Saving Seafood

2025 Atlantic Herring Area 1A Fishery Season 2 Days Out Measures

November 19, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Herring Management Board members from Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts met November 19 via webinar to set effort control measures for the 2025 Area 1A fishery for Season 2 (October 1 – December 31) following an increase in available quota for Area 1A. The 2025 Area 1A sub-annual catch limit (sub-ACL) is now 1,783 metric tons (mt) due to the reallocation of 1,000 mt to the Area 1A sub-ACL based on catch information from the Canadian New Brunswick weir fishery.

After accounting for the fixed gear set-aside, 2025 landings so far from Area 1A, and the 8% buffer (Area 1A closes at 92% of the sub-ACL), there are an estimated 632 metric tons available for harvest.

Currently, the Area 1A fishery is at zero landing days. The days out measures moving forward for Season 2 are as follows:

  • Landing days will continue to be set at zero (0) through Sunday, November 23.
  • The fishery will move to two (2) consecutive landing days starting at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, November 24 until 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL has been caught. Landing days will be Mondays from 12:01 a.m. through Tuesdays at 11:59 p.m., weekly.

While landing days are set at zero (0), harvesters are prohibited from landing more than 2,000 pounds of Atlantic herring per trip from Area 1A. Fishing for and possession of Atlantic herring may begin prior to landing days during Season 2.

For more information, please contact Emilie Franke, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atefranke@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Days Out Meeting Motions (November 19, 2025)

Move to set the following schedule for Area 1A Season 2:

  • Set zero landing days through Sunday, November 23.
  • Starting 12:01AM on Monday, November 24, move to two consecutive landing days per week until 92% of the Area 1A sub-ACL has been caught. Landing days would be Monday-Tuesday. 

Motion made by Ms. Ware and seconded by Mr. Abbott. Motion passes by unanimous consent.

The press release is also available at https://asmfc.org/news/press-releases/atlantic-herring-area-1a-fishery-season-2-days-out-measures-november-2025/

Atlantic Menhaden FAQ and Stock Assessment Overview

November 17, 2025, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

There’s been a lot of stakeholder discussion on the outcome of the October 28, 2025 meeting of the Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board. Some of the information being shared reflects a misunderstanding of the findings of the single-species assessment update and Ecological Reference Point Benchmark Stock Assessment, as well as the Board’s response to the assessments’ findings.

The Commission developed an FAQ and an Overview of the Atlantic Menhaden Stock Assessment Update and ERP Benchmark Stock Assessment to help explain how the Commission coordinates Atlantic menhaden management and the science behind recent Management Board decisions. We hope you find these helpful.

ASMFC Schedules Educational Webinars for Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Management Stakeholder Process

November 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Horseshoe Crab Management Board is convening a stakeholder engagement process to inform revisions to the Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) Framework, including a series of three educational webinars and an in-person stakeholder workshop. The process will be facilitated by Compass Resource Management with the goal of identifying stakeholder values and perspectives in order to develop clear, actionable recommendations for revising core functions of the ARM Framework that reflect stakeholder priorities.

 The ARM Framework is a model used by the Commission to set annual harvest levels for horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay region. The Framework is designed to balance the needs of the horseshoe crab fishery with the ecological needs of migratory shorebirds, particularly the rufa red knot, which depends on horseshoe crab eggs as a food source. Within the ARM Framework, three mathematical functions—the Utility, Reward, and Harvest Policy (U/R/H) functions—serve to align the model with the values and interests of stakeholders.  

Three educational sessions will be held via webinar to build a shared understanding of the ARM Framework and the role of the U/R/H functions. These will be followed by a two-day values workshop, where participants will develop quantitative values representing the stakeholder groups’ interests for integration into the model and consensus recommendations for model updates. Fourteen individuals were selected to participate in this process and represent a broad range of stakeholder perspectives in this process, including commercial harvesters and dealers; biomedical industry representatives; and horseshoe crab, shorebird, and ecosystem conservationists. Other interested parties are welcome to attend the events as observers. Webinar details are as follows:

 Educational Webinars: Session 1

Wednesday, December 10, 3 – 5 p.m.

