Saving Seafood

NOAA eyes potential changes to Alaska sea lion protections as Trump urges boosted seafood harvests

July 6, 2026 — Federal regulators plan to reevaluate fishing closure boundaries established to protect endangered Steller sea lions in Alaska, part of a national Trump administration push to cut regulation of U.S. commercial seafood harvests.

The Steller sea lion protections are among a series of rules that the administration is seeking to relax or change to carry out a mandate from President Donald Trump to increase catches, reduce regulation and ensure that the nation is “the world’s dominant seafood leader.”

The recommended changes were released on Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries service and are in response to Trump’s 2025 executive order titled “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” They could affect oceans from New England and the Caribbean to the tropical Pacific and the Bering Sea.

Several months of public consultations resulted in a list of recommendations that “we believe will reduce burdens on domestic fishing, increase production, stabilize markets, improve access, and enhance economic profitability,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler said in a statement.

Read the full article at Alaska Public Media

NOAA unveils plan to cut seafood regulations under Trump directive

July 6, 2026 — NOAA announced a set of regional priorities on July 2 aimed at cutting regulatory burdens on domestic fishing fleets and boosting seafood production, part of the agency’s response to a presidential executive order.

The announcement follows an August 2025 request for public comment in which NOAA Fisheries sought input from stakeholders, including the eight regional fishery management councils, on ways to stabilize markets, improve access and prevent closures. The agency said it received more than 700 comments from individuals and organizations, along with detailed action plans submitted by each council.

“These regional priorities are a critical step in our efforts to fulfill the President’s vision of making the United States the world’s dominant seafood leader,” said NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs said in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with the councils to advance seafood competitiveness and support our American fishermen.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NOAA Fisheries Administrator Issues Statement on Reducing Burdens on Domestic Fishing and Increasing Production

July 2, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler today issued a statement outlining the agency’s priorities for reducing regulatory burdens on domestic fishermen and increasing U.S. seafood production. The statement was released in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness and followed input from 787 individuals and organizations, along with action plans submitted by regional fishery management councils. Piñeiro Soler said NOAA Fisheries is prioritizing actions intended to reduce burdens on domestic fishing, increase production, stabilize markets, improve access, and enhance the profitability of U.S. fishing businesses.

The statement includes highlights by region, with priority actions identified for New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the South Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Gulf of America, the Pacific, the North Pacific, the Western Pacific, and Highly Migratory Species. In New England, priorities include implementing rotational access for the Northern Edge scallop fishery, implementing scallop permit stacking, rescinding industry-funded monitoring requirements, deprioritizing ropeless-gear requirements, evaluating vessel baseline restrictions with the Mid-Atlantic Council, and considering reopening the Great South Channel habitat management area to surf clam operations.

In the Mid-Atlantic, NOAA Fisheries said it will evaluate vessel baseline restrictions with the New England Council, consider joint council management for squid, mackerel, and butterfish, and deprioritize ropeless-gear requirements. South Atlantic priorities include revising Snapper Grouper permit policies, supporting state agency-led exempted fishing permits for red snapper, and addressing shark and dolphin depredation. For the Caribbean, NOAA identified actions involving territorial management of spiny lobster and queen conch, accountability measures for pelagic stocks and spiny lobster, review of certain marine protected areas, and state-federal regulatory compatibility.

In the Gulf of America, the agency identified refinements to Individual Fishing Quota participation requirements and rulemaking to extend provisions of the DESCEND Act. Pacific priorities include reconsidering redundant shoreside catch monitors and revising Pacific sardine stock definitions. In the North Pacific, NOAA identified review of Steller sea lion closure boundaries, elimination of the 2 percent IFQ deduction for bled sablefish, and rulemaking related to small sablefish voluntary release and maximum retainable amount calculations. Western Pacific priorities include changes to longline turtle measures and swordfish retention limits. For Highly Migratory Species, NOAA said it will review weak hook requirements in the Gulf and retention rules for dead bluefin tuna under 73 inches, and reconsider upgrading restrictions for swordfish handgear limited access permits.

The full statement is reproduced below:

I have served in my role as assistant administrator of NOAA Fisheries for just over a year. In that time, I have prioritized meeting with members and leadership of each regional fishery management council and participating in as many council meetings as possible. I have done so because I truly believe in our democratic council process and have tremendous respect for the work they do and the expertise they bring to it. I learn something from each meeting I join and each constituent I speak with, but there is a common thread: Fishermen just want to fish, and they are asking for our support in overcoming the barriers preventing them from doing so.

The United States is a global leader in sustainable fisheries management. Our participatory, science-based system under 50 years of the Magnuson-Stevens Act has shown that we know how to rebuild stocks and keep them healthy. But despite this foundation, our seafood sector has faced growing pressure from global competition and evolving market demands. Americans want American seafood, but our landings have decreased since 2019. We need to put U.S. seafood first.

In fisheries, as in life, results are what matter. That is why I am eager to share the regulatory actions we have prioritized in response to the President’s Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. We received input from 787 individuals and organizations, as well as detailed action plans from each of the regional fishery management councils. I believe this volume of input underscores the urgency of our shared mission and I am grateful to everyone who contributed.

After considering all input from councils, fishing industry, and the public, we have prioritized actions—many of which align with Council identified priorities—we believe will reduce burdens on domestic fishing, increase production, stabilize markets, improve access, and enhance economic profitability. 


Highlights by Region


New England

  • Implement rotational access for the Northern Edge scallop fishery
  • Implement Scallop Permit Stacking
  • Rescind Industry Funded Monitoring requirements
  • Deprioritize advancing requirements for ropeless gear
  • Evaluate vessel baseline restrictions (in conjunction with the Mid-Atlantic Council)
  • Consider reopening the Great South Channel habitat management area to surfclam operations

Mid-Atlantic

  • Evaluate vessel baseline restrictions (in conjunction with the New England Council)
  • Consider joint council management for squid, mackerel, and butterfish
  • Deprioritize advancing requirements for ropeless gear

South Atlantic

  • Revise Snapper Grouper (SG1) permit policies (Amendment 60) 
  • Support state agency-led exempted fishing permits for red snapper
  • Address shark and dolphin depredation

Caribbean

  • Shift spiny lobster and queen conch to territorial management
  • Revise accountability measures for pelagic stocks and spiny lobster
  • Review effectiveness of marine protected areas (e.g., Tourmaline Bank, Abrir La Sierra)
  • State-federal regulatory compatibility review

Gulf of America

  • Refine Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) participation requirements (Amendments 59A/59B)
  • Prioritize rulemaking to extend provisions of the DESCEND Act

Pacific

  • Reconsider redundant shoreside catch monitors
  • Revise Pacific sardine stock definitions

North Pacific

  • Review Steller sea lion closure boundaries
  • Eliminate 2 percent IFQ deduction for bled sablefish 
  • Prioritize rulemaking for small sablefish voluntary release and maximum retainable amount calculations

Western Pacific

  • Remove shallow-set longline leatherback hard cap and strike two turtle trip limit
  • Remove swordfish retention limit in deep-set longline fishery
  • Remove American Samoa longline turtle mitigation measure 

Highly Migratory Species

  • Review weak hook requirements in the Gulf and retention of dead bluefin tuna less than 73 inches
  • Reconsider upgrading restrictions for swordfish handgear limited access permit

Identifying and implementing these actions are critical steps in our efforts to fulfill the President’s vision of making the United States the world’s dominant seafood leader. I am grateful for our partnership with the councils and for the thorough analysis provided by their members, advisors, and extensive stakeholder engagement. I urge them to further maximize our regulatory efficiency by systematically assessing current Fishery Management Plans, and considering the removal of species that no longer require conservation and management. As stated in the Seafood Executive Order, I strongly encourage the council to collaborate with NOAA Fisheries on the expanded and continued use of Exempted Fishing Permits as an agile management tool to test gear innovations, enhance value-added quality, explore additional fishing opportunities, and safely increase domestic production. In some instances, these priorities may implicate other statutory requirements. Where that applies, NOAA Fisheries will work with the councils to determine how best to advance an action.

Complementing these efforts, NOAA Fisheries is actively evaluating internal actions to support these reforms. As I have said at many of the council meetings I have attended, “I will be back, and I want to come back with good news.” These are the types of actions that will keep the industry moving, and that’s why I do this job: to make sure we do things better. I look forward to advancing these vital reforms together with our councils and all who want to propel our industry.

Eugenio Piñeiro Soler
Assistant Administrator, NOAA Fisheries

Marianas leaders react to Trump’s executive order to open protected waters for fishing

June 24, 2026 — For the elected leaders of the Marianas, President Donald Trump’s executive order “Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific” is slated to bring economic opportunity while maintaining the local ecosystem.

Issued earlier this month, the order reopens thousands of square miles of previously protected waters to limited commercial fishing, including areas around the northernmost Mariana Islands.

The Office of the Governor stated Monday that it believes the proclamation was likely based on efforts of the Western Pacific Fishery Council in support of American Samoa and Hawaii longliners.

Furthermore, Guam’s membership in the WPFC means that it was part of the conversations around the proclamation, Adelup said, and supportive of both conservation and economic development.

Read the full article at Pacific Daily News

CNMI leaders back Trump’s order to open protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing

June 18, 2026 —  Top Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) officials have welcomed US President Donald Trump’s executive order, which will open up nearly half a million square kilometers of protected Pacific waters for commercial fishing, despite warnings from conservation advocates the move could weaken protections for culturally and environmentally significant waters.

Trump’s ‘Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific’ executive order, signed on 11 June, applies to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument around Hawai’i, the Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument around American Samoa.

NMI Governor David Apatang, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality asdministrator Floyd Masga, and former Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council vice chair John Gourley have welcomed Trump’s proclamation, which will reopen parts of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.

Apatang said it restores access to designated fishing grounds while maintaining federal fisheries management and environmental safeguards.

“For generations, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands have relied on the ocean for sustenance, culture, and economic opportunity,” Apatang said.

“This proclamation acknowledges the importance of America’s Pacific territories and supports opportunities for responsible fisheries development while maintaining strong conservation standards.”

Read the full article at Samoa News

Executive Proclamation Restores Commercial Fishing in Pacific Marine Monuments, Unlocks Economic Opportunity

June 11, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

On June 11, 2026, President Trump signed an “Executive Proclamation Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific,” opening additional prized fishing grounds to hard-working American fishermen and United States flagged fishing vessels. This bold Executive action opens more economic opportunities for commercial fishermen and continues to strengthen the economic security of coastal communities. 

NOAA is proud to support the Administration’s pledge to restore U.S. seafood competitiveness through the America First Fishing Policy. The President’s Executive Proclamation comes as a direct result of feedback from the U.S. fishing industry, and his action will continue to increase economic opportunities for American fishermen. 

“President Trump is once again delivering for American fishermen by opening prized Pacific fishing grounds with this Executive Proclamation,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “By restoring commercial fishing in the remote Pacific, we are creating new economic opportunity for coastal communities and restoring U.S. seafood competitiveness.”

Previous prohibitions on commercial fishing in the Pacific Ocean forced American commercial fishermen further offshore into international waters to compete against poorly regulated foreign fishing fleets. Restoring access to these valuable fishing grounds within the U.S. exclusive economic zone will give diligent and honest American fishermen closer access to tuna and other pelagic species. 

“Restoring commercial fishing access to these vital areas reflects the continued commitment of this Administration to American fisheries, which are built on the foundation of rigorous science, robust monitoring, strong enforcement, and the daily commitment of our dedicated fishermen,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “This historic action will lead to more U.S.-caught fish on American tables.” 

This Proclamation recognizes the effectiveness and strength of U.S. fisheries management under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This year the Act commemorates 50 years of continued science-based fisheries management. American fishermen are responsible stewards of our ocean resources, working to ensure the long-term health of fish stocks and marine ecosystems and maintaining a nutritious, sustainable food source for Americans.

The expanded fishing grounds for American fishermen in the Pacific restored through this Executive Proclamation include: 

  • The Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument
  • The Mau Zone and Ho‘omalu Zone and areas seaward of 50 nautical miles within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
  • Waters between 12 and 50 nautical miles surrounding Rose Atoll within the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument 

The announcement comes amid a series of actions taken by the Trump Administration to support commercial fisheries in an ongoing effort to restore America’s seafood competitiveness. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and its partners will continue balancing the responsible management of the Pacific Islands marine national monuments ecosystems with the engagement of commercial fisheries, including coordination with the regional fishery management councils. 

