Saving Seafood

Long Island Wind Farms Respond to Federal Suspension

December 23, 2025 — Two of the five offshore wind farms whose leases were paused by the Trump administration on Monday are designed to power Long Island’s electric grid, and wind farm companies here have begun to respond to the news.

The U.S. Department of the Interior said Monday it was “pausing” the leases for 90 days due to what it described as “national security risks identified by the Department of War in recently completed classified reports.”

“Today’s action addresses emerging national security risks, including the rapid evolution of the relevant adversary technologies, and the vulnerabilities created by large-scale offshore wind projects with proximity near our East Coast population centers,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in a statement Monday. “The Trump administration will always prioritize the security of the American people.”

On Long Island, the Danish wind farm giant Ørsted is in the middle of construction for Sunrise Wind, a 924 megawatt, 84-turbine offshore wind farm about 30 miles off the coast of Montauk. Its transmission cable is slated to come ashore at Smith Point County Park, where it is being installed down William Floyd Parkway and a series of other roads to a substation in Holbrook.

Read the full article at the East End Beacon

 

NEW YORK: Operation Riptide: Highly Migratory Species Enforcement Levels the Playing Field for Law-Abiding Fishermen

December 18, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement led “Operation Riptide,” a 2-day multi-state operation targeting highly migratory species enforcement in July 2025. Agents and officers from NOAA, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and New York Department of Environmental Conservation worked together to help protect marine life and law-abiding U.S. fishermen. We conducted this operation to help improve compliance with highly migratory species regulations in the state and federal waters off of New York and New Jersey.

Each day of the operation began with virtual briefings before participating agents and officers hit the water. These briefings provided crucial information on historic fishing patterns to help them effectively assess potential violations. They included details such as:

  • Target species at that time of year
  • Up-to-date weather and tide information
  • Real-time species-specific migration and population density information in the operation area

Collectively, we conducted patrols covering the majority of navigable coastal inlets between Cape May, New Jersey to Montauk, New York. Eight NOAA Fisheries agents and officers participated in the operation along with several officers from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

Our mobilization of state-owned patrol vessels was key to the operation’s success. A total of nine patrol vessels participated in the operation; five from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation and four from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Participating agents and officers conducted a total of 87 boardings during the operation:

  • 63 federal HMS-focused boardings in the Exclusive Economic Zone
  • 24 state-waters boardings, which included both state-licensed and federally permitted vessels.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Federal judge throws out Trump order blocking development of wind energy

December 10, 2025 — A federal judge on Monday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of wind farms on federal lands and waters was “arbitrary and capricious” and violates U.S. law.

Judge Patti Saris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order blocking wind energy projects and declared it unlawful.

Saris ruled in favor of a coalition of state attorneys general from 17 states and Washington, D.C., led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, that challenged Trump’s Day One order that paused leasing and permitting for wind energy projects.

Trump has been hostile to renewable energy, particularly offshore wind, and prioritizes fossil fuels to produce electricity.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell hailed the ruling as a victory for green jobs and renewable energy.

Read the full article at ABC News

USD 12 million awarded for restoring fish habitats, growing oysters in Long Island Sound

Decemeber 4, 2025 — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded USD 12 million (EUR 10.3 million) in grants to support the health of the Long Island Sound, with much of the funding supporting improvements to fish habitats, marine debris removal, and oyster recovery.

The grants will also leverage USD 8 million (EUR 6.9 million) in matching contributions from recipients of the funding, bringing the total investment to USD 20 million (EUR 17.2 million). The grants were awarded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, a project launched in 2005 in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve the health of the sound and conserve habitat.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Seafood Tips from the People Bringing You America’s Seafood (Part 1)

November 21, 2025 — Across the country, fishermen, farmers, chefs, and educators are working to keep fishing heritage alive while inspiring new generations to value the bounties of our coastal waters. Here, experts from the Atlantic coast share their stories and tips for making seafood a bigger part of your life—no matter where you live. And stay tuned: we’ll be sharing Part Two featuring insights from Pacific coast experts.

Captain Brady Lybarger, Scallop Shack Farms

New Jersey

Scallop Shack Farms began as South Jersey’s original seafood pop-up. Captain Brady Lybarger, an experienced second-generation commercial fisherman, and his wife Amanda started selling scallops from the back of their truck during the pandemic.

