Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Finds Listing Gulf of Alaska Chinook Salmon Under the Endangered Species Act “Not Warranted”

May 13, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has completed a status review and 12-month finding for Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon in response to a January 2024 petition. The Wild Fish Conservancy petitioned to delineate and list one or more evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) of Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 

We have determined that listing any of the three ESUs of Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon under the Endangered Species Act is not warranted. This determination is based on the best available scientific and commercial information and the findings of the status review.

 

Magnuson-Stevens Act at 50: Charting a Course to Sustainable Fisheries

May 8, 2026 — In April, we celebrated the 50 years since the United States signed the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This landmark law set the United States on a course toward sustainably and cooperatively managed marine resources. But in order to appreciate how far we’ve ventured, it helps to understand why we embarked.

Vacuuming the Seas

The mid-20th century was a boom time for fishing around the world. Technological advances changed how people harvested, transported, and consumed seafood. More fish were being harvested off the coasts of the United States, but not necessarily by American fishermen.

Between 1965 and 1975, the volume of fish caught by foreign fishing vessels in the United States exceeded the catch of domestic harvesters. The newer, larger, far-ranging factory trawlers of the foreign fleets would anchor just beyond the 3-nautical-mile U.S. territorial limit. As Senator Warren Magnuson (D-Washington) recalled, the fleets were “virtually vacuuming the seas” of valuable marine life—and economic opportunity. When they depleted one stock, they simply moved on to the next. In many cases, they sold their harvest back to American consumers after

“If the U.S. is to maintain world prominence,” warned Magnuson, “we must learn to steward our declining resources.” He partnered with Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), Representative Don Young (R-Alaska) and Representative Gerry Studds (D-Massachusetts) to push for action through extensive deliberations in both chambers of Congress.

Lawmakers agreed that a serious problem existed, but they debated how to solve it. The 94th Congress considered dozens of proposals before combining ideas into one law. On April 13, 1976, they passed what is now known as the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Trump proposes 41 percent cut to NOAA Fisheries budget, transferring ESA and MMPA responsibilities

May 7, 2026 — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed a 41 percent budget cut to NOAA Fisheries, which includes the removal of effectively all protected species and habitat conservation functions.

“Funding cuts for NOAA could not come at a worse time when you consider just how vulnerable American fisheries and fishermen are right now,” Jeff Watters, vice president of external affairs at NGO Ocean Conservancy, said in a release. “We are essentially putting blindfolds on and hoping for the best.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA Fisheries wants to ditch Atlantic herring monitors

May 7, 2026 — The Trump administration is pressuring regional officials to roll back a monitoring program for Atlantic herring fisheries, reversing course on regulations that sparked the legal battle that upended the Chevron doctrine.

NOAA Fisheries chief Eugenio Piñeiro Soler outlined the directive in a May 1 letter to the New England Fishery Management Council, the regional agency charged with creating management plans and setting catch limits.

Pointing to an executive order on “seafood competitiveness” issued by President Donald Trump in 2025, Soler directed the council to reverse an earlier decision to leave the monitoring program in place. He warned that failing to do so might spur involvement by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Read the full article at E&E News

Breaking Barriers to “Big Earth Data”

May 6, 2026 — Dr. Elizabeth “Eli” Holmes received the prestigious Earth Science Information Partners Martha Maiden 2026 Award in January. Dr. Holmes’ 25-year career at NOAA Fisheries demonstrates a deep commitment to advancing open science, fostering collaboration across agencies, and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

At NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Dr. Holmes creates a bridge to apply fisheries and ocean data to solve conservation problems. For example, turning data from fisheries observing systems into actionable information via publicly available models can improve population status assessments, harvest models, and forecasts of imminent threats such as harmful algal blooms. She has developed innovative quantitative tools such as statistical algorithms that support population trend assessments and conservation efforts for species, like endangered Pacific salmon.

Education and training are her passions and the center of her devotion to data accessibility. She has been heavily involved in organizing, teaching, and mentoring at earth science events. She is an affiliate faculty for the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.

In recent years, she has focused on making “big earth data” accessible to the wider fisheries community. “Big earth data” refers to the massive, complex datasets that describe Earth’s systems. These include oceanographic and climate data from remote-sensing satellites, mooring buoys, and underwater gliders that drive models providing forecasts of climate, ocean conditions, and more. She has organized more than 10 different ocean hackweeks and taught more than 500 career scientists.

“Dr. Holmes’ work strengthens scientists’ ability to produce transparent, reproducible, and accessible science, hallmarks of scientific integrity and public trust,” said Corinne Bassin, head of data solutions at Schmidt Ocean Institute, who nominated her for the award.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Coonamessett Farm Foundation Releases Final Report on Scallop Dredge Configurations and Catch Efficiency

May 6, 2026 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

The Coonamessett Farm Foundation has released the final report for its project
entitled: Tension in the Air: Using a Tensiometer to Assess Dredge Fullness and Loss During
Haul-back Comparing Different Dredge Configurations. This report was submitted to NOAA
Fisheries in March 2026 and was prepared under the 2024 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside
Program continuing more than a decade of collaborative, industry-based research. The report
evaluates the performance of three dredge configurations, 5-row apron, traditional 7-row apron,
and extended-link apron, under commercially representative conditions using paired dredge
deployments across four research trips conducted between September 2024 and July 2025 on
Georges Bank and adjacent areas.

A key innovation of this work was the integration of a tensiometer to measure warp tension in
real time, providing a novel approach to assessing dredge loading, performance, and catch loss
throughout both towing and haul-back phases.

