Saving Seafood

Council Actions

ASMFC 2026 Winter Meeting Supplemental Materials Now Available

January 28, 2026 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Supplemental materials for  the ASMFC’s 2026 Winter Meeting are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/2026-winter-meeting/ for the following Boards/Committees. Click on “Supplemental” at the bottom of the relevant Board/Committee agenda to access these materials. Combined supplemental materials can also be found at https://asmfc.org/resources/management-meeting-materials/2026-winter-meeting-supplemental-materials-february-2026/

 
Executive Committee – Draft Meeting Summary from October 2026; White Paper on Notifying “Actions” on Commission Agendas 
 
Legislative and Governor Appointee Commissioners – Agenda
 
Atlantic Menhaden Management Board – Plan Development Team Memo: Progress Report on Draft Addendum II to Amendment 3; Atlantic Menhaden Technical Committee Meeting Summary  from January 2026; Public Comment
 
Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board – Technical Committee Memo: Recommendations for Distribution of 20% Liberalization for Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures   
 
Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board – Stock Assessment Subcommittee Memo: Request for Board Guidance on Biological Reference Points and Spatial Management; Charting A Course for Striped Bass: Science and Regulatory Innovation for Offshore Aquaculture; Public Comment
 
Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board – 2025 Commissioner Survey Results; Atlantic States Shell Recycling: A practitioner’s guide to oyster shell recycling along the US Atlantic coast
 
Webinar Information
Meeting proceedings will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Tuesday, February 3 at 9 AM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 12:45 PM) on Thursday, February 5. To register for the webinar, please go to: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6602887735395459168 (Webinar ID: 674-030-171). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you may also call in at 914.614.3221, access code 161-484-911. A PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar. For those who will not be joining the webinar but would like to listen in to the audio portion only, press the # key when asked for a PIN. 
 
Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so that people can troubleshoot any connectivity or audio issues they may encounter.  If you are having issues with the webinar (connecting to or audio related issues), please contact Chris Jacobs at 703.842.0790.
 
Meeting Process
Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
 
Public Comment Guidelines
To provide a fair opportunity for public input, the ISFMP Policy Board has approved the following guidelines for use at management board meetings:
 
For issues that are not on the agenda, management boards will continue to provide opportunities to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. Board chairs will ask members of the public to raise their hands to let the chair know they would like to speak. Depending upon the number of commenters, the board chair will decide how to allocate the available time on the agenda (typically 10 minutes) to the number of people who want to speak.
 
For topics that are on the agenda, but have not gone out for public comment, board chairs will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. 
Chairs will have flexibility in deciding how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comments will not provide additional insight to the board.
 
For agenda action items that have already gone out for public comment, it is the Policy Board’s intent to end the occasional practice of allowing extensive and lengthy public comments. Currently, board chairs have the discretion to decide what public comment to allow in these circumstances.
 
In addition, the following timeline has been established for the submission of written comments for issues for which the Commission has NOT established a specific public comment period (i.e., in response to proposed management action).
 
1.       Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (January 12) will be included in the briefing materials.
2.       Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, January 27 will be included in supplemental materials.
3.       Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, January 30 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.
 
The submitted comments must clearly indicate the commenter’s expectation from the ASMFC staff regarding distribution.  As with other public comment, it will be accepted via mail and email

US experiencing K-shaped economic recovery, with premium, value products likely to perform well in 2026

January 28, 2026 — The U.S. is experiencing a “K-shaped” economic recovery as 2026 remains in its early stages, which will drive purchases of both value and premium products this year, according to Christian Lawrence, the head of Americas and energy markets research at Dutch financial services firm Rabobank.

Consumer confidence for the majority of Americans has “plummeted” as a result of ongoing inflation, with Americans paying 27 percent more for food than they were a few years ago, Lawrence said at the 2026 Global Seafood Market Conference (GSMC), which took place 18 to 22 January in Hollywood, Florida, U.S.A.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

OREGON: Oregon takes actions to reduce entanglement risks in commercial Dungeness crab fishery

January 28, 2026 — The U.S. state of Oregon has moved up its “late-season” Dungeness crab gear regulations by a month in an effort to reduce the likelihood of whale entanglements.

