, eel, fish and shrimp pots. The closure runs Jan. 1-31 for waters north and east of the Highway 58 bridge over Bogue Sound to Emerald Isle, and March 1-15 for waters south and west of the Highway 58 bridge to Emerald Isle.

Read the full article at WECT

MASSACHUSETTS: State officials release updated regulations targeting fishing gear debris

January 30, 2026 — State officials have announced new regulations for the cleanup of fishing gear debris, to go into effect as of Friday, January 30, 2026. 

The new regulations will serve to rewrite old laws affording gear with property rights – a relic of the days when biodegradable wooden lathe traps made up a significant portion of in-use fishing gear – and will permit local leaders, community organizations, and partner groups to cleanup derelict gear, 9% or more of which is lost each year. 

The decision was informed by a report produced by the Derelict Gear Task Force, a collaboration of state, fishing industry, and conservation partners established by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in 2022. 

Read the full article at CapeCod.com

FLORIDA: Oysters return to Apalachicola, reviving hope for Florida harvesters

January 30, 2026 — They gather there most mornings around 7 a.m., weather-worn hands picking at plates of hashbrowns and cups of coffee scattered across two shoved-together tables. Many of their families have lived in Eastpoint, just outside Apalachicola on the Florida Panhandle, for four or five generations.

Their conversation flows from grandchildren to deer hunting with an ease conveying their decades of friendship. Then it turns to the topic captivating their community: Apalachicola Bay reopening for oyster harvesting after a five-year hiatus.

“I’ve seen more excitement out of older people this month than I’ve seen in years,” said Owen Golden, 75, his eyes crinkling behind wire-rimmed glasses.

Apalachicola Bay opened Jan. 1 for a brief season lasting through the end of February. It’s the first time the bay has opened for commercial harvesting since 2020, when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission closed the area due to declining oyster reefs.

Read the full article at WUFT

ALASKA: NPFMC to discuss unguided halibut issue starting Feb. 5; Comment by Jan. 30

January 30, 2026 — The controversial unguided halibut angler issue will kick off the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting on Feb. 5 in Anchorage. The action comes by request from the International Pacific Halibut Commission after its annual meeting earlier this month.

The action responds to a proposal submitted to the IPHC that aims to rein in unguided, private halibut fishing that allows individual anglers to fish anywhere, anytime and with no size limits – in sharp contrast to regulations imposed on guided sport charters. These DIY (Do it Yourself) businesses, mostly out of lodges in Southeast and South Central regions, operate by providing the vessels, rods, bait, GPS coordinates, etc. but not the personnel.

Read the full article at Alaskafish.news

Atlantic Croaker Stock Assessment Workshop Scheduled for March 2-6, 2026 in Arlington, VA

January 30, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold the Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Stock Assessment Workshop at the Commission’s office, 1050 N. Highland Street, Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, VA. The stock assessment will evaluate the health of Atlantic croaker stocks and inform management of this species. The Commission’s stock assessment process and meetings are open to the public, with the exception of discussions of confidential data*, when the public will be asked to leave the room.

The Stock Assessment Workshop will focus on evaluation of models and analyses developed to estimate stock status. The Commission welcomes the submission of models from the public that will improve the stock assessment. The deadline for submission of alternate models is Friday, February 20, 2026. For alternate models to be considered, the model description, inputs, and complete source code must be provided to Jeff Kipp, Senior Stock Assessment Scientist, at jkipp@asmfc.org by February 20, 2026. Any models submitted without complete, editable source code and input files will not be considered.

Specifically, the workshop will focus on addressing the following stock assessment terms of reference:

  • Develop models used to estimate population parameters (e.g., fishing mortality, biomass, abundance) and biological reference points, and analyze model performance.
  • Characterize uncertainty of model estimates and biological or empirical reference points.
  • Recommend stock status as related to reference points (if available).
  • Compare stock status and management advice from the assessment with the results of the traffic light analysis currently used for management. If outcomes differ, discuss potential causes of observed discrepancies and preferred method.

The final step in the stock assessment process will be the Peer Review Workshop, where an independent panel of fishery scientists will review the assessment for its appropriateness to advise future management of Atlantic croaker. Once the Peer Review has been scheduled, a press release will be issued with the Workshop details.

A workshop agenda will be posted in the coming weeks at https://asmfc.org/events/atlantic-croaker-stock-assessment-workshop/. For more information about the assessment or attending the March workshop (space will be limited), please contact Tracey Bauer, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at tbauer@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

* Each state and federal agency is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of its data and deciding who has access to its confidential data.  In the case of our stock assessments and peer reviews, all analysts and, if necessary, reviewers, have been granted permission by the appropriate agency to use and view confidential data. When the assessment team needs to show and discuss these data, observers to our stock assessment process are asked to leave the room to preserve confidentiality.

Critically endangered right whale found dead off NC coast

January 30, 2026 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that a team of responders attempted to disentangle from fishing gear nearly two months ago was found dead earlier this week off the North Carolina coast.

The 4-year-old male, identified as “Division,” died from injuries caused by being entangled.

An aerial survey team on Tuesday spotted what was left of Division’s carcass floating about 25 miles offshore of Avon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Dec. 4, 2025, responders from NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took to the sea to join forces with a Georgia-based aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in an effort to document Division’s entanglement and monitor his behavior.

At that time, Division was off Georgia’s coast near St. Simons Island.

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org