Trump restores commercial fishing in protected areas of Pacific Ocean

June 11, 2026 — President Donald Trump took action June 11 to restore commercial fishing within three of America’s marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean, rolling back protections for areas that are considered pristine ocean ecosystems.

The White House said the move, reported first by USA TODAY ahead of Trump’s action, is aimed at boosting the U.S. fishing industry and lowering seafood prices for consumers.

At an Oval Office ceremony attended by fishermen, Trump signed a proclamation restoring federally managed commercial fishing access to portions of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (near Hawaii); the Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument (off the coast of Guam); and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument (in American Samoa).

In all, the proclamation expands commercial fishing to about half a million square miles in the Pacific.

Read the full article at USA TODAY

WestPac will convene its June meeting in American Samoa

May 29, 2026 — The 207th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Council) will convene in person June 9- 11, 2026, at the Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center, Fagatogo, AS. A remote participation option will be available by web conference (Webex).

Summary of Action Items at the 207th Council Meeting

1. ACL Specifications for MHI Kona Crab for 2027 to 2030 (Final Action)

The Council will consider specifying multi-year harvest limits for the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) Kona crab for fishing years 2027-2030. The best scientific information available is the 2019 benchmark stock assessment with catch projection to 2026.

Based on 2019 stock assessment, the maximum sustainable yield was estimated to be at 73,609 pounds and the overfishing limit at 33,989 pounds. In 2019, the Council’s P* (Risk of Overfishing) and SEEM (Social, Economic, Ecological and Management Uncertainty) Working Groups and the Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) evaluated the scientific, social, ecological, economic, and management uncertainties and recommended a risk level to the Council. The risk of overfishing informs the Council’s consideration of annual catch limit (ACL) specification, and the management uncertainty informs the Council’s consideration in setting the annual catch target (ACT).

Summary of Potential Action Items at the 207th Council Meeting

Read the full article at Samoa News

US prepares to auction leases for seabed mining blocks in federal waters

May 28, 2026 — The U.S. agency responsible for overseeing deep-sea mining in federal waters is preparing to auction off seabed blocks within months — a step that could kick-start commercial-scale deep-sea mining and make the U.S. one of the first countries to allow it.

Deep-sea mining has not yet begun anywhere in the world. Opponents say it could cause widespread and irreversible damage to the marine environment if it begins, while supporters say it could provide an important source of critical minerals.

In a budgetary document released in April 2026, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) indicated it intends to hold at least three offshore lease sales during the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. The lease sales will take place through competitive auctions, providing a pathway for winning companies to gain exclusive rights to explore and exploit minerals in designated tracts of seabed.

The first sale is slated for the federal waters of American Samoa in August 2026; a second in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in November 2026; and a third in Alaska in 2027. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the U.S. agency currently responsible for the development of offshore energy and mineral resources on the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS), confirmed this timeline.

Read the full article at Mongabay

Fishing Prohibitions Unfair: Council Pushes for Analysis of Fishing in Marine Monuments

December 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council today took another step toward restoring sustainable commercial fishing in waters within several Pacific marine national monuments, considered pristine when they were established. The Council directed its staff to continue analyzing existing regulations in the Pacific Islands Heritage, Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments (MNMs), with a final recommendation planned for consideration at its March 2026 meeting.

 Recent presidential directives have instructed federal agencies to identify ways to reduce regulatory burdens and expand opportunities for commercial fishing in monument waters. In response, the Council is preparing a range of options aimed at returning commercial fishing to these areas under sustainable management.

 “Prior to the establishment of the monument in 2009, we stewarded our own waters. With the monument, only the feds are in charge and no one else has a say,” said Council member Nathan Ilaoa, director of American Samoa’s Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources. “This initiative before the Council provides an opportunity to talk about how the people want to manage their resources rather, than being told what to do by the feds,” he said. The Council also supported a recommendation to ask the president not to use the Antiquities Act to manage fisheries in federal waters.

 Ilaoa said monument fishing prohibitions undermine the people’s ability to fish and provide food for the community. “Pacific Island people are unfairly required to bear the burden of the country’s environmental guilt, and the monuments represent a large inequality in how our peoples are treated,” he said.