The late-season rules – which prohibit setting gear in waters deeper than 40 fathoms and require fishers to use 20 percent fewer pots and special buoy tags on each pot – were slated to go into effect 1 May. However, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has decided to move up the start date to 1 April in a bid to prevent any humpback whale entanglements.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Vineyard Wind to argue in federal court for getting back to work ASAP

January 27, 2026 — The developer behind a large offshore wind farm near Massachusetts will try to convince a federal judge on Tuesday to allow construction on the project to resume.

Attorneys for the company, Vineyard Wind, will ask the judge to hit pause on a federal order that stopped work on the nearly complete project. The Trump administration suspended work on Vineyard Wind and four other offshore wind projects last month, citing unspecified national security concerns.

In a subsequent lawsuit, Vineyard Wind accused the government of acting unlawfully and of abusing its statutory power  — a move the company said is costing it $2 million for each day that construction is shut down.

Tuesday’s hearing in U.S. District Court in Boston comes amid mounting public outrage over the region’s high energy costs, and concerns about how New England will handle the projected growth in electricity demand over the next decade. The hearing also comes after judges allowed construction to resume — at least temporarily — on three other East Coast offshore wind projects that were similarly shut down by last month’s federal order.

Given the outcome of those cases, Timothy Fox, managing director at ClearView Energy Partners, an independent research firm that tracks offshore wind projects, said Vineyard Wind stands a good shot at getting its temporary restraining order, too.

Read the full article at wbur

New Data from the Marine Stewardship Council: U.S. Leads the World in Certified Environmentally Sustainable Fisheries

January 27, 2026 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a global nonprofit organization that works to end overfishing, today announced 2025 year-end data showing that 90% of U.S. fisheries by volume are MSC certified and meet rigorous requirements for environmentally sustainable fishing practices, making the U.S. a leader in sustainable fisheries.

A trusted nonprofit dedicated to ending overfishing and maintaining a healthy ocean, the MSC sets criteria to ensure healthy fish stocks, minimal harmful impacts on marine ecosystems, and to promote effective and responsive management.

U.S. achievements for 2025 include:

  • 62 species certified
  • More than 1,300 MSC eco-labeled products available in the U.S. market
  • MSC eco-labeled products can now be found in all 50 states

“MSC is proud to partner with U.S. fisheries that have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and the protection of our country’s marine resources,” said Laura McDearis, U.S. program director, Marine Stewardship Council.

“As demonstrated by the 90% of U.S. fishery landings by volume that are certified to MSC’s rigorous requirements for environmentally sustainable fishing, the leadership and great work of our U.S. partners can’t be understated. MSC certification validates U.S. fisheries’ dedication to ensuring the long-term health of our ocean and sets an example for countries around the globe to follow,” continued McDearis.

Other notable MSC certified fisheries milestones in 2025 include the completion of long-term research projects in the Alaska Salmon fishery, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. In 2025 the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic menhaden purse seine fisheries were recertified, with support from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the University of Southern Mississippi’s National Science Foundation-supported Science Center for Marine Fisheries, respectively.

In addition, several new fisheries entered the MSC program last year, including the U.S. Atlantic summer flounder and black sea bass trawl fishery. Other fisheries, such as Pacific hake and Louisiana blue crab are celebrating more than a decade of certification against the MSC Standard.

“For nearly ten years, Lund’s Fisheries, Inc. has collaborated with the MSC, and our partner conformity assessment bodies (CABs), to assure domestic and international markets, vitally important to our long-term success that the seafood we produce is managed sustainably based on rigorous, annual, scientific and monitoring reviews,” said Wayne Reichle, Owner and President, Lund’s Fisheries. “Our MSC-certified Atlantic sea scallop, Atlantic and Pacific squid, and Atlantic menhaden purse seine, scup, fluke and black sea bass trawl fisheries, have provided us with access to markets that would not otherwise be available to our third-generation fishing company, to the benefit of our community, our employees and our company and independent fishermen whose cooperation we depend upon each day as we plan for the future.

2025 was a challenging year for U.S. fisheries, with increasing pressure to safeguard marine ecosystems against the backdrop of rapidly escalating climate change. Environmental conditions including shifting and extreme weather patterns, as well as distribution and recruitment of fish due to warming waters, greatly impacted U.S. fisheries. A recent study conducted by the MSC and the Common Oceans Program showed that tuna and other highly migratory fish are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to the impacts of shifting stocks and the reduction in the number of fish in the ecosystem due to climate change. The research also found that certification can help mitigate risk, making fisheries potentially more resilient to climate impacts.

On the U.S. seafood markets side, the introduction of tariffs by the Trump administration challenged the seafood industry significantly, affecting seafood trade, imports and prices at retail, as only approximately 38% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is of domestic origin. Nevertheless, MSC certified seafood products continued to grow on the market, with an 8% increase in volume of MSC certified products in the U.S. from 2024 to 2025. MSC certified supply chain partners remain committed to environmental sustainability despite these challenging times, with retailers like Aldi, ShopRite, and Walmart making MSC certified seafood accessible and easily identifiable through in-store signage and online messaging.

“At Wakefern, partnering with MSC has allowed us to create valuable communications tools that help consumers navigate the sustainable seafood options we offer at ShopRite and Price Rite stores,” said Alexandra Emery, Manager of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Wakefern Food Corp. “Our Bowl & Basket and Wholesome Pantry frozen products, like wild caught scallops and flounder fillets, are also MSC certified, allowing consumers to shop sustainably and responsibly from our store brand product lines.”

Sustainable wild fisheries are essential to American fishing communities and a resilient, productive ocean, offering a renewable, low-carbon source of nutritious protein. The growing commitment from fisheries and the marketplace to the MSC program reflects a shared vision for that future. Continued commitment by governments, industry, consumers and political leaders is essential in the face of warming oceans, and critical to stay on track to deliver the UN Agenda 2030 goals before the end of the decade, including sustainable development goal 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Read the release from the Marine Stewardship Council

BOEM Releases Call Areas for California Offshore Drilling Plan

January 27, 2025 — On Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management began the process for an offshore oil and gas lease sale off California with the publication of two call areas, which cover the southern and central areas of the state. The announcement suggests that the first lease sales will occur next year – giving time for local opposition, which has already begun to gather momentum.

Feds push to keep Vineyard Wind paused as 10 turbines stand bladeless

January 27, 2026 — Federal officials on Jan. 21 asked a Massachusetts court to uphold the government’s halt to construction at Vineyard Wind 1’s offshore project, which has left 10 turbines partially built — called a “hammerhead” status for each turbine — with towers and nacelles installed, but no blades.

Court filings show the $4.5 billion project is 95% complete, weeks from finishing, and incurring millions in daily costs.

In separate submissions to the court and the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Vineyard Wind 1 has pushed for the go-ahead to install the missing blades, saying that leaving the turbines in “hammerhead” status for too long increases safety, structural and operational risks and leaves components exposed to corrosion, fire hazards, and potential marine debris. The stop-work order, however, does not allow new construction.

Read the full article at The Enterprise

MAINE: Maine opens lottery for 20 new elver licenses

January 27, 2026 — Twenty Mainers will soon have a chance to join the state’s lucrative elver fishery.

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) says it will hold a lottery, starting at noon on Monday for the right to apply for an elver license.

The lottery will be available through 4:30 p.m. on February 20, providing lottery winners with the chance to apply for a license prior to the upcoming season, which starts at noon on March 22 and runs through noon on June 7.

