Fisheries management Archives - Page 4 of 21

Satellite Tags Reveal Red King Crab Migrations Are Linked to Environmental Conditions

October 30, 2026 — The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery was once one of the largest and most valuable crab fisheries in the world, but it collapsed in the early 1980s. Managers established closure areas to help the population rebound, but the boundaries of these closure areas are fixed and cannot adapt to changing environmental conditions and shifting crab distributions. Previous research has documented northward movements of the Bristol Bay red king crab population. Changes in their seasonal migration patterns may limit the effectiveness of static closure areas like the Red King Crab Savings Area.

In response to this pressing management need, a new satellite tagging study tracked and modeled movements of mature male red king crab in Bristol Bay from late spring through the fall during 2021–2024. The research team’s “movement models” predicted that red king crab generally moved to the west or southwest by the fall—into deeper and cooler areas in central Bristol Bay. In years with warmer bottom water temperatures, crab moved further west. The model’s predictions were validated by commercial catches from the fall Bristol Bay red king crab fishery and researchers are currently applying this approach to other seasons.

Future applications in the winter and spring may provide important insights about movements during mating and molting. These are the times of the year when the crab are more vulnerable. This information will help fishery managers evaluate current closure area boundaries and inform future boundary changes that may be needed to better align with present and projected seasonal migration patterns.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

How El Niño could threaten your favorite seafood for years to come

October 29, 2026 — Squid are shifting to cooler water, young salmon are struggling to find food sources, and concern is growing for Oregon’s $100 million Dungeness crab harvest as a powerful El Niño weather pattern heats up coastal ocean temperatures from California to the Pacific Northwest. Scientists expect the phenomenon to last for several months, leaving fishermen such as Phil Fogle scrambling.

Fogle, who owns two squid fishing boats based in the port of Anacortes, in Washington state, normally would keep fishing until foul weather sets in — his boats operate from Eureka, California, to Kodiak, Alaska. Instead, Fogle tied up his boats last week and furloughed his seven employees. The squid that normally inhabit coastal water have fled offshore for colder, deeper water that are harder to reach for smaller boats.

“Those little buggers are really affected by water temperature,” Fogle said about the squid. “It has been devastating to us.”

He said he’s losing about $50,000 a month.

Fogle said he’s waiting for the El Niño conditions to pass and hoping to get on the water again early next year.

This year’s El Niño, the strongest on record, has led temperatures off the Pacific Northwest coast to jump 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit above the average from 1991 to 2020, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. El Niño’s warmth has arrived on top of an existing marine heat wave in the Gulf of Alaska, according to Steven Bograd, senior climatologist at NOAA.

Read the full article at The Washington Post

ALASKA: Alaska Fisheries Science Center attributes hybrid snow-Tanner crab boom to marine heatwave, decreased competition and predation

October 29, 2026 — Scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Kodiak Laboratory recently completed research on how certain hybrid crab populations have increased in Alaska’s Bering Sea following a marine heatwave and subsequent mass die-off events from 2018 to 2019.

“These results are unprecedented,” study lead Erin Fedewa said in a NOAA release. “We were shocked by the magnitude of the hybrid surge while analyzing data from the 2025 Eastern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey. It immediately became clear that this ecological response would ripple through to fisheries management.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: Bay Area conservationists team up to address crab-fishing entanglements

October 29,2026 — Bay Area conservationists are teaming up with commercial fishers to reduce whale-entanglement risks while supporting the local Dungeness crab industry.

The Marine Mammal Center and The Nature Conservancy this month formed a partnership with the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations to form the Dungeness Crab and Whale Conservation Collaborative.

The effort will develop a modern whale-monitoring system that allows California wildlife officials to make more informed decisions about when to open and close parts of the state’s coastline to commercial fishing.

Read the full article at the San Francisco Examiner

The Permitting Bill Fishermen Can’t Afford to Ignore

October 29, 2026 — On November 9, the Senate is scheduled to take up the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, known as BAAJA (S. 5653). This legislation is not about Mexican sheep; instead, the dense 400-page bill rewrites how the federal government approves energy, mining, and infrastructure projects. Its sponsors, Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Lee (R-UT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), call it a historic compromise. I call it a historic risk for fishing communities.

The coalition behind BAAJA is unusual. The American Petroleum Institute (oil and gas), the American Clean Power Association (wind and other renewables), and major organized labor groups support it. Tribal nations, historic preservation groups, and ocean conservation organizations oppose it.

Commercial fishermen have been mostly absent from this fight, and that needs to change. BAAJA rewrites the rules for offshore wind farms, export cables, offshore oil and gas, and seabed mining. It changes how those projects are approved, how long the approvals last, and how hard they are to challenge. Nearly every change reduces the leverage fishermen have used to protect fishing grounds historically, and that’s not a coincidence.

The Senate outcome is close to being settled. The House is a different story, and that is where fishermen still have a real opening. But we must make our voices heard, and soon.

What this issue is about

Fishermen have spent more than a decade fighting for a real voice in offshore wind decisions. Lease areas have been granted on productive fishing grounds over industry objections, and project layouts have been set with little regard for how fleets actually fish or what they need for safe transit. Too often, fishermen’s concerns have been treated as a box to check rather than a reason to change course.

BAAJA would shrink what voice fishermen have left in the regulatory process for energy permitting. Its supporters pitch it as protection for clean energy, pointing to the 2025 federal stop-work orders that halted offshore wind projects already holding permits. The bill delivers that protection by making permits nearly impossible to revisit once they are issued, and much harder to challenge before then during the planning process.

The bill doesn’t stop at wind. Its “protections” for energy projects from public scrutiny and challenge cover any federally permitted project with a private sector sponsor, including offshore oil and gas wells and mines. The same rules that would wall off a wind farm from fishermen’s objections would wall off an offshore drilling lease or a seabed mining permit.

UFCW Local 400 Statement on Proposed Chesapeake Bay Menhaden Cuts

October 28, 2026 — The following was released by UFCW Local 400:

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 400 is calling on lawmakers and fisheries regulators to protect the livelihoods of hundreds of working families in Virginia’s Northern Neck as they consider additional restrictions on Atlantic menhaden fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.

This call comes after an October 9 congressional letter, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representative Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), urged the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to impose further restrictions on the fishery before ongoing scientific research into Chesapeake Bay’s menhaden populations has been completed.

UFCW Local 400 represents the fishermen working in the menhaden fishery who depend on the industry for stable union jobs, wages, and benefits. These workers, many of whom are African American, have long been part of the social and economic fabric of Virginia’s Northern Neck.

According to the ASMFC’s latest stock assessment, Atlantic menhaden are not overfished and overfishing is not occurring. The Commission has already reduced the coast-wide catch limit by 20 percent this year, while additional research remains underway.

Working families should not be forced to bear the economic consequences of decisions made without a full understanding of their impact. UFCW Local 400 members recognize the importance of protecting the Chesapeake Bay and maintaining sustainable fisheries for generations to come. Environmental stewardship must go hand in hand with economic justice and meaningful consideration of the communities whose livelihoods are at stake.

Our members have demonstrated their commitment to responsible fishing practices and the long-term health of the Bay. As documented in Local 400’s reporting on Ocean Harvesters, members have worked within regulatory catch limits and supported the sustainable management of menhaden populations. In our 2025 video featuring union fishermen, workers spoke about their responsibility to the ecosystem and the importance of preserving the fishery for future generations.

Their commitment extends beyond environmental stewardship to protecting lives on the water. In 2020, UFCW Local 400 members rescued six people after their boat caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean near the Maryland-Virginia line. Their actions reflect the deep connection these workers have to the waters they navigate every day and the communities they call home.

For generations, union fishing jobs have provided a pathway to economic stability in Virginia’s Northern Neck. Further restrictions could threaten not only individual livelihoods, but also the economic security of families that have long depended on the industry.

Conservation and workers’ rights should not be treated as competing priorities. Any decisions about the future of Menhaden must be grounded in rigorous research that is informed by the workers whose lives will be affected and accountable to the communities that depend on these jobs.

UFCW Local 400 urges lawmakers and the ASMFC to refrain from imposing additional Chesapeake Bay menhaden restrictions until ongoing research can establish their necessity. Working people should have a voice in decisions that shape their livelihoods, their communities, and their futures.

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United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 Union represents approximately 35,000 workers in the grocery, retail, cannabis, health care, food processing, service, and other industries in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. ufcw400.org

ASMFC 84th Annual Meeting Details, Final Agenda and Public Comment Guidelines

October 28, 2026 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

Please find below the meeting details and public comment guidelines for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s 84^th Annual Meeting, which will be held November 9-12, 2026, at Hotel Viking, One Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island. This will be a hybrid meeting to allow for remote participation by Commissioners and interested stakeholders in all meetings. The room block is now closed; if you need assistance reserving a room, please contact Lisa Carty at lcarty@asmfc.org. Please also notify Lisa Carty of any changes to your travel plans that will impact your hotel reservations, otherwise you will incur no-show penalties. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.

The final agenda and meeting materials are now available at https://asmfc.org/events/2026-annual-meeting/; click on the relevant Board/Committee name to access the documents for that Board/Committee. Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, November 4. For ease of use, the majority of Board materials, with the exception of materials for the Atlantic Menhaden and Sciaenids Boards, have been combined into 1 document: Main Meeting Materials. The combined documents do not include materials for ACFHP Steering Committee, Law Enforcement Committee, and the Habitat Committee.

Additionally, the materials for the Atlantic Menhaden Board have been divided into 3 parts. Part 1 includes the agenda; draft proceedings; materials for specification setting and relevant public comment; and materials for commercial quota reallocation. Part 2 includes the Draft Addendum II; Public Comment & Hearing Summaries; and submitted comment from Government Bodies, Organizations and Form Letters. Part 1 & 2 are available now. Part 3 includes all submitted individual comments and will be posted tomorrow.

Supplemental materials will be posted to the website on Wednesday, November 4.

Be advised 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.

Webinar Information

The Law Enforcement Committee, Habitat Committee and Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership Steering Committee have unique webinar links that are available as part of the individual committee materials.

Meeting proceedings for all other boards/committees will be broadcast daily via webinar beginning Monday, November 9 at 9:30 AM and continuing daily until the conclusion of the meeting (expected to be 1:15 PM) on Thursday, November 12. To register for the webinar, please go to:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4458443143765348954 (Webinar ID: 199-853-067)

If you are joining the webinar but will not be using voice over internet protocol (VoIP), you may also call in at +1 (213) 929-4212, access code 157-264-158. 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.

Each day, the webinar will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the first meeting so 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

Board chairs will ask both in-person and virtual board members if they wish to speak. In-person members can simply raise their hands at the meeting without logging on to the webinar, while virtual members will raise their hands on the webinar. The chair will work with staff to compile the list of speakers, balancing the flow of questions/comments between in-person and virtual attendees. The same process will be used for public comment. 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.

Getting to Newport
The Hotel Viking is accessible by automobile or airplane. T.F. Green International Airport in Providence and Boston Logan International Airport are the closest major airports. The closest Amtrak Station is located in Kingston, roughly 30-40 minutes from Hotel Viking located at 1 Railroad Avenue in West Kingston.

Fishing Tournament
Plans are well underway for the 33rd Annual Laura Leach Fishing Tournament. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate. You will receive a T-shirt with your $20 entry fee; and 100% of the tournament proceeds will be donated to the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) Youth Fish Camp. The tournament runs from Sunday (11/8) through noon on Wednesday (11/11); the raffle drawing and tournament prizes will be awarded Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.

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 that 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, if any, 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).

Comments received three weeks prior to the start of a meeting week (October 19) will be included in the briefing materials.
Comments received by 5 PM on Tuesday, November 3 will be included in supplemental materials.
Comments received by 10 AM on Friday, November 6 will be distributed electronically to Commissioners/Board members prior to the meeting.

New MSC finance model suggests certification, sustainability can unlock fishery value

October 27, 2026 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has launched a prototype fishery financial model that it said could support financing for the sustainable seafood sector.

According to the MSC, the new model gives banks and financiers more insight into risk and resilience within the seafood sector. It also said that the new model suggests well-managed, MSC-certified fisheries support a more resilient long-term economic model and that those fisheries are twice as valuable as an otherwise identical fishery that is not as well managed.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Trump Administration releases America First Seafood Strategy

October 26, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, President Trump announced the America First Seafood Strategy, a key directive under the President’s Executive Order Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. NOAA plays a key role in the Strategy, which details a coordinated federal plan to expand domestic seafood production, modernize infrastructure, improve market access for American harvesters and processors, and ensure fair competition in U.S. and international markets.

“The species managed in U.S. waters are American icons – from Maine lobster to Gulf shrimp, from Alaskan salmon to Florida stone crab, American seafood is a rich part of U.S. history and our vibrant coastal economy,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “The America First Seafood Strategy ensures that the future of seafood in the United States will be built by American fishermen, American workers, and American industry—not by foreign imports.”

NOAA manages some of the world’s most productive and scientifically assessed fishery resources. American commercial fishermen operate under rigorous conservation and management standards. The Strategy builds on that foundation by aligning federal policy, science, and existing authorities to increase sustainable harvest opportunities, reduce unnecessary regulatory costs, rebuild domestic processing and shoreside capacity, and give American seafood a stronger competitive position at home and abroad.

Key elements of the Strategy include:

Expanding Domestic Production and Market Opportunities
NOAA is working with the Regional Fishery Management Councils and industry to ensure catch limits reflect the best scientific information available, restore access to productive fishing grounds where supported by data, and reduce compliance costs that do not advance conservation and management objectives. A voluntary “U.S.-Caught Seafood” designation, developed in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will give consumers a clear way to identify seafood caught in the United States (including the U.S. EEZ) or caught by U.S.-flagged vessels outside of the U.S. EEZ under the authority of U.S. laws. Federal agencies will also expand opportunities for American seafood in government procurement and launch a nationwide “Eat American Seafood” campaign highlighting jobs, coastal economies, food security, and nutrition benefits.

Rebuilding Infrastructure, Processing Capacity, and the Fishing Fleet
Federal agencies will streamline permitting and reduce barriers to private investment in cold storage, wet storage, working waterfronts, docks, shipyards, and processing facilities. Existing USDA, Small Business Administration, and NOAA financing tools will be leveraged to support modernization of processing plants, vessel replacement, and equipment upgrades. NOAA will review the Fisheries Finance Program and Capital Construction Fund to remove obstacles that discourage fishermen from reinvesting in safer, more efficient, American-built vessels. Success will be measured by increases in domestic production and processing, private capital deployed, American jobs supported, and reduced reliance on foreign supply chains.

Strengthening Fair Trade, Import Compliance, and Enforcement Against Illegal Fishing
NOAA will continue to implement and improve the Seafood Import Monitoring Program and related authorities, using advanced tools to target high-risk imports. The Strategy reinforces interagency efforts to combat seafood fraud, mislabeling, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, while supporting reciprocal market access for U.S. exports through coordination with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and other agencies.

Regulatory Reform and Industry Partnership
Building on input already received under the Seafood Competitiveness Executive Order, NOAA is advancing targeted regulatory reforms in partnership with the Regional Fishery Management Councils. The agency will also work with permitting partners to establish clearer standards and guidance for marine aquaculture in federal waters, providing greater predictability for responsible expansion of domestic aquaculture that complements wild-capture fisheries.

Supporting Public Health Through Seafood
Federal health and nutrition agencies will align guidance and education with current science on the benefits of seafood consumption. NOAA will contribute accurate fisheries and aquaculture information to coordinated public messaging.

NOAA’s role centers on providing the scientific foundation, fisheries management expertise, and verification support necessary to implement these priorities while maintaining sustainable management of U.S. marine resources. The Strategy relies on existing statutory authorities and programs rather than new spending initiatives. It focuses federal effort on removing barriers, improving coordination, and delivering measurable results for American fishermen, processors, and coastal communities.

By prioritizing domestic production, infrastructure, fair competition, and science-based management, the America First Seafood Strategy positions the United States to strengthen its seafood industrial base, support coastal prosperity, and enhance national food security.

Trump’s America First Seafood Strategy puts US fishermen in focus

October 26, 2026 — The Trump administration has rolled out a new federal seafood strategy aimed at increasing domestic production, rebuilding shoreside infrastructure, and strengthening the position of U.S. fishermen and processors against foreign competition.

President Donald Trump announced the America First Seafood Strategy as part of his administration’s implementation of the 2025 executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” NOAA Fisheries will play a central role in carrying out the plan alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration (USDA), and other federal agencies.

The strategy calls for expanding harvest opportunities where supported by science, reducing regulatory costs, investing in processing and waterfront infrastructure, strengthening seafood import enforcement and creating new ways to distinguish domestically harvested seafood in the marketplace.

“The species managed in U.S. waters are American icons, from Maine lobster to Gulf shrimp, from Alaskan salmon to Florida stone crab,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in NOAA’s announcement. “The America First Seafood Strategy ensures that the future of seafood in the United States will be built by American fishermen, American workers, and American industry, not by foreign imports.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman