Saving Seafood

US lawmakers want NOAA Fisheries to consider climate impacts and shifting stocks in setting fishing quotas

February 5, 2026 — A trio of U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would require NOAA Fisheries to consider the impact of climate change on fish distribution in setting commercial fishing quotas.

“This legislation addresses outdated fishing requirements and ensures that climate change conditions like rising water temperatures that shift fish stocks are prioritized in fishery management plans. Our changing climate has seriously altered our oceans, forcing fishermen to travel far distances to earn a living or throw back valuable fish,” U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said in a release.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Emergency Groundfish Rule Keeps Fleet Fishing as Species Prove More Abundant

February 3, 2026 — The West Coast groundfish fleet will benefit from a new emergency rule increasing catch limits for three key species that have proved more abundant than previously thought. West Coast groundfish make up the largest fishery by volume on the West Coast. The decision provides greater opportunity for the fishery, supplying more domestic seafood for the country.

The rule change improves the competitiveness of the groundfish fleet by increasing catch limits for each of the three species by about 10 percent. The fishery has rebounded from a collapse about 25 years ago to reclaim their place in the nation’s seafood counters.

NOAA Fisheries issued the emergency rule issued this week. It raises the catch limits for shortspine thornyhead, canary rockfish and petrale sole to reflect updated projections showing that larger volumes of the species are available. The higher limits will give the fleet greater flexibility to continue fishing for these and other important species such as Pacific hake or whiting, while ensuring the catch remains sustainable.

“We are undertaking this emergency action to change our regulations based on this new information,” said Ryan Wulff, assistant regional administrator in NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. “We looked at the science and it told us the picture had changed, so we are acting as quickly as possible to provide more opportunities for our fleet.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Tragedy off America’s oldest seaport claims 7 lives as fishing boat sinks in frigid waters

February 2, 2026 — The seven victims of a marine disaster that devastated a storied Massachusetts fishing town included a fifth-generation fisherman, a young federal fisheries observer and a father-and-son crew duo. All died when their fishing boat, the Lily Jean, sank in waters off America’s oldest seaport.

The sinking underscored the risks long inherent in Gloucester’s fishing industry, which spans more than 400 years and was famously chronicled in “The Perfect Storm.” The names of the crew will be added to a city memorial honoring thousands of fishermen lost at sea over generations.

The 72-foot (22-meter) vessel was returning to port early Friday to repair fishing gear when it sank in frigid Atlantic waters. The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday that it was launching a formal investigation into the sinking after suspending a search for survivors Saturday. It has not said what might have caused the sinking, though it said ice buildup from freezing ocean spray can cause a boat to capsize.

“You fish in federal waters, you fish in a Gloucester boat, and you lose your life, you’re forever a Gloucester fisherman,” Gloucester fisherman Al Cottone said.

Read the full article at The Associated Press

Critically endangered right whale found dead off NC coast

February 2, 2026 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that a team of responders attempted to disentangle from fishing gear nearly two months ago was found dead earlier this week off the North Carolina coast.

The 4-year-old male, identified as “Division,” died from injuries caused by being entangled.

An aerial survey team on Tuesday spotted what was left of Division’s carcass floating about 25 miles offshore of Avon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Dec. 4, 2025, responders from NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took to the sea to join forces with a Georgia-based aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in an effort to document Division’s entanglement and monitor his behavior.

Read the full article at the CoastalReview.org

Critically endangered right whale found dead off NC coast

January 30, 2026 — A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that a team of responders attempted to disentangle from fishing gear nearly two months ago was found dead earlier this week off the North Carolina coast.

The 4-year-old male, identified as “Division,” died from injuries caused by being entangled.

An aerial survey team on Tuesday spotted what was left of Division’s carcass floating about 25 miles offshore of Avon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

On Dec. 4, 2025, responders from NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission took to the sea to join forces with a Georgia-based aerial survey team from Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute in an effort to document Division’s entanglement and monitor his behavior.

At that time, Division was off Georgia’s coast near St. Simons Island.

Read the full article at CoastalReview.org

ALASKA: Study supports shore-based observers in Alaska pollock

January 28, 2026 — A recent study by NOAA Fisheries found that shore-based observers can effectively strengthen catch accounting in Alaska’s pollock fishery, offering a viable complement to electronic monitoring systems used at sea.

The Alaska pollock fishery is the largest U.S. fishery by volume and one of the largest in the world, and it sets the standard for accurate accounting and supports sustainable management and regulatory compliance. In addition to tracking pollock landings, managers must closely monitor prohibited species catch, including salmon and halibut.

Traditionally, this work has been carried out by at-sea observers collecting catch data and biological samples aboard vessels. But deploying observers at sea can be expensive and logistically challenging. In response, hybrid monitoring programs-combining electronic monitoring at sea with human observers on shore- are increasingly being explored, especially in low-discard fisheries where most catch is landed.

Researchers from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center evaluated the effectiveness of shore-based observers in the Alaska pollock trawl fishery under a voluntary exempted fishing permit. The study examined whether observers stationed at fish processing plants could meet core monitoring responsibilities, fulfill expanded sampling duties, and verify the accuracy of industry-reported catch data.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

ALASKA: Shore-Based Observers Strengthen Catch Accounting in Alaska’s Pollock Fishery

January 26, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries is required by law to monitor fishery catches to ensure sustainable management of U.S. fisheries. The Alaska pollock fishery is the largest U.S. fishery by volume, and one of the largest in the world. Accurate accounting of pollock and other landed species—along with the catch of prohibited species such as salmon and halibut—is critical for science-based management and compliance with regulations. Traditionally, fisheries observers working on-board Alaska pollock vessels filled this role by collecting catch information and biological samples. These data contribute to stock assessments and catch accounting.

However, deploying at-sea observers can be both logistically challenging and expensive in some fisheries. As a result, hybrid monitoring programs, which combine electronic monitoring at sea with human shore-based observers, are becoming more common. They are well suited for low-discard fisheries which land all, or most of, the catch.

Researchers at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center evaluated the implementation of shore-based observers in the Alaska walleye pollock trawl fishery. The study, conducted under a voluntary exempted fishing permit, examined whether shore-based observers stationed at fish processing plants could:

  • Meet core monitoring responsibilities
  • Fulfill expanded sampling duties
  • Verify the accuracy of industry-reported catch data

New Jersey fishermen challenge monitoring rule again

January 23, 2026 — Following their victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024, commercial fishers from New Jersey are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to vacate a NOAA Fisheries rule requiring them to pay out of pocket for at-sea monitors.

“Forcing fishermen to pay the salaries of government regulators watching them conduct their work is backward,” New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) Senior Litigation Counsel Kara Rollins said in a statement. “The regulation unlawfully places the government’s financial responsibilities onto the governed and without congressional authorization.”

The lawsuit centers on the Industry-Funded Monitoring (IFM) rule introduced by NOAA Fisheries in 2020. The rule requires commercial fishers in multiple fisheries – Atlantic herring, squid, butterfish, and Atlantic mackerel – to pay out of pocket for at-sea monitors to be present on their vessels and observe their operations.

The fishers claimed the requirement would be devastating to their business, with monitors reportedly costing more than $700 per day. According to the NCLA, that cost can eat up any profit the fishers made in a day, and over a multi-day trip, costs could become exorbitant.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource