Saving Seafood

MAINE: Vinalhaven lobsterman petitions Supreme Court over GPS tracking mandate

March 20, 2026 — A Maine lobsterman is continuing his fight against a GPS tracking mandate, hoping to bring the case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Frank Thompson, a fifth-generation lobsterman from Vinalhaven, and the Florida-based Pacific Legal Foundation jointly petitioned the Supreme Court this month to hear an appeal in his federal district court case.

Since late 2023, federally permitted lobster boats on the East Coast have been required to have a global positioning system (GPS) transmitter aboard at all times. The federal Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission enacted the mandate to collect data about fisheries stock and aid in conservation efforts, including for endangered whales.

The Maine Department of Marine Resources later adopted the mandate, which also collects data for “emerging ocean uses, and enforcement.”

Read the full article at Bangor Daily News

ASMFC 2026 Spring Meeting Details, Preliminary Agenda, and Public Comment Guidelines

March 16, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will hold its Spring Meeting May 4 – 6, 2026 at The Westin Crystal City. This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and remote) to allow for participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders; the details of which will be provided two weeks prior to the meeting. A brief, preliminary agenda and public comment guidelines as well as travel authorization are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/2026-spring-meeting/.  Materials will be posted to the 2026 Spring Meeting page on April 22.

 

The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein.  At these meetings, action may be taken on any agenda item, including, but not limited to, reports from staff, technical committees, stock assessment committees, peer reviews, Law Enforcement Committee, advisory panels, plan review teams, and plan development teams.

 

A block of rooms is being held at The Westin Crystal City, 1800 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA  22202. Pleaseclick here to complete the Attendance and Accommodations Form. This form ensures we have accurate information on meeting attendance. Lisa Carty will make Commissioner/Proxy reservations.  Please notify her of any changes to your travel plans that may impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.

 

For all other attendees, please reserve your room online via our group link at Book your group rate for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Spring Meeting or call Marriott directly at 888.236.2427 as soon as possible and mention the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to obtain the group room rate of $276 plus tax single/dbl. Please be aware you must guarantee your room reservation with a major credit card or one night’s advance payment. Hotel reservations must be made by Monday, April 6. Room availability will not be guaranteed beyond this date.  If you are being reimbursed by ASMFC for your travel, please make your reservation directly with the hotel. Reservations made through travel websites do not apply toward our minimum number of required reservations with the hotel. Please note, cancellations at The Westin must be made by 4 PM two days before arrival to avoid penalty and an early departure fee of $276 + tax will apply when checking out before the confirmed date. If you have any problems regarding accommodations, please contact Lisa Carty at 703.842.0713 or lcarty@asmfc.org.

 

We look forward to seeing you at the Spring Meeting.

 

ASMFC 2026 Winter Meeting

May 4 – 6

Westin Crystal City

1800 Richmond Highway

Arlington, VA  22202

 

Preliminary Agenda

 

The agenda is subject to change. The agenda reflects the current estimate of time required for scheduled Board meetings. The Commission may adjust this agenda in accordance with the actual duration of Board meetings. Interested parties should anticipate Boards starting earlier or later than indicated herein. At these meetings, action may be taken on any agenda item, including, but not limited to, reports from staff, technical committees, stock assessment committees, peer reviews, Law Enforcement Committee, advisory panels, plan review teams, and plan development teams.

 

Monday, May 4

9 – 10:30 a.m.                                   Tautog Management Board

  • Review Technical Committee Report on Board Tasks
    • Harvest Projections to Reach Fishing Mortality Target
    • Risk & Uncertainty Decision Tool
    • Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Fishery-independent Data
  • Consider Guidance to Plan Development Team for Draft Addendum I

 

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.              American Lobster Management Board

  • Consider American Lobster Technical Committee Report on Board Tasks
    • Projections of Benefits of Gauge Increase from Addendum XXVII 
  • Consider Nominations to Management Strategy Evaluation Steering Committee
  • Reports from Gulf of Maine States on Industry Surveys and Meetings
  • Update on NOAAs Request for Information for Alternative Gear Marking Framework
  • Consider Outstanding Management Changes

 

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.                           Lunch Break

 

1:15 – 3:30 p.m.                              Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board

  • Board Guidance on Reference Points and Spatial Management
  • Board Discussion on Work Group Composition and Details/Timelines for Work Group Tasks

 

3:45 – 5:15 p.m.                              Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Coordinating Council

  • Consider Funding Decision Document and FY2027 Request for Proposals
  • Update on Program and Committee Activities

 

Tuesday, May 5

8:30 – 11:30 a.m.                           Atlantic Menhaden Management Board

  • Consider Approval of Draft Addendum II for Public Comment
  • Review Technical Committee Report on Board Task
    • Impacts of Changing Environmental Conditions
  • Review Report from Committee on Economics and Social Sciences on Board Task
    • Economic Impacts from Changes in Total Allowable Catch

 

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.                       Luncheon for Legislative and Governor Appointee Commissioners

 

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.                       Lunch Break for Commissioners & Proxies

 

1 – 5 p.m.                                            Joint Session of the ASMFC & GSMFC Law Enforcement Committees

  • Welcome and Introduction of Joint Session
  • Overview of Commissions’ and Their Respective Law Enforcement Committees’ (LEC) Responsibilities
  • Overview of the Joint Enforcement Agreement Program
  • Trending Enforcement Topics for the LEC
  • Regional Case Studies
  • NOAA Field Forensic Program
  • ASMFC Guidelines for Resource Managers
  • Closed Session
  • State Agency Highlights 
  • Reconvene on May 6th

 

1 – 2:30 p.m.                                     Horseshoe Crab Management Board

  • Consider Report on Stakeholder Engagement Process on Adaptive Resource Management Framework Reward/Utility/Harvest Policy Functions 
    • Consider Initiating an Addendum on Proposed Changes

 

2:45 – 4:15 p.m.                              Coastal Sharks Management Board

  • Updates on Federal Rulemaking 
  • Updates on Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species Permitting for Smoothhound Dogfish
  • Consider Fishery Management Plan Review for the 2024 Fishing Year

 

5 – 6:30 p.m.                                     Annual Awards of Excellence Reception

 

Wednesday, May 6

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.                                Joint Session of the ASMFC & GSMFC Law Enforcement Committees (continued)

 

8 – 9 a.m.                                            Executive Committee

  • Consider FY2027 Budget
  • Legislative Update
  • CARES Update 
  • Future Annual Meetings Update

 

9:15 – 11:30 a.m.                           Sciaenids Management Board

  • Consider Georgia and South Carolina Red Drum Management Proposals to Implement Addendum II
  • Consider North Carolina Spot Conservation Equivalency Proposal
  • Progress Update on 2026 Atlantic Croaker Benchmark Assessment

 

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.              Lunch Break

 

12:30 – 1:15 p.m.                           American Eel Management Board

  • Consider Technical Committee Report on Florida Young-of-Year Survey
  • Review Preliminary 2025 Yellow Eel Landings

 

1:30 – 4:30 p.m.                              Interstate Fisheries Management Program Policy Board

  • Update from the Declared Interests and Voting Privileges Work Group
  • Reports from the Habitat and Law Enforcement Committees
  • Review Noncompliance Findings, if necessary

 

4:30 – 5 p.m.                                     Commission Business Session

  • Consider Noncompliance Recommendations, if necessary

 

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 (April 13) will be included in the briefing materials.

2.      Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, April 28 will be included in supplemental materials.

3.      Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, May 1 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.

Supplemental Materials for March 5, 2026 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Meeting Now Available

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

Supplemental materials (one public comment) for the March 5, 2026 of the Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/summer-flounder-scup-and-black-sea-bass-management-board-2/.

 
The meeting will be held via webinar from 1 – 2:30 PM. The Board will review and consider final approval of proposed black sea bass recreational measures for the 2026-2027 fishing years.
 
Webinar Information
The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur.  To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2051392282646884951 (Webinar ID: 772-899-307). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you may also call in at 415.655.0052, access code 974-897-966. 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.
 
The webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the 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
Boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of the meeting. The Board Chair 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.
 
Public Comment Guidelines
With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in 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 opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. The Board Chair 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, the Board Chair will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. The Board Chair has the flexibility to decide how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment 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, the Board Chair has 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 comment 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 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24 will be included in main meeting materials.
2.   Comments received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 will be included in supplemental materials
 
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.
 
For more information, please contact Tracey Bauer, FMP Coordinator, at tbauer@asmfc.org.

ASMFC Releases 2025 Annual Report

March 3, 2023 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is pleased to present you with our 2025 Annual Report, https://asmfc.org/resources/annual-report/2025-annual-report/. In the report, you will find a quick guide to stock status for the 27 species and species groups the Commission manages; a fisheries management section, which focuses on species which had the most significant management or stock assessment activities in 2025; and sections highlighting our major accomplishments in 2025 in the areas of fisheries science, habitat conservation, and fishery data collection and management. Please visit the Commission’s website at https://asmfc.org for additional information on any of our programs or activities. 

 The report reflects our Commissioners’ commitment to accountability and transparency in all they do to sustainably manage the stocks under their care. 

BEN LANDRY: Call to shut down menhaden fishery is unwarranted

March 2, 2026 – The following is an opinion piece by Ben Landry, vice president of public affairs for Ocean Fleet Services, the parent company of Ocean Harvesters, originally published in the Baltimore Sun:

On Feb. 16, The Baltimore Sun published an editorial urging a moratorium on menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay (Virginia and Maryland have a small fish problem). Unfortunately, the piece contains errors and misleading claims that strongly suggest it was not independently researched, but instead repackaged long-running advocacy talking points from groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.

Before endorsing what would amount to a shutdown of a historic fishery — and the hundreds of working waterfront jobs it supports — the editorial board owes readers something more than recycled press- release advocacy. Did the board reach out to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission scientists or Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologists? Did it review the current stock status findings that explicitly state Atlantic menhaden are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring? Did it consider that the fishery is certified as sustainable under the Marine Stewardship Council program?

Several claims in the editorial need correction.

First, the editorial asserts a “reduction in the menhaden population” and suggests there is “too much evidence of overfishing.” That is demonstrably false. Marylandʼs own DNR juvenile striped bass survey reported last year that Atlantic menhaden were “widespread” in the Chesapeake Bay for the third consecutive year, with recent survey results among the strongest in decades.

ASMFCʼs benchmark findings are clear: Menhaden are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring. And the fishery is MSC-certified for sustainability. Even last summerʼs menhaden die-offs — events The Sun itself has covered — underscore that there are significant menhaden concentrations in Maryland waters.

Second, the editorial claims that “more dead osprey chicks” are “starving from the reduction in the menhaden population,” and the photo caption amplifies an even stronger assertion: that Virginia “allows the killing of millions of this oily fish causing widespread osprey chick starvation” in tidal bay areas. That allegation is not based on science. Researchers have repeatedly cautioned against treating menhaden as a singular explanation for osprey outcomes. A 2024 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) presentation to the ASMFC and in a letter to Congress described osprey challenges as complex and multi-factor, noting a large long-term increase in the bayʼs osprey population before recent leveling. USGS has also made clear that osprey reproduction challenges are occurring in many places around the country — not uniquely tied to any one prey species, let alone one fishery.

Third, the editorial says striped bass “are in collapse” because the Chesapeake is a primary nursery. Striped bass are indeed struggling, and Maryland DNRʼs Young-of-Year Striped Bass Survey has documented below-average spawning success for the seventh consecutive year. But the editorial fails to acknowledge what ASMFC has documented about why striped bass are declining: The primary drivers are recreational overfishing (for much of the past decade), environmental conditions and disease — not menhaden harvest levels. The editorial also ignores that, until very recently, ASMFC found the recreational fishery overharvested striped bass for years; only recently has overfishing ended, while the stock remains overfished.

Fourth, the editorial proposes a moratorium “while a federally funded study takes place.” More science is always welcome, but “pause everything until science is finalized” is not how fisheries are managed under the Magnuson-Stevens framework or the interstate system that governs menhaden. Menhaden management already occurs through a formal, transparent ASMFC process. And there is already bay-focused scientific work underway: The National Science Foundation-affiliated Science Center for Marine Fisheries has funded a Chesapeake Bay menhaden research roadmap led by scientists from UMCES, VIMS and NOAA to inform any bay-specific cap with defensible science. A shutdown now — despite a healthy coastwide stock and clear findings that the stock is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring — would be an unnecessary and economically reckless “solution” looking for a problem.

Fifth, the editorial suggests the fishery can simply shift harvest elsewhere — “in Atlantic Ocean coastal waters … and in the Gulf of Mexico” — as if the bay closure would be painless. Weather conditions and migrations require access to the fish where they are and when they can be caught. That argument betrays a lack of understanding of fishing reality and is callous because it ignores the concentrated workforce and supply chain centered on Reedville, Virginia, and the Northern Neck — jobs with real wages, real benefits and real union protections that are not replaceable in those communities. A forced closure would hit working families first.

Finally, the editorial repeatedly misidentifies the company that harvests fish — another sign that basic research was not done. Omega Protein has not harvested for eight years. Since 2018, it has been a processor that manufactures products such as fish meal and fish oil from menhaden obtained from two sources. Most of the menhaden purchased by Omega Protein is caught by Ocean Harvesters, a majority-U.S.-owned fishing company employing U.S. captains and union fishermen — members of UFCW Local 400 — many from multi-generational fishing families, including minority fishermen. In addition, Omega Protein purchases from menhaden bait fishermen when market conditions are such that supply outstrips demand. If The Sun is going to editorialize about shutting down a fishery and disrupting a regional blue-collar economy, it should at least get the names and roles of the companies involved correct.

The Chesapeake Bay deserves thoughtful, science- based management — not policy-by-editorial fueled by activist narratives. The Sun should correct the record, engage directly with ASMFC and Maryland DNR scientists and treat working waterfront communities with the seriousness and respect they deserve.