Educational Webinars: Session 2

Monday, January 5, 1 – 3 p.m. OR Thursday, January 8, 3– 5 p.m.

 Register for all sessions at this link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7735336331916384086

The material to be covered in these webinars is divided into two sessions. Session 1 will provide an overview of the purpose and scope of the stakeholder process, expectations for the workshop, and a high-level overview of horseshoe crab management using the ARM Framework. Session 2 will cover the role and mechanics of theU/R/H functions in more detail to develop a foundation for workshop discussions. All sessions will include opportunities for Q&A. Please note that the two January sessions will cover the same material but discussion topics will likely differ.

The in-person stakeholder workshop is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, January 29-30. The location is still being finalized but will likely be held in coastal Delaware or Maryland. A press release will be published with workshop details once they are set. 

 Webinar Instructions

To register for the virtual educational sessions please click HERE and select the webinar(s) you plan to attend from the dropdown menu. Please be sure to register for Session 1 and one of the Session 2 webinars. The sessions will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you are new to GoToWebinar, you can download the software by (clicking here) or via the App store under GoToWebinar. We recommend you register for the sessions well in advance since GoToWebinar will provide you with a link to test your device’s compatibility with the webinar. If you find your device is not compatible, please contact the Commission at info@asmfc.org (subject line: GoToWebinar help) and we will try to get you connected. We also strongly encourage participants to use the computer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) so you can ask questions during the sessions. If you are joining the webinar but will not be using VoIP, you can also call in at 914.614.3221, access code 321-974-593. An audio PIN will be provided to you after joining the webinar.

Please note that in order to ask questions or comment during the virtual session you will need to use your computer or download the GoToWebinar app for your smart phone. Those joining by phone (audio only) will be limited to listening to the presentation and will not be able to provide input. To attend the webinar in listen only mode, dial 914.614.3221 and enter access code 321-974-593.

For those who cannot attend the webinars, they will be recorded and posted on the Commission’s YouTube page. For more information on the Commission and horseshoe crab management, please contact Caitlin Starks, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at cstarks@asmfc.org or visit https://asmfc.org.

ASMFC Northern Shrimp Section and Advisory Panel to Meet December 11 Section to Set Fishery Specifications

November 14, 2025 — The following was released by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Commission’s Northern Shrimp Section (Section) and Advisory Panel (AP) will meet on Thursday, December 11, at the Westin Portland Harborview, 157 High Street, Portland, Maine; 207.775.5411. The AP will meet from 9 – 10 AM to review the 2025 traffic light analysis, 2025 management trigger analysis implemented through Amendment 4, and Technical Committee (TC) recommendations. Following this review, the AP will formulate recommendations for specifications.

The Section will meet from 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM on the same day to review the 2025 traffic light analysis, 2025 management trigger analysis, 2025 pilot winter sampling program report, and TC and AP recommendations prior to setting specifications for the 2026 fishing year or multiple fishing years. Amendment 4, approved earlier this year, allows the Section to set a fishery moratorium for up to five years at a time, if desired.

Meeting materials will be available December 1, 2025, at https://asmfc.org/events/northern-shrimp-section-7/. There are two opportunities to provide public comment prior to the meeting (1) emailcomments@asmfc.org by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25 to be included in the meeting materials or (2) email comments@asmfc.org by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 9 to be emailed directly to the Section.

For more information, please contact Chelsea Tuohy, Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, atctuohy@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740.

Lobster stock assessment shows decline, lobstermen say different factors at play

November 12, 2025 — The American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report, which assesses the stability of the lobster stock and informs how to manage it, was released Oct. 30, finding that the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks have declined 34% since peak levels in 2018. The report found that the stock is not depleted but attributed the decrease to overfishing, a finding that some local lobstermen have differing perspectives on.

In contrast, the report, which is commissioned by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, found that in waters farther south, the Southern New England stock has been significantly depleted but not overfished, “with record low abundances for all life stages in recent years.”

For the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank stocks, “the average abundance from 2021-2023 was 202 million lobsters, which remains above the abundance limit reference point but below the fishery/industry target, indicating the stock’s ability to replenish itself is not jeopardized, but economic conditions for the lobster fishery may be degrading,” reads an Oct. 30 press release from ASMFC. “The average exploitation from 2021-2023 was just above the exploitation threshold, indicating overfishing is occurring.”

For context, 82% of lobster landings in the U.S. come from the Gulf of Maine fishery, where small vessels making day trips in nearshore waters make up the bulk of those catches. At just 5% of U.S. landings are larger vessels making multi-day trips offshore with the Georges Bank fishery.

Read the full article at The Ellsworth American

Lobstermen push back on ASMFC overfishing claim

November 10, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) announced last week that while the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (GOM/ GBK) lobster stock remains above its abundance threshold, overfishing is occurring, a finding that has sparked concern and disagreement from industry groups who say the assessment overstates fishing’s role in the stock’s recent decline.

The 2025 American Lobster Benchmark Stock Assessment was released on Oct. 20 and stated that the GOM and GBK stock has declined by 34 percent since its peak in 2018, though it is “not depleted” and continues to support a robust fishery. In contrast, the Southern New England stock remains “significantly depleted” but is not experiencing overfishing, with abundance at record lows across all life stages.

“The Benchmark Stock Assessment is a considerable advancement in our understanding U.S. American lobster resource. It was fully endorsed by an external panel of fishery scientists as the best scientific information available to manage the lobster resource,” stated Board Chair Renee Zobel from New Hampshire. “On behalf of the American Lobster Board, I commend the members of the Technical Committee and Stock Assessment Subcommittee for their outstanding work on the 2025 Benchmark Stock Assessment Report. This assessment reflects the commitment of the Committee and Peer Review Panel to providing the Board with the highest-caliber science to inform management decisions and improve our understanding of the complex and changing relationship between the environment and lobster resource.”

Read the full article at National Fisherman

Striped bass status quo remains as harvest reduction voted down

November 4, 2025 — The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted Oct. 29 to maintain the current striped bass management rules for 2026.

The board voted against a proposed 12% coast-wide cut in commercial and recreational harvest, which opponents said would have significant economic ramifications for the Chesapeake Bay area.

Without that reduction, organizations like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation are concerned the striped bass population will not rebuild by 2029, the target set after the species was declared overfished in 2019.

“It’s a requirement of the ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission) to rebuild that population to its target in 10 years… That is what the board itself has set forward as its own guidelines and targets,” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Executive Director Allison Colden said.

Though board members voted against the reduction at the Oct. 29 meeting, the fisheries commission granted Maryland the option to review and adjust its recreational fishing seasons through the Department of Natural Resources.

Read the full article at Southern Maryland News

New England lobster populations fall amid overfishing

November 4, 2025 — Overfishing of American lobster is occurring in New England’s most productive fishing areas off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, contributing to a 34 percent population drop since the last assessment in 2020, regulators found in a new report.

The findings, released Thursday by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, will not result in an immediate change of lobster management, officials said. But they point to a broader concern around the viability of New England lobster, which are declining at an ever-faster rate across their traditional cold-water habitat.

Maine, which produces 93 percent of the nation’s lobster, saw a record-low harvest of 86 million pounds in 2024, according to state data, down 35 percent from 2016 when fishermen hauled in a record 132 million pounds of lobster. Massachusetts has seen comparable drops, while lobster harvests in southern New England have seen the steepest declines.

Read the full article at E&E News

New assessment shows Gulf of Maine lobster stock is declining and overfishing is occurring

November 3, 2025 — For the first time, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has issued an assessment that finds that overfishing is occurring in the lobster stock in Northern New England waters. And regulators are recommending a re-evaluation of management strategies for the lucrative resource.

Most of the lobsters Americans eat are caught in the Gulf of Maine, and Maine’s lobster fishery is one of the most valuable seafood industries in the country. But there are more signals that the fishery is changing, fast.

Tracy Pugh, a fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the chair of the Commission’s technical committee, presented the results of the new 2025 lobster stock assessment to the American Lobster Management Board this week in Delaware.

And she says according to their models, the abundance of lobsters in the Gulf of Maine and George’s Bank area has declined 34% since its peak in 2018, and is now approaching levels last seen around fifteen years ago.

Read the full article at Maine Public