The DMR says the lottery is available to Maine residents who are at least 15 years of age by the start of the 2026 season, and who are eligible to purchase an elver license in 2026 because they have not had their right to obtain an elver license suspended.

Read the full article at WGME

MASSACHSUETTS: Healey-Driscoll Administration Expands Opportunities for Cleanup of Fishing Gear Debris

January 27, 2026 — The following was released by Mass.gov:

Today, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced new state regulations to clean up fishing gear debris to protect marine biodiversity and public safety. Developed by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), with input from the fishing industry, conservation organizations, law enforcement, and municipal leaders, the new regulations will streamline the timely and efficient removal of derelict fishing gear, while continuing to protect functional fishing gear and minimizing conflicts on the water. These regulations are set to take effect on January 30, 2026.

“Massachusetts is taking action to protect our environment, marine life, and public safety,” said Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “This is a win-win for our coastal communities—we look forward to continued partnership with the fishing industry and conservationists to tackle this challenge coastwide through creativity and collaboration.”

“This is a significant achievement—this will allow cleanup of ghost gear to make our coasts safer and healthier for marine life and mariners alike,” said Department of Fish & Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “We are grateful to all the champions in the legislature, across the industry, and the conservation community who came together to call for this much-needed change and look forward to continued partnership to host cleanups in each of our 78 coastal communities.”

Fishing gear debris—which is defined as gear that is not intact, does not function as intended, or is set during a closed season—harms marine life and creates safety hazards for fishers, boaters, and beachgoers. Lost or abandoned gear can ghost fish, or continue to catch and kill marine life, and pose entanglement risks for endangered marine mammals and sea turtles. Additionally, it creates significant hazards for mariners, commercial fishers, and beachgoers by impeding navigation, creating conflicts, and posing risks to public safety.

“Abandoned, lost, and derelict fishing gear has no place in our environment. Over 9% of fishing gear is lost or abandoned annually, but outdated state laws previously prevented our efforts to recover it,” said DMF Director Dan McKiernan. “We are grateful to the Legislature’s Coastal Caucus, lobster industry, and conservation community who all played an important role in advocating for this change to greatly enhance our capacity to clean up fishing gear debris with partners.”

“Fishing gear debris is a threat to marine life, a safety hazard for mariners, a persistent problem on our beaches, and a costly burden for municipalities to clean up. We look forward to this significant boost in our capacity to address this growing issue,” said Massachusetts Environmental Police Colonel John Monaghan.

Prior to changes, antiquated state law constrained the cleanup of fishing gear debris, as it afforded the gear property rights. This dated back to a time when much of the fishing gear used was salvageable and biodegradable wooden lathe traps. Today, most fishing gear debris consists of plastic-coated metal traps, which are not biodegradable and often not salvageable.

In 2022, DMF established the Derelict Gear Task Force comprised of government officials, fishing industry representatives, law enforcement, and conservation partners with experience researching and removing derelict gear. The Task Force produced a report outlining strategies to tackle this growing issue. In 2025, championed by the Massachusetts Coastal Caucus, state law was amended to enable cleanup efforts for the first time since 1940.

While DMF has always collaborated with Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) to clean up derelict gear and ensure compliance with fishing regulations, the new regulations will now allow DMF to permit local leaders, community organizations, and other partners to conduct coastal cleanups.

More work is needed to coordinate the disposal of fishing gear debris—DMF is committed to continued partnership with local leaders to expand these efforts. This includes working with municipalities and partners to expand capacity for safe disposal of fishing gear debris at ports and grow a network of partners to recycle, salvage, or upcycle fishing gear debris.

For more information about the new regulations, join DMF and Center for Coastal Studies for the seminar, Ghost Gear in New England, at Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association Annual Weekend & Trade Show on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 11:30 AM in Hyannis, MA.