Materials and Webinar Details for March 5, 2026 Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board Meeting Now Available

February 27, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The meeting materials and webinar details for the March 5, 2026 of the Commission’s Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Management Board are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/summer-flounder-scup-and-black-sea-bass-management-board-2/. The meeting will be held via webinar from 1 – 2:30 PM. The Board will review and consider final approval of proposed black sea bass recreational measures for the 2026-2027 fishing years.

 Webinar Information

The webinar will allow registrants to listen to board deliberations and view presentations and motions as they occur.  To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2051392282646884951 (Webinar ID:772-899-307). If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you may also call in at 415.655.0052, access code 974-897-966. 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.

 The webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the 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

Boards will continue to provide opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of the meeting. The Board Chair 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. 

Public Comment Guidelines

With the intent of developing policies in the Commission’s procedures for public participation that result in 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 opportunity to the public to bring matters of concern to the board’s attention at the start of each board meeting. The Board Chair 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, the Board Chair will provide limited opportunity for comment, taking into account the time allotted on the agenda for the topic. The Board Chair has the flexibility to decide how to allocate comment opportunities; this could include hearing one comment in favor and one in opposition until the chair is satisfied further comment 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, the Board Chair has 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 comment 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 by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24 will be included in main meeting materials.

2.   Comments received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 will be included in supplemental materials

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.

 For more information, please contact Tracey Bauer, FMP Coordinator, at tbauer@asmfc.org.

VIRGINIA: Virginia will remain in ASMFC as bill to withdraw was continued to 2027

February 26, 2026 — Virginia State Senate Bill (SB) 414, calling for the state to “renounce and withdraw” from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Compact, has stalled in the Va. Department of Finance and Appropriations Committee.

The committee voted 15-0 on Feb. 11 to “continue (the bill) to the 2027” legislature. The vote came on the heels of a revealing costly fiscal impact study by the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget.

By leaving ASMFC, the study showed Va. would lose $842,866 in federal grant funds in the FY 2028 budget and that over four years the added cost for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) would total $1,445,748.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

ASMFC Habitat Hotline Atlantic 2025 Issue Now Available

February 25, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commissions’ (ASMFC) Habitat Committee is pleased to present the 2025 Issue of Habitat Hotline Atlantic, which is now available at https://heyzine.com/flip-book/99ee5642fb.html. You will notice that this issue is in a new digitally-interactive flipbook format, though it can also be found in PDF format athttps://asmfc.org/news/newsletters/habitat-hotline-atlantic/2025-annual-issue/. We welcome your feedback on the flipbook format!
 
The focal point of this issue is habitat restoration updates from the East Coast states. From Maine to Florida, state agencies and partners have shared their restoration successes, and ongoing conservation efforts. The 2025 issue also details Atlantic Coastal Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) updates, including: updates on restoration projects, science tools, and collaborations advancing fish habitat conservation across the region. Additionally, the issue highlights the comings and goings of ACFHP Steering Committee members over the past year.
 
Past issues of Habitat Hotline Atlantic can be found at https://asmfc.org/search/-/-/Habitat-Hotline

ASMFC Releases New Habitat Management Series Report on Atlantic States Shell Recycling

February 23, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has released the latest installment in its Habitat Management Series, Atlantic States Shell Recycling. The report highlights the growing role of shell recycling programs in supporting oyster reef restoration, coastal resilience, and sustainable fisheries management along the US Atlantic coast.

 
Oyster reefs are among the most valuable habitats in coastal ecosystems, improving water quality, stabilizing shorelines, and providing critical habitat for commercially and recreationally important species. However, the availability of suitable shell for restoration has become a limiting factor in many regions. Shell recycling programs address this need by collecting used shell from restaurants and community partners, curing it to meet public health and biosecurity standards, and returning it to the water to create or enhance oyster reefs and living shorelines.
 
The report outlines common program models, curing standards, equipment and logistics considerations, permitting frameworks, and performance metrics. Developed in collaboration with state and regional partners, the report provides practical guidance for states seeking to expand or establish shell recycling initiatives. It highlights how collaboration among state agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry partners, and volunteers has strengthened restoration capacity and community engagement.
 
“This report showcases how shell recycling programs transform a waste product into a critical restoration resource,” said Russ Babb, New Jersey Bureau of Marine Habitat & Shellfisheries. “By sharing lessons learned and common standards, we aim to support states in building efficient, scalable programs that advance oyster reef restoration and habitat resilience across the coast.”
 
The Atlantic States Shell Recycling report is available for download at https://asmfc.org/resources/habitat-special-report/atlantic-states-shell-recycling-february-2026/ or via the Commission’s website athttps://asmfc.org/programs/habitat/. For more information, please contact Simen Kaalstad, Habitat Program Coordinator, at skaalstad@asmfc.org or 703.842.0743.