This research demonstrated that while the 5-row apron configuration-maintained scallop catch
rates comparable to the 7-row configuration, the reduction in windowpane flounder bycatch was
modest  relative to an extended link apron. The 5-row apron configuration as required by
Framework Adjustment 25 represents an incremental improvement rather than an impactful
solution for reducing windowpane flounder bycatch in the sea scallop fishery. Additionally, the
application of tensiometer technology provides a powerful new tool for understanding dredge
dynamics and optimizing fishing practices.

More information about the project and the full report is available here:
https://www.coonamessettfarmfoundation.org/news-1/tension-in-the-air

Those Who Go to Sea

May 5, 2026 — I’m a field scientist for the Cooperative Research Branch and come from a long line of Gloucester fishermen, although no one in my immediate family took up the trade. My favorite aspect of my job is working collaboratively with fishermen. My second favorite thing is listening to their stories.

I’ve sailed often aboard the F/V Miss Trish II to update the conversion factors for groundfish species. On my most recent trip, I asked the crew, “How did you start out fishing and what keeps you coming back time and time again?” Here’s what they had to say.

Lenny, Captain

Lenny Russo is the captain of the F/V Miss Trish II out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. It’s a family owned and operated vessel—a rarity among large commercial trawlers these days. His very first trip was during the summer when he was just 13 years old. At the time, his father was harder on him because he was his kid and he didn’t want the rest of the crew to think he was getting special treatment. After completing a construction management associates degree, a recession led him to take up fishing on the family boat. In his first trip he made $5,000 in 5 days and never looked back. For a young 22 year old, that was a lot of money, especially when jobs out of college were only offering him $30,000 a year. But, fishing isn’t always a lucrative business. During his second year he brought home far less than the first. It made him realize you have to really save for those rainy days or years due to the inconsistency of fishing.

After 7 years in the fish hold he was ready for more and left to become first mate aboard the F/V Theresa Marie IV out of Portland, Maine. He ended up in Alaska for a year as a deckhand where he bought a boat and permit for the salmon fishery there. During the off season, he came back East. He first worked out of Boston, Massachusetts, and later captained the F/V Harmony out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, for a few years.

“I wanted to learn from a bunch of people. In Gloucester, we do it differently than people in Boston and they do it differently from the Mainers.”

Since his father’s retirement, Lenny now captains the family boat full time. After many years of doing the grunt work, his favorite aspect of being captain is being able to wear his flip flops in the dead of winter.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

New System Maps and Charts West Coast Fisheries Data to Inform Decisions on Ocean Uses

May 5, 2026 — A new system combines decades of fisheries data and statistics to visualize West Coast fisheries and how they have changed over time.

The Pacific Fishing Effort Mapping Project was led by researchers at NOAA, state wildlife departments, and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. It consolidates location and catch data from fishing vessels with landings and economic figures into revealing maps and charts of major West Coast fisheries. It then shows how they may be affected by other ocean uses. For instance, the new system turns data on the catch value of groundfish into a landscape of colors depicting the West Coast, where the highest value catch areas stand out boldly.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

United States Pushes for Stronger Action to Fight Illegal Fishing and Sustainably Manage Fisheries in the North Pacific

May 5, 2026 — The United States advanced its goals to combat harmful fishing practices at the North Pacific Fisheries Commission’s 10th annual meeting in Osaka, Japan, in April. The Commission is a regional fisheries management organization. It manages pelagic and deep-sea fisheries in the high seas of the North Pacific, other than those managed by other international organizations. The United States is one of nine Commission members.

The United States does not have fishing vessels active under NPFC but its outcomes align with broader U.S. objectives related to:

  • Promoting sustainable fisheries management
  • Bolstering maritime security on the high seas adjacent to U.S. waters
  • Ensuring U.S. seafood imports derive from legal, well-managed fisheries

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing

A top U.S. priority is combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. IUU fishing undermines sustainable fisheries management, U.S. seafood competitiveness, and consumer confidence in seafood supplies.

The Commission took several steps to strengthen and implement tools to combat IUU fishing at its annual meeting, including adopting a measure on minimum standards for port inspections. This measure lays out basic obligations for port states and other actors when foreign fishing vessels request entry into port. It will help prevent the landing and entry into commerce of IUU fish and fish products. It is aligned with the Agreement on Port State Measures and related information exchange systems. Adoption of the measure complements similar measures in other regional fisheries management organizations. It also strengthens other monitoring, control, and surveillance tools the Commission has in place to combat IUU fishing at sea, such as:

  • High seas boardings and inspections
  • Vessel monitoring systems
  • Transshipment observer program

The Commission also adopted a U.S. proposal to amend the measure that establishes a list of vessels involved in IUU fishing and imposes consequences on those vessels. The existing measure had a potential gap in the timeframe under which vessels could be nominated for inclusion on the list. The U.S. proposal successfully closed that gap and strengthened other aspects of the measure. It launched a process to develop clearer procedures to share information with other regional fisheries management organizations and take comparable measures against vessels on other organizations’ IUU vessel lists.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

NOAA announces USD 99 million for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund

May 5, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries has announced USD 99 million (EUR 85 million) in annual funding for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, though the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is once again pushing to terminate the fund.

“The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has a strong track record of supporting states and Tribes in completing projects that support the economy,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler said in a release. “The projects help increase Pacific salmon populations, which sustain federal ocean fisheries and benefit tribes.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource