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ASMFC Begins Preparations for Atlantic Sturgeon Benchmark Stock Assessment

April 23, 2026 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has initiated a benchmark stock assessment for Atlantic sturgeon to be completed in the fall of 2028. The goals of the assessment are to evaluate the health of stocks along the Atlantic coast 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.

 The Commission welcomes the submission of data sources that will contribute to the goals of the assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, data on abundance trends (e.g., surveys), tagging data, biological samples (sex, maturity, age, weight, length), life history information (growth, fecundity, natural mortality, sex ratio, spawning history), stock structure, mortality (predator-prey interactions, anthropogenic sources such as vessel strikes and bycatch). For data sets to be considered, the data must be sent in the required format, with accompanying description of methods, to the Commission by July 1, 2026. 
 
The Commission will hold three Data Webinars (July 23, 28 and 30, 2026) and one in-person session (August 10-12, 2026) to review all available data sources and identify datasets to be incorporated in the stock assessment. The Data Webinars and Workshop are open to the public. 
 
Please contact James Boyle at jboyle@asmfc.org or visit https://asmfc.org/events/ for more information on the webinars and workshop.

An intense marine heat wave has California in its crosshairs, with impacts set for land and sea

April 22, 2026 — Something unusual and with far-reaching consequences is lurking in the sea off the California coast, stretching all the way down the Baja Peninsula and more than 500 miles to the southwest.

In this broad region, a large, long-lasting and record-setting marine heat wave has set in and is forecast to persist and intensify, altering the weather conditions on the West Coast and adversely affecting the marine food chain.

This heat wave, which is the oceanic equivalent of a heat wave on land, could have broad ramifications for sea life, as warm water species like hammerhead sharks and bluefin tuna migrate into areas where they are normally not seen, and cold-water species move deeper and further north.

The marine heat wave may have widespread impacts on the weather in the West, making off-the-chart heatwaves like March’s more likely and intense, supercharging rainfall and even allowing tropical systems to come northward into California.

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography are monitoring ocean temperatures along the California coast, where their records stretch back more than a century. They have been recording one hot ocean record after another, especially during the past few weeks.

Since January 1 and through the end of last week, there were 36 days when sea surface temperatures at Scripps Pier in La Jolla, California set records for the hottest water temperature ever recorded on that date. This is significant, since daily data at that location goes all the way back to 1916.

Read the full article at CNN

Patrick Keliher Named 2025 Captain David H. Hart Award Recipient

February 4, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

At its Winter Meeting in Arlington, Virginia, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) presented Patrick Keliher, former Commissioner with the Maine Department of Marine Resources (ME DMR), the Captain David H. Hart Award for 2025 for his longstanding contributions to and exceptional leadership towards the sustainable management of marine resources along the Eastern Seaboard.

Since becoming Commissioner with ME DMR and Administrative Commissioner to the ASMFC in 2012, Pat has worked tirelessly to support marine fisheries stakeholders, both in Maine and along the Atlantic coast. His unwavering work ethic extended well beyond the Commission table. He is a consummate professional – always prepared and expertly engaged in every setting with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach. This approach earned him the respect of all those who have worked with him.

From 2017 – 2023, Pat served in a leadership position with the Commission, helping address a wide range of issues. One of the most unique and challenging times during his tenure was guiding the Commission through the pandemic. This was a time that truly reflected Pat’s steady leadership and deep commitment to the Commission. Throughout that period, he stayed closely connected with staff and fellow Commissioners, oversaw a seamless transition to virtual meetings, and consistently made decisions with the safety of Commissioners and staff in mind. Other notable accomplishments during this time include quick action by the states to end overfishing of Atlantic striped bass and implementation of ecological reference points to manage Atlantic menhaden.
On the home front, Pat has been credited with strengthening and sustaining Maine’s commercial fisheries through effective management, responsible policy, and improved enforcement. His collaborative effort to secure a six-year pause on federal whale regulations and to provide millions in federal funds for marine mammal research has benefited both Maine’s lobster industry and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. During his tenure, DMR implemented enhanced management and enforcement measures to protect Maine’s valuable elver resource and fishery. His work to secure funding and establish strategic partnerships was instrumental in efforts to restore access to habitat for Maine’s sea-run fish species. Pat also oversaw the administration of state funding that has protected many vital working waterfront properties, and federal funds that provided much needed direct relief to industry and investments in critical infrastructure.
“I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of this honor,” said Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Carl Wilson. “Throughout his career, Pat has demonstrated a dedication to science-based decisions, effective policy, and strong enforcement necessary to protect our valuable marine resources and industries.”
“Pat’s strong advocacy for Maine’s marine resources and fisheries was exceeded only by his commitment to the people who make their living on the water,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “Maine’s coastal economy, environment, and communities are stronger because of his leadership, and this award reflects his many career accomplishments.”
Prior to joining DMR, Pat served as Executive Director of the Atlantic Salmon Commission and Executive Director of the New England States of the Coastal Conservation Association, Greater New England.
The Commission instituted the Hart Award in 1991 to recognize individuals who have made outstanding efforts to improve Atlantic coast marine fisheries. The Hart Award is named for one of the Commission’s longest serving members, who dedicated himself to the advancement and protection of marine fishery resources, Captain David H. Hart, from the State of New Jersey.

MASSACHUSETTS: GBH News to Premiere New Podcast: Catching The Codfather

January 28, 2026 — GBH News today announced the upcoming premiere of Catching The Codfather, a new podcast from the Peabody Award-winning team behind The Big Dig and Scratch & Win. Catching The Codfather traces the true-crime story of New England fishing tycoon Carlos Rafael, his controversial rise, and the federal sting operation that finally brought him down exactly 10 years ago this month. The six-part limited series, the latest season of GBH News’ The Big Dig™ podcast, is hosted by Ian Coss, produced by GBH News and brought to listeners in partnership with PRX. Episodes will drop weekly starting on Feb. 11.

He was a millionaire, a community pillar, and the “Codfather” of New England’s fishing fleet. But behind the scenes, Rafael was running one of the most brazen fishing frauds in U.S. history. The story begins in 1976, when a dispute over international waters sowed the seeds of both an environmental crisis and Rafael’s eventual fishing empire in New Bedford, Mass. But as government regulations ratcheted up, Rafael made a grim prediction: fishermen would either go bankrupt or become outlaws.

“The Codfather story presents a complicated case where food, culture, the environment, and the lives of working people all collide,” said lead producer and host Ian Coss. “At a time when the very idea of ‘government regulation’ is highly polarized, my hope is that this series will make listeners question their own assumptions. Was Carlos Rafael justified in breaking the law? Has government regulation of fishing caused more harm than good? And who is ultimately responsible for the collapse of this legendary industry?”

Read the full article at GBH

New Jersey fishermen challenge monitoring rule again

January 23, 2026 — Following their victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024, commercial fishers from New Jersey are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to vacate a NOAA Fisheries rule requiring them to pay out of pocket for at-sea monitors.

“Forcing fishermen to pay the salaries of government regulators watching them conduct their work is backward,” New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) Senior Litigation Counsel Kara Rollins said in a statement. “The regulation unlawfully places the government’s financial responsibilities onto the governed and without congressional authorization.”

The lawsuit centers on the Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) rule introduced by NOAA Fisheries in 2020. The rule requires commercial fishers in multiple fisheries – Atlantic herring, squid, butterfish, and Atlantic mackerel – to pay out of pocket for at-sea monitors to be present on their vessels and observe their operations.

The fishers claimed the requirement would be devastating to their business, with monitors reportedly costing more than $700 per day. According to the NCLA, that cost can eat up any profit the fishers made in a day, and over a multi-day trip, costs could become exorbitant.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Natural Resources plans hearings on energy, parks, fisheries

December 2, 2024 — The House Natural Resources Committee is planning a trio of hearings this week as it ramps up its activity following the extended recess during the government shutdown.

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, headed by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), will hold a hearing titled “Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Exploring New Frontiers.” It’s the latest in a string of hearings focused on the new administration’s pro-development energy posture.

The Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee, led by Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), will question witnesses on sea lions eating salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Congress approved legislation in 2018 making it easier for states and tribes to kill sea lion that congregate near dams and other areas to eat the salmon.

Read the full article at E&E News

RHODE ISLAND: Rhode Island Energy breaks off contract with SouthCoast Wind amid federal uncertainty

November 17, 2025 — Rhode Island’s second attempt to grow its offshore wind portfolio is dead in the water.

Michael Dalo, a spokesperson for Rhode Island Energy, confirmed in an email to Rhode Island Current Friday morning that the company ended its negotiations with SouthCoast Wind to purchase power from the project.

The news comes more than a year after Rhode Island officials unveiled a tentative contract with SouthCoast Wind developers to buy 200 megawatts of electricity from the project planned south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Negotiations finalizing the deal stalled multiple times due to a series of setbacks by the Trump administration, including the pullback of a key federal permit for the project.

Dalo cited the federal uncertainty facing the offshore wind industry as reason for the cutoff of contract negotiations.

“After several [power purchase agreement] negotiation extensions and continued uncertainty in the offshore wind industry, we were unable to come to agreeable terms” Dalo said in his email. “We remain fully supportive of the offshore wind industry and look forward to future clean energy [sic] opportunities as the industry evolves.”

He did not immediately respond to follow-up questions including when the deal was officially cast aside. The latest deadline, Nov. 1, came and went with no public acknowledgement from either party on the status of the talks.

SouthCoast Wind also did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment on Friday.

Disappointing, but not surprising, was how Amanda Barker, the Rhode Island state committee lead for New England for Offshore Wind, characterized the news.

Read the full article at News From the States

WASHINGTON: Upper Skagit Indian Tribe celebrates huge rebound of Baker River sockeye

October 17, 2025 — Nearly 92,000 sockeye salmon returned to the Baker River this year. That’s a historic milestone for nearby tribes, state wildlife officials and the hydroelectric utility that caused the decline — and helped bring the fish back.

Scott Schuyler, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe’s policy representative for cultural natural resources, has been watching the fish run for more than 40 years.

“We basically lost this run,” said Schuyler, a tribal member and elder. “Back in 1985 the run went down to 80-ish or so fish, which is basically extinct. And it was due to hydropower that caused their demise, and it was hydropower that helped fix the run to get to where we are today.”

Schuyler said the tribe once had a fishing village called S.báliuqʷ (pronounced ‘sih-’BALL’-ih-QUE’) on Baker Lake.

“That’s where people lived and died and fished and hunted since time immemorial,” he said.

Read the full article at KNKX

Funding problems, shutdown force changes for North Pacific Fishery Management Council

October 1, 2025 — After months of uncertainty amid the Trump administration’s deep cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the council that manages commercial fisheries in federal waters off Alaska now has all the federal funding that had been allocated to it for 2025 operations.

But the North Pacific Fishery Management Council now faces a new source of uncertainty: the federal government shutdown.

The funding and shutdown complications have reshaped the council’s October meeting, underway this week.

Read the full article at the Anchorage Daily News

Council Elects Daniel Salerno and Melanie Griffin as Chair and Vice Chair for 2025-2026; Welcomes Andrew Dangelo

September 24, 2025 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council opened its September 2025 meeting in Gloucester, Massachusetts with its annual election of officers. The Council elected the current acting chair, Daniel Salerno of New Hampshire as Chair and Melanie Griffin of Massachusetts as Vice Chair. Both Dan and Melanie were nominated and approved by acclamation.

Dan Salerno is a familiar face at the Council having served as the Vice Chair and then Acting Chair. He currently manages two Northeast groundfish sectors and brings over 30 years of industry and research experience. He co-chairs the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel and the U.S. side of the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee. Read his full bio here.

Melanie Griffin is a policy analyst with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. She represents the state in Council deliberations. Melanie has served on the Council’s Executive Committee for several years and Chairs the Scallop Committee. Read her full bio here.