 Council members wrestled with potential enhanced management measures and stressed the need for additional data. Council Chair Will Sword said, “If you don’t go fishing, you can’t get the data.” Council member Gene Weaver added, “The Council’s existing regulations provide more than adequate protection, and we can learn from the fishing that occurs to determine if anything more is needed.” Members emphasized that if commercial fishing is restored, it must be done the right way: under existing federal fishery management authority, with strong monitoring and clear performance measures.

 An important part of the Council’s fishery management decision-making process is the opportunity for community members to provide their input on issues discussed. During the public comment period, commenters were split: several supported reopening monument waters, especially the Marianas Trench, if done cautiously under enhanced regulations (gear and catch limits, protected-species measures, strong monitoring) and paired with baseline studies and adaptive management to support local livelihoods and food security. Others urged no action and keeping existing protections, particularly for Rose Atoll and Papahānaumokuākea, citing the areas’ sacred cultural importance, concerns about inadequate consultation and legal authority, and potential ecological harm.

The Council acknowledged letters to NOAA from the governors of American Samoa and the CNMI supporting fishing. However, one member expressed disappointment with the governor of Hawaiʻi’s letter to NOAA to keep fishing prohibitions in the Papahānaumokuākea and Pacific Islands Heritage MNMs. He argued that locally based, well-managed fisheries are integral to Hawaiʻi’s food security and economic fabric, and noted that the state’s longline fisheries represent its largest agricultural product. He urged greater consideration of Hawaiʻi’s fishermen in any decisions affecting these waters. 

By the numbers:

  • Wild-caught pelagic fisheries in the Western Pacific generated around $108 million in revenue in 2024, including about $105 million from the Hawaiʻi longline fishery (2024 Council Stock Assessment and Fisheries Evaluation report). 
  • Hawaiʻi’s seafood consumption is among the highest in the United States, estimated at more than twice the national average. Once local catch is transformed into value-added products like poke, its economic contribution grows even further.
  • For context across primary production in Hawaiʻi, USDA reports 2024 values of ~$53 million for coffee and ~$42 million for macadamia nuts. 

The Council also recommended the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) provide funding to the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center to implement cooperative research that partners with commercial fishers to collect baseline information in monument waters.

The Council also endorsed Scientific and Statistical Committee research priorities, including:

  • Collecting catch/bycatch data suitable for model-based evaluation of policy impacts 
  • Assessing foreign fishing impacts versus domestic fishing near U.S. waters
  • Tagging/telemetry and other low-impact research to evaluate species movement
  • Assessing monument-related fishery impacts on markets
  • Co-designing research with fishing and indigenous communities, as appropriate

Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds said research funding is needed to keep fisheries sustainable and protected. “While it is NMFS’s job to do research, funds are not available because the administration has to deal with other pressing issues,” said Simonds. “Organizations that helped the government establish the monuments have an obligation to help make this happen.”

What’s next

Council staff will complete the requested analyses and draft Fishery Ecosystem Plan amendment alternatives for review ahead of the March meeting, where the Council is expected to take further action on restoring access and finalizing a durable management path forward.

NMFS is expected to share Executive Order 14276 public comments with the Council by early January 2026, followed by January discussions with NMFS on comment summaries and prioritizing next steps, consistent with NOAA guidance from Eugenio Piñeiro Soler.

2026–2029 CNMI Bottomfish Catch Limits

The Council recommended setting the annual catch limit (ACL) for the CNMI bottomfish fishery at 72,000 pounds and the annual catch target (ACT) at 66,000 pounds for 2026–2029. These specifications are based on the results of the NMFS 2025 stock assessment update, along with application of the Council’s P* and SEEM analyses to account for scientific and management uncertainty. The ACT was set below the ACL to provide a management buffer that helps prevent the fishery from exceeding the ACL, ensuring catches remain within sustainable limits.

How to Join the Council Meeting

The Council meeting continues virtually tomorrow, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hawai‘i time with an Endangered Species Act review for the Hawai‘i deep-set longline fishery, vessel electronic monitoring and more. The agenda includes scheduled public comment periods.  

 Online: https://tinyurl.com/205CouncilMtg, Event password: CM205mtg

 Get the full agenda & documents: www.wpcouncil.org/event/205th-council-meeting-virtual-2