Today, the thriving family-run market in Cape May, New Jersey offers scallops, seasonal catches, and gourmet goods, all sourced directly from American fishermen. Brady runs the shop with his wife, her father and sister-in-law, and even nieces, welcoming seafood lovers in to buy and connect. At Scallop Shack Farms, seafood goes from boat—often Brady’s own F/V Salted—to home chefs within hours of landing. Customers don’t just buy seafood there—they learn the story behind it, meet the people who caught it, and become part of a growing family of supporters.

Brady knows firsthand the challenges facing the fishing industry, with declining fisheries, rising costs, and fewer young workers entering the trade. That’s why he carves out time to serve on New England Fishery Management Council advisory panels on tilefish and scallops, ensuring fishermen’s knowledge informs management decisions.

Captain Brady’s Seafood Tips

  • Start fresh: A fresh, well-handled product makes all the difference. Scallop Shack Farms takes pride in bleeding and brining fish and delivering them within 24 hours when possible.
  • Keep it simple: For scallops, the secret is to pat them completely dry, then sear in a hot pan for 1.5-2 minutes per side. Add just salt, pepper, oil, and butter—no need to over-season a good product.
  • Ask questions: Don’t hesitate to talk with your fishmonger or fisherman—they’re happy to share how the seafood was caught and the best ways to prepare it.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

NEW YORK: Hochul Urged to Ban Horseshoe Crab Fishing

November 17, 2025 — Conservationists are pressing Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to approve a ban on the harvesting of horseshoe crabs in state waters after she vetoed the same measure a year ago.

Supporters of the bill, which was passed by large majorities in both houses of the State Legislature last year and again in June, say New York must protect the ancient creatures, whose populations are declining in some places because of overfishing, loss of habitat and climate change, which floods beaches and warms oceans.

Reducing pressures on the crabs would help their ecological role, which includes providing food for migrating shore birds such as the red knot, a dwindling species that the federal government classified as threatened more than a decade ago.

The commercial fishing industry argues that a ban would wipe out livelihoods, damage local fisheries and ignore policies that have led the industry to reduce the number of crabs it uses for bait.

Read the full article at The New York Times

Stakeholders nearing update on Chesapeake Bay Agreement with multiple goals for fisheries

November 6, 2025 — Federal and state stakeholders are getting close on an update to the Chesapeake Bay Agreement – a voluntary accord that sets goals for conservation and clean water – laying out desired outcomes for some of the region’s fisheries.

First established in 1983, signatories to the agreement include the governments of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, New York, and the District of Columbia, along with the Chesapeake Bay Commission and federal agencies.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NEW YORK: Dredging operations underway at Lake Montauk Harbor

November 5, 2025 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District has begun dredging operations at Lake Montauk Harbor in East Hampton, N.Y., with work expected to continue through January 2026.

The federally maintained navigation channel is being dredged to restore safe passage for commercial fishing vessels, while sand from the project will be used to rebuild eroded beaches west of the harbor’s western jetty.

“Equipment and the dredge have arrived, and work will begin soon to restore safe navigation in the harbor and maintain access for Montauk’s fishing fleet,” the Town of East Hampton said in a social media post.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NEW YORK: Peconic Bay 2025 scallop harvest remains poor

November 4, 2025 — The 2025 scallop season got off to a rough start in Peconic Bay on Monday, and the prospect of a bountiful haul is not looking good for the fifth straight year.

Charlie Manwaring, owner of the popular Southold Fish Market, said he has about 30 to 40 bushels right now and expects a few more later this week, but doesn’t expect a good year.

“The season sucks. Period. There’s not a lot. It is what it is,” Mr. Manwaring told The Suffolk Times. “We will have some scallops tomorrow. For a couple days, we’re probably going to have some scallops for sale, but it’s probably going to be hit or miss.”

Bay scallops can be harvested from the first Monday in November to March 31. According to the state regulations, they must be 2-1/4 inch length from mid-hinge to mid-bill and display an annual growth ring.

Read the full article at The Suffolk Times

NY fishermen say horseshoe crab management is working

October 14, 2025 — Some ideas sound noble in theory but collapse under the weight of the facts. That’s the case with New York State Assembly Bill 4997 and Senate Bill 4289, legislation that would ban the harvest and sale of horseshoe crabs by New York’s licensed commercial fishermen

Proponents call it “protection.” In reality, it’s an unnecessary ban that would wipe out livelihoods, damage sustainable local fisheries, and ignore the very science-based efforts that state and federal regulators have built together.

Gov. Kathy Hochul understood that last year when she vetoed the same bill. At a time when some were pushing hard for an outright ban, she stood instead with science, with regulators, and with the men and women who make their living on the water. For that, New York’s fishing families are deeply grateful, and hopeful that she will again make the tough but right decision.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman