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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:

Biomass/Stock Status
Recruitment
Climate Vulnerability
Recreational Fishery Characterization
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:

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

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

The Department of Commerce Announces 2026 Council Appointments

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

The Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries announced the appointment of 22 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils. For the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), the appointments include three reappointments and one new member who will fill the vacant Massachusetts seat. The new and reappointed council members will serve three-year terms from August 11, 2026, through August 10, 2029.

NEFMC reappointments include:

Terry Alexander, Maine
Jackie Odell, Massachusetts
Daniel Salerno, New Hampshire

NEFMC new member:

Kirby Aarsheim Apjohn, Massachusetts.

“The eight regional fishery management councils are key partners with NOAA Fisheries in the regional, science-based, and transparent U.S. fishery management process. The Secretary of Commerce made appointments for open fishery management council seats from state and territorial governors’ lists of nominees. New council members play a critical role in meeting the Magnuson-Stevens Act’s mandate to end overfishing and rebuild fish stocks to ensure sustainable fisheries and maintain vibrant coastal communities.” Eugenio Pineiro Soler, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator NOAA Fisheries

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:

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.

More information can be found here.

HERRING SPECIFICATIONS PRIORITIZED; SEPARATED FROM OTHER MANAGEMENT MEASURES

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

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

with final action targeted for April 2027.

The full herring report can be found here.

MASSACHUSETTS: In New Bedford, Healey celebrates completion of Vineyard Wind project as the company faces financial disputes

June 26, 2026 — Vineyard Wind 1 the country’s first commercial-scale offshore wind project located off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, is finally up and running after years of starts and stops — just not at full capacity.

Gov. Maura Healey along with Massachusetts labor and energy leaders celebrated on Wednesday the completion of the project — which concluded construction in March — in New Bedford, touting its benefits while shrugging off the wind development company’s recent financial disputes that have made headlines and threatened the project.

New Bedford’s Marine Commerce Terminal served as the main gathering point for materials that were transported to the site of Vineyard Wind 1, including turbine components that were prepared for installation. The terminal will continue to serve as Vineyard Wind’s site of operations and maintenance. Over 1,500 union members worked under a project labor agreement out of the terminal.

The $4.5 billion project has supported nearly 4,000 jobs since it began, and operations and maintenance are expected to sustain between 80 and 100 jobs per year moving forward. Vineyard Wind will save Massachusetts families and businesses an estimated $1.4 billion on their electricity bills and will generate enough clean, affordable energy to power over 400,000 homes and businesses in New England, Healey said. The project will reduce carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year, according to Vineyard Wind’s website.

Read the full story at the CommonWealth Beacon

RHODE ISLAND: Shifting Tides: Horseshoe Crab Population Shows Mixed Trends Across Rhode Island Waters

June 26, 2026 — Tag No. 445308 surfaced once again at Napatree Point as a group of 14 surveyors headed back to their cars.

“This one has been out here for a couple of years now,” one surveyor said.

The 7-inch male horseshoe crab had been tagged on its right side at Napatree in 2020 on behalf of Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the horseshoe crab cooperative tagging program.

One volunteer who had never seen a horseshoe crab before watched 547 of them crawl along the shoreline June 12 during the survey with the Watch Hill Conservancy, which has tracked the population for 20 years.

Surveys take place during the full and new moons each late spring and early summer when the crabs come ashore to lay eggs. The data helps the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management track populations that have declined along the Atlantic Coast after decades of harvest pressure.

Debates remain about how much protection the species still needs in neighboring states and at the federal level. DEM is taking a measured approach by weighing whether additional rule changes are necessary, as survey data show a mixed picture of abundance.

“Our job as managers is to balance the multiple needs while ensuring that the population is sustainable,” DEM principal marine biologist Katie Rodrigue said.

Read the full article at ecoRI News

RHODE ISLAND: Climate change challenges commercial fishing industry

June 26, 2026 — In Rhode Island, the commercial fishing industry is a pillar of the state’s economy and culture, but with global warming and dynamic environmental changes, the industry is sailing into the unknown.

While New England is outpacing much of the United States in rising temperatures, Rhode Island is warming even faster than its regional neighbors, according to a 2022 report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and The Providence Journal.

Sea levels have also risen considerably across the ocean state, with the Newport tide gauge rising 10.1 inches over the past century, according to NOAA.

Rhode Island’s sea levels have gained momentum over the last decade, now rising by an inch every eight years, according to Sea Level Rise. This growth is evident in Providence, while the capital city took 40 years to rise six inches, it’s now projected to gain another six inches in just the next 16 years.

The Narragansett Bay water has also increased by three degrees Fahrenheit over the past century with water levels rising up to seven inches, according to Save The Bay. These unpredictable environmental changes make it increasingly difficult for commercial fishermen and fisheries to rely on consistent ecosystems while abiding by catch quotas.

Read the full article at East Bay RI

New England fishing leaders explore economic opportunities during National Green Crab Week

June 25, 2026 — During National Green Crab Week, leaders from across New England and Maine’s emerging green crab industry gathered in Portland on Wednesday to discuss how to both control the invasive, unregulated species and create new economic opportunities from it.

The Green Crabs Working Summit brought together harvesters, researchers, chefs, and industry advocates who share a common goal: finding productive uses for a species that has become a growing concern in Maine’s coastal waters.

Read the full article at News Center Maine

Predicting Future Northeast Ocean Conditions: Forecast Debuts in 2026 State of the Ecosystem Reports

June 24, 2026 — Fishermen, fisheries managers, and scientists have observed changes in our oceans that are impacting the location and growth of fish stocks. Until recently, there was no reliable way to predict these changes. This year, the 2026 Mid-Atlantic and New England State of the Ecosystem reports contain the first operational seasonal and decadal ocean forecasts for U.S. coastal fisheries regions. These ocean forecasts provide predictions of future marine ecosystem conditions that could impact the availability of commercial, recreational, and protected fisheries species. They can help resource managers make more informed decisions.

The Northeast Integrated Ecosystem Assessment team produces the State of the Ecosystem reports annually for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Councils. They provide a synthesis of Northeast Shelf ecosystem information. They are part of a holistic approach to maintain healthy and productive fisheries by considering environmental and socioeconomic information in decision making. The reports:

Contain current and long-term information about the Northeast Shelf ecosystems
Document how well the ecosystems are currently meeting fishery management objectives
Highlight potential risks to meeting those objectives.

However, resource managers have long sought forward-looking ocean forecasts that predict future ocean conditions to help them make more informed decisions.

“Due to limited resources, we have moved to more multi-year specifications for stocks, so the impacts of our decisions are now longer lasting. Given the increasingly dynamic nature of the ocean, and management’s sometimes-limited ability to be as dynamic in response, delivery of ocean forecasts to the Council provides more tools at our disposal to make better decisions that span multiple years.” — Megan Ware, member of the New England Fisheries Management Council

NOAA scientists in the Northeast are now providing their Councils with predicted ocean temperatures in this year’s” State of the Ecosystem reports using NOAA’s Modular Ocean Model version 6 ocean forecasts, developed by NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. The inclusion of the forecasts marks the agency’s first application of an ocean forecast in an ecosystem-based fisheries management product.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

News for the New England Region