Saving Seafood

Sustainable Scalloping Fund Celebrates National Scallops Day and the Opening of the Northern Edge and the Initiation of Scallop Permit Stacking

July 2, 2026 — The following was released by the Sustainable Scalloping Fund:

The Sustainable Scalloping Fund (SSF) today celebrated President Donald J. Trump’s declaration of a National Scallops Day, which marks the decision by NOAA Fisheries to open the Northern Edge of Georges Bank to the scallop fleet. The opening, together with NOAA’s move to advance Scallop Permit Stacking, delivers two reforms SSF has sought since its inception and fulfills the goals of Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. NOAA Fisheries identified both actions as New England priorities in a July 2 announcement by Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler.

In announcing the day, President Trump called himself “the Fishermen’s Friend” and predicted millions more pounds of wild scallops on American tables and new jobs in fishing ports from Norfolk, Virginia, to Cape May, New Jersey, to New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Permit stacking will let scallop permit holders consolidate operations, cut costs, and fish more safely and efficiently. Opening the Northern Edge returns the fleet to a productive, well-managed resource that has stayed closed for years.

SSF President John Lees carried these issues directly to the White House, meeting with senior officials and advocating to the President himself on behalf of the nation’s scallop fishermen.

“We are grateful to President Trump and his team for listening to the men and women of the scallop fleet and acting on their behalf,” said John Lees (Johnny Scallop), President of the Sustainable Scalloping Fund. “Permit stacking and Northern Edge access will make our fishery more competitive, more sustainable, and more valuable to the American families who depend on it. This is what it looks like when Washington puts American fishermen first.”

SSF also recognized the legal and advocacy team that built the record behind these reforms: General Counsel Sam Blatchley of Eckland & Blando, and attorney Drew Minkiewicz of Black Point Maritime Law, who together developed the legal and policy case supporting the administration’s action.

SSF looks forward to working with NOAA Fisheries, the New England Fishery Management Council, and the Administration to move both actions into practice. “There is no bigger friend to the fishermen than President Donald J. Trump,” said John Lees. “SSF is deeply grateful for President Trump’s leadership and unwavering support for America’s commercial fishing industry.”

About the Sustainable Scalloping Fund
The Sustainable Scalloping Fund advocates for the long-term health, competitiveness, and sustainability of the Atlantic Sea scallop fishery and the fishermen and communities that depend on it.

Media Contact:
Drew Minkiewicz
drew@blackpointlaw.com
202-870-4013

NEFMC splits Atlantic cod stock, but fishing advocates still take issue with management methods

July 2, 2026 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has approved a new multispecies fishery management plan, officially splitting the management areas for cod in the Northeast U.S.

Amendment 25 has separated the management of Atlantic cod in New England into four distinct areas – Eastern Gulf of Maine cod, Western Gulf of Maine cod, Georges Bank cod, and Southern New England cod.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NEFMC NEWS: June 2026 Council Meeting Summary

July 1, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met from June 23-25, 2026, in Mystic, Connecticut. The following is a summary of ongoing Council work priorities and future planning. All presentations, materials, and meeting audio recordings are available on the Council’s June 2026 meeting page. For an update on stock-specific actions that took place at the June meeting, please see the following press release.

NOAA LEADERSHIP OPENS THE JUNE MEETING, MARKING 50 YEARS OF THE MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT

NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Genio Piñeiro-Soler opened the June meeting with comments about the importance of regional fishery management councils and recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. He welcomed Council questions and feedback, which included continued support for Saltonstall-Kennedy funding for seafood marketing, support for a vessel buyback and new vessel purchasing program, and a call for focus on soliciting representative Council members.

RISK POLICY APPROVED FOR USE BY COUNCIL

The Council approved revisions to its Risk Policy, establishing qualitative categories of low, medium, and high risk tolerance to support management decisions beginning in 2026. The Risk Policy is a decision support tool that complements the existing specification-setting processes. Adoption of this policy sets New England as the first Fishery Management Council in the U.S. to consider tolerance of more risk, not just less. This bi-directional approach is designed to emphasize caution when stock conditions are poor, recruitment is low, and environmental conditions are unfavorable, and conversely allow fishery managers to increase catch limits for healthy stocks deemed eligible to tolerate more risk.

Weighting Exercise

The Risk Policy combines the Council’s input about the importance of risk factors with technical scores related to managed resources. The policy preference was determined at the June meeting, when 18 voting Council members took the important step of assigning universal weights to five factors on a scale of 0-4, ranging from “least” to “critically” important. The five factors include:

  1. Biomass/Stock Status
  2. Recruitment
  3. Climate Vulnerability
  4. Recreational Fishery Characterization
  5. Commercial Fishery Characterization

The weights from the June meeting will be combined with scores completed by each Plan Development Team and unique to each Fishery Management Plan (FMP) in the coming months. Combined weights and scores generate a qualitative Risk Tolerance level. Weights are recommended to remain in place for three years, at which time they are eligible for review.

National Marine Fisheries study determines four genetically different cod populations in Gulf of Maine, southern New England, adjusts management

July 1, 2026 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has approved an update to the Multispecies Fishery Management Plan developed by the New England Fishery Management Council. The plan is to improve management of the chronically overfished Atlantic cod population and rebuild the historic New England fishery by incorporating new genetic information and requiring 100% observer coverage, according to a June 30 news release.

For more than 40 years, Atlantic cod has been managed as two distinct populations: Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. Recent studies, however, show there are four genetically distinct populations: Eastern Gulf of Maine, Western Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and Southern New England. Using new genetic data to count and manage each population individually is a more effective way to reduce overfishing, prevent collapse, and help rebuild fish populations, the NMFS said.

“Sound science is the foundation of good management. We commend the National Marine Fisheries Service for integrating new genetic data to create forward-looking policies for one of New England’s most iconic and economically vital fisheries,” said Gib Brogan, Fishery Campaign Director for Oceana, in the release. “Using this new genetic information will lead to better management within each population of Atlantic cod to prevent overfishing, reduce the risk of collapse, and rebuild fish populations for future generations.” 

Read the full article at Penobscot Bay Pilot

Council Focuses on Timely Implementation of Fishery Specifications; Recommends Changes to Habitat Research Area

June 30, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met from June 23–25, 2026, in Mystic, Connecticut. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered affecting several Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). Meeting materials, motions, and the meeting audio recordings are available on the Council’s June 2026 meeting page.

HERRING INDUSTRY-FUNDED MONITORING TO BE REVISITED

The Council decided to consider rescinding the Atlantic herring Industry Funded Monitoring (IFM) program as a possible 2027 priority, to be further discussed at its December 2026 meeting.

The discussion was sparked by a letter from NOAA requesting the Council rescind the Herring IFM program in response to Executive Order 14276 and ongoing litigation.

Multiple Council members spoke about the importance of completing current Herring priorities as planned. The Council and NOAA partners noted that other existing IFM programs for scallops and groundfish would not be affected.

The Council plans to respond to NOAA in a letter following the June meeting.

More information can be found here.

HERRING SPECIFICATIONS PRIORITIZED; SEPARATED FROM OTHER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

The Council voted unanimously to separate Atlantic herring specifications for fishing years (FY) 2027–2031 into a standalone action distinct from ongoing work to modify river herring and shad (RHS) management measures.

The Council plans to take final action on the specifications at its September 2026 meeting.

In a separate action, the Council directed the Plan Development Team (PDT) to continue working on:

  1. Time-area closures for RHS with and without existing catch cap methodology;
  2. An updated specifications process; and
  3. Carryover provision modifications.

Final action is targeted for April 2027. The full herring report can be found here.

Council Focuses on Timely Implementation of Fishery Specifications; Recommends Changes to Habitat Research Area

June 29, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council met from June 23–25, 2026, in Mystic, Connecticut. The following is a summary of actions taken and issues considered affecting several Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). Meeting materials, motions, and the meeting audio recordings are available on the Council’s June 2026 meeting page.

HERRING INDUSTRY-FUNDED MONITORING TO BE REVISITED

The Council decided to consider rescinding the Atlantic herring Industry Funded Monitoring (IFM) program as a possible 2027 priority, to be further discussed at its December 2026 meeting. The discussion was sparked by a letter from NOAA requesting the Council rescind the Herring IFM program in response to Executive Order 14276 and ongoing litigation.

Multiple Council members spoke about the importance of completing current Herring priorities as planned. The Council and NOAA partners noted that other existing IFM programs for scallops and groundfish would not be affected. The Council plans to respond to NOAA in a letter following the June meeting.

More information can be found here.

HERRING SPECIFICATIONS PRIORITIZED; SEPARATED FROM OTHER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

The Council voted unanimously to separate Atlantic herring specifications for fishing years (FY) 2027–2031 into a standalone action distinct from ongoing work to modify river herring and shad (RHS) management measures. The Council plans to take final action on the specifications at its September 2026 meeting.

In a separate action, the Council directed the Plan Development Team (PDT) to continue working on:

  1. Time-area closures for RHS with and without existing catch cap methodology;
  2. An updated specifications process; and
  3. Carryover provision modifications,

with final action targeted for April 2027.

The full herring report can be found here.

Fleet caught between cod management systems as federal review drags on

June 23, 2026 — New England groundfishermen are once again finding themselves caught between the fishery they are operating under today and the management system regulators expect them to use tomorrow.

More than a year after the New England Fishery Management Council submitted Amendment 25 and Framework 72 to NOAA Fisheries, both actions remain under federal review, leaving fishermen and sector managers trying to plan for a four-stock cod management system that has not yet been approved.

The situation has become increasingly frustrating because quota leasing decisions, catch accounting and fishing plans are already being influenced by a management structure that technically does not exist.

“It’s difficult because we’re managing both to the real allocation and the phantom upcoming allocation that doesn’t actually exist yet,” said sector manager Hank Soule.

For fishermen, the issue is not whether the transition to four cod stocks will happen. Most industry leaders support the change and expect it to move forward. The problem is the uncertainty surrounding when federal regulators will finally act.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Council Will Mark 50 Years of Regional Fisheries Management at June Meeting

June 15, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

The New England Fishery Management Council will mark the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) at its June Council Meeting in Mystic, Connecticut on June 23-25, 2026.

SUSTAINING FISHERIES AND FISHING COMMUNITIES SINCE 1976

The Council system was established by Congress through the MSA on April 13,1976. Since their creation, the eight regional Councils have promoted sustainable management of U.S. Fisheries, in partnership with NOAA Fisheries, states, tribes, and communities. The Councils have rebuilt fish stocks, reduced bycatch, and protected essential fish habitat all while supporting sustained harvest with the goal of maximizing benefits to fishing communities and consumers.

To mark the anniversary, the Councils developed an interactive timeline highlighting major milestones in U.S. fisheries management over the past five decades and an online photo slide gallery. The anniversary was also featured by NOAA in a recent story.

JUNE MEETING

The Council will begin its June meeting in Mystic, CT at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. On top of a full, threeday agenda, the Council invites the public to a reception celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act on Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:00 p.m. at the Mystic Hilton Hotel lounge.

For more meeting information including webinar registration, submitting public comment, or directions please visit the June meeting webpage.

NEFMC: CORRECTION – SSC Workshop will be Webinar Only, No In-person Attendance

May 29, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

In-person participation for this workshop is limited to Scientific and Statistical Committee members, Council staff, and invited presenters.

All workshop sessions will be broadcast via webinar and are open to the public. This meeting will be broadcast online via Zoom, preregistration is required. Please note that the webinar is listen-only and no public comment will be accepted.

Register here: https://nefmcorg.zoom.us/meeting/register/gwvUOpavRDCC2gAPv-UoVQ

For more information visit the workshop webpage.