Saving Seafood

Gulf Fishermen Lose Fight Against Deep Grouper Cuts After Georgia Court Battle

September 5, 2026 — Commercial fishermen hoping to overturn massive catch cuts in the Gulf of America just hit a wall in federal court.

Longtime Gulf fishermen Dominick and James Russo took the federal government to court after fishery managers slashed gag grouper harvest limits by roughly 86 percent. The family-run business, FFC Seafood, argued that the steep restrictions took a huge bite out of their income and should be thrown out because the Gulf Fishery Management Council is unconstitutionally structured.

On September 3, a panel for the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Georgia agreed with the fishermen on one major point: parts of the federal law do give the Council unconstitutional powers. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Council members hold special veto powers over the Secretary of Commerce, even though they aren’t nominated by the President or confirmed by the Senate.

The catch? None of those veto powers were actually used to put the grouper cuts in place.

Read the full article at Tampa Free Press

Trump administration vows to bring ‘common sense’ back to fishing laws

September 3, 2026 — From Gulf Coast shrimpers’ lips to the Trump administration’s ear, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced an extensive set of priorities for reforming the nation’s fisheries on Wednesday, a so-called “operational roadmap” to unshackle what the administration views as a lucrative and essential but unnecessarily burdened industry.

An overture to the executive branch’s nascent America First Seafood Strategy, Wednesday’s announcement continues NOAA’s work under Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, an April 2025 White House executive order that called seafood “one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the United States.” Since then, according to a news release, NOAA Fisheries has received input from more than 700 entities, including regional fishery councils, commercial producers, and members of the public.

Read the full article at CHRON

LOUISIANA: Louisiana shrimpers launch petition to restrict imports

September 1, 2026 — Frustrated with decades of competition from cheaper, imported shrimp, shrimpers from Louisiana have launched a petition calling on the U.S. federal government to take action to restrict imports and better support domestic producers.

“The Louisiana Shrimp Association is asking fishermen, fishing families, seafood businesses, restaurants, consumers, and everyone who supports American jobs and American seafood to stand with us,” the association said in a 30 August Facebook post. “Our wild-caught shrimp industry is in crisis. American shrimp harvesters are struggling with unsustainable dockside prices while enormous volumes of imported shrimp continue to enter our country.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA Fisheries moves to extend moratorium on new Gulf shrimp permits

August 27, 2026 — With the current moratorium set to expire later this year, NOAA Fisheries has moved to extend a ban on new federal shrimp permits for the Gulf of Mexico by another 10 years.

While the Gulf of Mexico federal shrimp fishery supported more than 4,000 commercial shrimping vessels, rising fuel prices and competition from cheaper imported shrimp drove many of those vessel owners to call it quits. Still, regulators believed that there were too many shrimp vessels operating to be profitable, so in 2006, NOAA Fisheries issued a 10-year moratorium on new commercial shrimp vessel permits. In 2008, the government issued just 1,933 vessel permits.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

DC Circuit upholds FERC approval of Louisiana LNG terminal

August 26, 2026 — A federal appeals court has roundly rejected environmental groups’ challenge to the federal government’s approval of a massive liquefied natural gas export terminal and pipeline in Louisiana.

On Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission complied with federal law when it authorized construction of Venture Global’s CP2 LNG terminal and its associated 91-mile CP Express pipeline in 2025.

“Leaving no stone unturned, [the challengers] improbably allege the Commission committed no fewer than eleven errors under the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),” wrote Senior Judge Douglas Ginsburg, a Reagan appointee, in the opinion for the court.

Read the full article at E&E News

ALABAMA: ‘A thousand cuts’: What’s lost when we lose Alabama coastal marshes?

August 17, 2026 — “No marsh, no seafood.”

That’s the old adage about the impact of losing marsh habitat, said Blair Morrison, science and monitoring program lead with the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.

While most Alabama residents think of marshes as providing crucial habitat for shrimp, crabs, red snapper and other culturally significant foods, marshes provide a wider suite of services for the coast and the state at large that would be sorely missed if marshes were gone.

“We can’t directly attribute anything to marsh loss directly,” Morrison said, “but it is one of those cumulative effects of, the more marsh that you lose, you’re more likely to see certain issues with water quality, nutrient impairment, loss of habitat and species. It is very much kind of an intertangled web of, if you lose habitat, you’re losing an entire suite of services.”

Read the full article at AL.com

US court hears arguments against turtle excluder devices in inshore Louisiana waters

August 14, 2026 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is considering a challenge to a 2019 NOAA Fisheries rule forcing Louisiana inshore shrimpers to install turtle excluder devices (TEDs).

A TED is a grid of metal bars placed in a trawl net that block larger animals – like turtles – while allowing smaller animals – like shrimp – to pass through. Louisiana shrimpers claim the requirement on inshore vessels is excessive, making their work more difficult and expensive despite little risk to turtles.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Interior Advances American Energy Dominance with Third Gulf of America Lease Sale

August 12, 2026 — The following was released by the U.S. Department of the Interior:

The Department of the Interior today announced that the Marine Minerals Administration’s Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 3, or BBG3, generated $82,689,756 in high bids for 59 blocks in federal waters of the Gulf of America. Sixteen companies submitted 69 bids totaling $99,476,285.

The sale, held at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, was the third Gulf of America offshore oil and gas lease sale required under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cut Act. Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor attended the sale.

“As America marks 250 years of independence, this lease sale reminds us that energy has always been tied to American freedom, strength and prosperity,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “From the industrial might that helped win World War II to the offshore energy that powers homes, transportation, manufacturing and small businesses today, the Gulf of America continues to serve the American people. Lease Sale BBG3 advances President Trump’s American Energy Dominance agenda by strengthening energy security, supporting good-paying jobs and helping ensure families have access to reliable, affordable energy.”

Lease Sale BBG3 supports Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy,which outlines President Trump’s commitment to expanding offshore oil and gas development to strengthen national energy security, lower energy costs and increase American competitiveness.

“Lease Sale BBG3 reflects MMA’s continued work to provide the predictable offshore leasing schedule Congress directed and industry needs to make long-term investment decisions,” said Acting MMA Director Matt Giacona. “Holding this sale in New Orleans during America’s 250th highlights the Gulf Coast’s enduring role in American strength — from its maritime and military history to the offshore energy that helps fuel everyday life. MMA is proud to help carry that legacy forward through responsible offshore energy development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.”

The Final Notice of Sale was published in the Federal Register on July 8, 2026, outlining lease areas, fiscal terms and sale procedures. The public bid reading was livestreamed on BOEM’s website. Results will be posted at www.boem.gov/Sale-BBG3, with a final statistical summary to be released within 90 days.

MMA offered approximately 15,100 unleased blocks covering roughly 80.4 million acres across the Western, Central and portions of the Eastern Gulf Planning Areas. The blocks are located from 3 to 231 miles offshore in water depths ranging from 9 feet to more than 11,100 feet. The lease terms include a 12.5% royalty rate for blocks in all water depths, consistent with the minimum allowed under the Working Families Tax Cut Act.

The Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf spans approximately 160 million acres and is estimated to contain 26.90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and 45.59 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Offshore development plays a key role in supporting high-paying jobs, Gulf Coast communities, domestic energy supply and long-term economic growth.

Revenues from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activities are a critical source of funding for federal, state and local programs. These funds are distributed to the U.S. Treasury, Gulf Coast states, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Historic Preservation Fund. Revenue-sharing programs also support coastal restoration, hurricane protection and other public services that benefit communities across the Gulf Coast and the nation.

Lease Sale BBG3 underscores the Department of the Interior’s commitment to an active offshore energy strategy focused on energy security, economic development and responsible stewardship of America’s offshore resources. By expanding domestic offshore capabilities, the United States can reduce reliance on foreign producers, support affordability for consumers and reinforce its role as a global energy leader.
For more information about Lease Sale BBG3, including lease terms, maps and bid results, visit www.boem.gov/Sale-BBG3.

Shrimp industry fights $9.4M loss from federal turtle device mandate

August 6, 2026 — A federal appeals court heard arguments Tuesday over whether Louisiana shrimpers should be required to use turtle protection devices in their nets, a rule the state’s shrimp industry says could have major financial consequences.

The Louisiana Shrimp Association is challenging a federal mandate requiring shrimp boats longer than 40 feet to use Turtle Excluder Devices, or TEDs. The group argues the devices are unnecessary in Louisiana’s inland waters, where members say sea turtles are rarely found.

The requirement was issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service as part of federal efforts to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles from becoming trapped in shrimp nets.

Attorneys representing the shrimp industry argued that the devices are costly to install and can reduce shrimp harvests by collecting trash and debris inside the nets. Association members also contend they have rarely encountered sea turtles while operating in the state’s shallow inland waters over several decades.

Read the full article at KFLY

Louisiana shrimpers challenge federal TED rule at 5th Circuit

August 5, 2026 — A federal appeals court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case brought by Louisiana shrimpers challenging a 2019 federal rule that requires them to install Turtle Excluder Devices on their boats.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard oral arguments Aug. 4 in Louisiana Shrimp Association v. Lutnick, a case that puts more than 30 years of regulatory history under the microscope.

The Louisiana Shrimp Association, along with individual shrimpers John Brown, Larry L. Helmer Jr. and Penny V. Zar, argues that the National Marine Fisheries Service acted arbitrarily when it eliminated a longstanding tow-time exemption and required inshore skimmer trawlers to use Turtle Excluder Devices. They say the agency offered no new scientific data to justify the change.

Read the full article at WBRZ