Saving Seafood

State and Local

MAINE: What warming waters could mean for Maine’s fishing economy

February 10, 2026 — Fishing is a major part of Maine’s economy, with commercial fisheries generating about $709 million in 2024, according to state data. But what happens when a warming climate begins to collide with business?

Scientists consider the Gulf of Maine to be one of the fastest-warming ocean regions in the world — and changing conditions have already reshaped parts of the industry.

In Maine, warming waters have contributed to long-term declines in northern shrimp populations. Shrimp fisheries in the Gulf of Maine have been closed for more than a decade, after regulators imposed a moratorium on shrimping — a ban that has now been extended until 2028.

And it’s not just shrimp.

Graham Sherwood, a senior scientist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, says warming waters could begin to affect Maine’s billion-dollar lobster industry, even as the fishery remains strong today.

Marketplace’s Sabri Ben-Achour spoke with Sherwood. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Read the full article at Marketplace

MASSACHUSSETTS: Hundreds line up to attend wake of beloved Lily Jean captain

February 10, 2026 — Hundreds of mourners will fill St. Ann’s Catholic Church on Tuesday morning for the funeral of Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, the captain of the Lily Jean, a fishing vessel that sank off the coast of Cape Ann on Jan. 30.

The entire crew, including Sanfilippo, was killed. Only Sanfilippo’s body has been recovered from the boat.

Loved ones began lining up late Monday afternoon, bundled up against the raw and windy sea air in Gloucester, to attend Sanfilippo’s wake.

“The sadness in there is just unbelievable — he’s got a young son, a young daughter, they are crushed,” said friend Vito Giacalone.

Read the full article at WCVB

MASSACHUSETTS: Before the herring return, Cape Cod needs people to count them

February 10, 2026 — On a still April morning, one of the most important things happening on Cape Cod is easy to miss unless you’re really looking. No crowds. No signs. Just narrow ribbons of water where silver flashes push upstream, muscle and instinct carrying river herring from the saltwater back to the ponds and wetlands where their lives began.

For decades, those fleeting migrations have told a quiet story about the health of the Cape’s ecosystem. Now, local researchers and conservationists say the story needs more listeners.

The Association to Preserve Cape Cod is recruiting volunteers for the 2026 river herring count season, a citizen science effort that relies on something everyone knows how to do: count. All it requires is people willing to show up consistently, watch carefully, and write down what they see.

The commitment is not a heavy lift, but the payoff is anything but lightweight.

“Ten minutes at a run, a few times a week, adds up to information we can use to track the run, spot problems, and see whether restoration work is paying off,” said Mike Palmer, an ecologist at the APCC who coordinates volunteer monitoring across the region.

Read the full article at the Cape Cod Times

NORTH CAROLINA: North Carolina fishing lawsuit could reshape state’s coastal industry

February 10, 2026 — In a courthouse 120 miles up Interstate 40 from the Wilmington coast, the future direction of the state’s commercial and recreational fishing industries could soon be decided.

A trial is underway in Raleigh alleging that the state hasn’t effectively managed its fisheries, which are considered a natural resource to be managed for the benefit of all North Carolinians.

Both the state constitution and the 1997 Fisheries Reform Act bound North Carolina to rebuild any fishing stocks that get depleted, which has led the state to get involved in managing several commercially and recreationally important species, including flounder, shrimp, blue crab and striped bass.

But fishery groups and others have complained for years that the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries has failed to adequately do this, leading the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina to sue the state in 2020.

After several court wins for the association against moves by the state to dismiss the case, the trial began Jan. 20.

“After more than five years of fighting to save our fisheries, we are very grateful for this day, when the future of this constitutionally protected, public-trust resource will finally get its day in court,” said David Sneed, the association’s executive director, in a news release. “We look forward to proving our case on the merits and ensuring that a legacy of sustainable coastal fisheries will be there for all our children and grandchildren.”

Read the full article at Star News Online

ALASKA: Managers OK increase in Gulf of Alaska cod harvest after shutdown delayed analysis

February 10, 2026 — In a decision that was delayed by the prolonged federal government shutdown last fall, federal fishery regulators have increased this year’s allowable harvest of Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska.

The approximately 37.5% increase in total allowable catch was approved by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the panel that oversees commercial seafood harvests in federal waters off Alaska. The new limit approved by council members on Thursday totaled 30,053 metric tons across all three designated regions of the Gulf of Alaska, up from 21,826 metric tons tentatively approved in December.

Normally, the annual harvest limits for groundfish species like pollock and Pacific cod for both the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska are set at the council’s regular December meetings.