Statements of Support: 

“Left unchecked, abandoned fishing gear poses several threats to our marine environment and ecosystems,” said Senate Minority Leader and Coastal Caucus Co-Chair Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “It ‘ghost fishes,’ increasing mortality without any harvest benefit, presents a major risk of entanglement for right whales and other marine species, clutters and pollutes the ocean floor, and creates ongoing problems for coastal communities when it washes ashore and must be collected and disposed of before it causes further damage. The passage of our legislation, with the support of DMF, set the stage for effective action to remove this environmental nemesis from our waters and coastlines. Now, these regulations provide the regulatory infrastructure to ensure that action can move forward with confidence, efficiency, and appropriate safeguards for those who depend on fishing gear to make a living.”

“This is a significant step toward cleaning our waters of abandoned and derelict gear that no longer benefits our fishing community and instead makes our waters less hospitable for marine life. These regulations demonstrate the progress we can achieve through common-sense solutions when the fishing and lobstering community, environmental groups, the Legislature, and the Executive Branch work together toward a shared goal,” said State Representative and Coastal Caucus Co-Chair Kathleen LaNatra (D—Plymouth).

“Through working on DMF’s Derelict Gear Task Force, it became clear that fishing gear debris presented serious challenges on the waterfront. State law needed to be updated to encourage efforts to clean up fishing gear debris while still affording private property rights to fishing gear,” said Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Chair and Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance Outreach Coordinator Ray Kane. “I am proud of the work accomplished by DMF and the fishing industry to develop and implement this framework, which was strongly and unanimously approved by the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission in December 2025. This will enhance our ability to clean up fishing gear debris to the betterment of our marine environment, fishery resources, and commercial fisheries.”

“It has been a long time coming, and we’re pleased that marine debris can legally be removed from our waters and shoreline in an efficient manner,” said Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association Executive Director Beth Casoni. “We look forward to working with local communities that organize beach cleanups and fishermen to effectively remove marine debris from our ocean.”

“We have been privileged to participate in the collaborative development of the new state regulations for fishing gear debris,” said Center for Coastal Studies Marine Debris and Plastics Program Director Laura Ludwig. “Our ghost gear project in Massachusetts waters has removed over 100 tons of lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear since 2013, and we’re proud that our data could support this forward-thinking language change to facilitate future handling and disposal of marine debris.”

“The New England Aquarium applauds Massachusetts’ new regulations to allow for the removal of abandoned and derelict fishing gear from Commonwealth waters,” said New England Aquarium Chief of Conservation and Stewardship Dr. Letise LaFeir. “Lost fishing gear poses ongoing risks to marine habitats and animals, including whales and sea turtles, and expanding the ability to remove this gear is an important step toward reducing those threats. We appreciate the Division of Marine Fisheries’ leadership and continued collaboration to protect marine life and support healthier ocean ecosystems.”

“We are grateful to the Coastal Caucus and to DMF for their leadership in tackling the long-standing challenge of ghost gear in Massachusetts waters and along our coast,” said Conservation Law Foundation Director of Ocean Policy Elizabeth Etrie. “Ghost gear keeps on fishing and fatally entangles marine life long after it is lost. DMF has worked for years to clean it up, and this new law finally gives them the clear authority to remove ghost gear and work with local communities to dispose of it safely. Removing ghost gear will make our ocean and shorelines cleaner and safer for marine life and community members.”

“Removing abandoned fishing gear is a goal everyone can get behind. Once gear is lost or discarded, it keeps catching marine life and piling up on the ocean floor,” said The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts State Director Kris Sarri. “I’m grateful to the legislators, conservation partners, fishermen, and the Division of Marine Fisheries staff who brought this from an idea to common sense regulations that protect the environment.”

NORTH CAROLINA: NC Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition to meet Feb. 4

January 27, 2026 — The next meeting of the North Carolina Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Morehead City’s Crystal Coast Civic Center.

The press release from Dare County Tuesday announcing the meeting time and location did not include a proposed agenda but does state that the purpose of the meeting is to “discuss issues related to the fishing industry, and any other issues considered necessary and relevant.”

Read the CoastalReview.org