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.