Fishery scientists lacked sufficient time to analyze data from summer surveys because of the record 43-day federal government shutdown that ended on Nov. 12, so the council then wound up using 2024 recommendations to set 2026 harvest limits.

Read the full article at Alaska Beacon

ALASKA: Low king salmon forecast leads to multiple restrictions in Alaska

February 10, 2026. — Fishing for king salmon this summer will be highly restricted after the total run forecasts for the Deshka River, Kenai River early-run, Kenai River late-run and Anchor River all show low numbers.

“King salmon are experiencing a period of poor productivity and escapement goals are not likely to be achieved in 2026,” the Alaska Department of Fish and Game stated on Monday.

“It’s all within the vein of trying to conserve king salmon in Southcentral Alaska,” said Kristine Dunker, regional supervisor for Fish Game in Southcentral Alaska.

Dunker said the state hopes that by releasing the latest regulations in February, Alaska anglers will be have plenty of time to plan for the upcoming summer.

Read the full article at KTUU

NEW JERSEY: Commercial fishing boats stuck in Jersey Shore waterways clogged with ice

February 10, 2026 — This wave of brutally cold weather is cutting into catches for commercial fishing boats that are now idle along the Jersey Shore.

With boats iced in, Sea Tow Cape May is enduring the biting cold and gusty winds as they help ferry interport pilots to and from the big ships that are out at sea.

This step is vital to keep the supply chain moving along the northeast.

“A five mile wide wall of ice with two, three, four foot high, you know, icebergs sticking out of the water. And the dangerous part about that is you don’t know how much is underneath of them,” Claude Savino, of Sea Tow Cape May, explained. “It can’t stop. That’s goods coming in and out of our country and like, it cannot stop.”

Read the full article at NBC 10

MASSACHUSETTS: New bill takes aim at climate-driven quota challenges

February 9, 2026 — Legislation introduced by a trio of U.S. senators would require NOAA Fisheries to more formally account for climate-driven shifts in fish stocks when setting commercial fishing quotas.

The bill, titled the Supporting Health Interstate Fisheries in Transition (SHIFT) Act, is sponsored by Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts. The legislation would direct the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to investigate when fish stock has shifted from one regional fishery management council’s jurisdiction into another’s and coordinate management between councils going forward, according to an article published by SeafoodSource.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: Gloucester fisherman remembers brother and nephew lost at sea on fishing vessel Lily Jean

February 9, 2026 — Rick Beal has always been drawn to the sea, but the Captain of the Santo Pio is now faced with a feeling he’s never had in his 74 years.

“I’m pretty doggone shook up,” Rick said. “This is the first time in my life I have ever really thought about quitting.”

Rick’s brother Paul Beal Sr and Paul’s son Paul Beal Jr, who was known as P.J., were two of the seven people lost at sea when the Lily Jean went down as it was steaming home with a load of fish. The ship sank just 22 miles from home.

“You don’t ever think that you’re not going to see him again,” Rick said.

He spoke with us along side his daughter, Angela Scarpa, who grew emotional as she spoke about her family.

“My uncle had this laugh,” Angela said. “It was so infectious. He had a great smile. PJ was a lot like his dad.”

She added, “They were both doing what they love.”

“The adventure, the fishing, it is a way of life,” Rick said.

Read the full article at WCVB

ALASKA: Science symposium emphasizes Indigenous knowledge, finfish, kelp

February 9, 2026 — Gulf of Alaska maritime issues, from halibut and herring to kelp farming, were on the agenda during the four-day Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage from Jan. 26-30.

The importance of engaging Indigenous knowledge in policy making for fisheries management in Alaska was the focus of a presentation by Hekia Bodwitch of the University of Alaska Southeast, and Alex Jenkins of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

They noted that historically western government leaders and scientists have excluded Indigenous peoples from policymaking and research, and that uneven power dynamics persist today.

In their studies they examined perceived successes, shortcomings and limitations of recent initiatives in Alaska’s fisheries management focused on engaging Indigenous knowledge. These efforts included those of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Their study involved interviews with more than 30 fishery policymakers and advisors, as well as analyses of policymaking meetings.

Those interviewed spoke of barriers to change stemming from legal frameworks, political-economic dynamics, and policy implementation challenges.

Some of these challenges reflect a mismatch between how Indigenous knowledge is typically shared and public testimony processes. Those interviewed also emphasized that Indigenous peoples remain underrepresented in policymaking, while their participation is essential in order to engage Indigenous knowledge to effect meaningful change.

Read the full article at The Cordova Times