Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Announces Closure of Commercial Atlantic Mackerel Fishery

September 12, 2025 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries has projected that 80 percent of the Atlantic mackerel domestic annual harvest (DAH) has been harvested as of September 4, 2025. Therefore, effective 0001 hr local time on September 16, 2025, limited access mackerel vessels may not take and retain, possess, or land more than 10,000 lb of mackerel per trip at any time, and may only land mackerel once per calendar day, through 24:00 hr local time on December 31, 2025. Additionally, open access mackerel vessels may not take and retain, possess, or land more than 2,500 lb of mackerel per trip at any time, and may only land mackerel once per calendar day, through 24:00 hr local time on December 31, 2025.

Limited access vessels that enter port before 0001 hr local time on September 16, 2025, may land and sell more than 10,000 lb of mackerel from that trip, and open access vessels that enter port before 0001 hr local time on September 16, 2025, may land and sell more than 2,500 lb of mackerel from that trip, consistent with the applicable possession limits. The possession limits for the mackerel fishery will reset to the amounts outlined at §§ 648.26(a)(1)(i) and (ii) on January 1, 2026.

Read our fisheries bulletin for more information.

Supporting Fisheries Research and Restoration in Georgia’s Largest Watershed

September 9, 2025 — The Altamaha River Basin in Georgia drains more than 14,000 square miles—including rivers in Athens, Macon, and parts of southeast Atlanta—into the Atlantic Ocean. Fish species like American eel, shad, blueback herring, and sturgeon use the Ocmulgee and Oconee Rivers and other tributaries in the watershed as they migrate upstream. However, several barriers, including the Juliette and Sinclair Dams, limit access to upstream habitat these fish have historically used for spawning. These dams are also reducing the quality of habitat by converting natural, free-flowing rivers into artificial lakes and interrupting the downstream flow of sediment.

NOAA worked alongside state and federal resource agencies to develop a basin-wide plan to re-establish fish passage above human-made barriers. The plan also addressed restoring the quality and quantity of available spawning habitat. To inform strategic fish passage design and implementation of the plan, we funded two university-led studies in the basin.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

U.S. champions sustainable tuna fisheries in Eastern Pacific, boosting American fishermen and conservation

September 9, 2025 — The following was released by the NOAA Fisheries:

The United States took a bold leadership role last week at the annual Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) meeting, driving innovative measures to sustainably manage tuna fisheries in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Under the guidance of NOAA’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries, Andrew Lawler, the U.S. delegation prioritized American interests by enhancing conservation efforts, strengthening monitoring programs, and expanding opportunities for American fishermen.

The IATTC, comprising 21 member nations, convened to manage highly migratory fish stocks using the best available science and consensus-driven decisions. The U.S. spearheaded critical advancements in tropical tuna management, Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) recovery, and regulatory simplification, reinforcing America’s commitment to both environmental stewardship and economic prosperity for its fishing industry.

Bolstering Tropical Tuna Management

The United States led discussions on managing bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna and secured $1.8 million in funding for the Regional Tuna Tagging Program. This U.S.-backed initiative will enhance understanding of tuna distribution and stock health, ensuring sustainable harvests that support U.S. fishermen. The U.S. also championed the creation of the Integrated Port Sampling Program, merging traditional and enhanced monitoring efforts to deliver precise data on stock health and fleet impacts. By reducing closure days for purse seine vessels—after scientific confirmation of healthy tuna stocks—the U.S. fought to ensure greater access for American fishermen to these stocks without compromising sustainability.

Pioneering Fish Aggregating Device Recovery

FADs are critical to efficient fishing in the Eastern Pacific, but abandoned FADs can harm marine ecosystems. The American Tunaboat Association, showcasing U.S. leadership, spearheaded a multinational industry coalition that committed significant funding to FAD recovery programs. With strong U.S. support, the IATTC adopted an expanded resolution to streamline FAD retrieval, promote biodegradable materials, and deploy tracking devices, in an effort to protect marine environments while supporting fishing communities.

Additional Measures to Support American Interests

Furthermore, the United States drove the adoption of measures to reduce regulatory burdens, ensuring American fishermen greater operational efficiency. In addition to securing several adopted measures, the U.S. also supported the creation of a South Pacific Albacore Joint Working Group with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, extending measures to protect silky sharks, and establishing a Dorado Working Group to assess stock health—initiatives that safeguard America’s long-term fishing interests while promoting global sustainability.

“America’s leadership at the IATTC demonstrates our commitment to sustainable fisheries that protect our oceans and empower our fishermen,” said Andrew Lawler. “These measures strengthen our economy, enhance conservation, and position the U.S. as a global leader in responsible fishery management.”

The United States remains dedicated to advancing science-based, America-first policies that ensure the prosperity of its fishing industry and the health of the Eastern Pacific’s marine ecosystems.

Trump admin opens public comments on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness

August 27, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries has opened a public comment period for feedback on how the agency should implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.

“Through our implementation of the President’s Executive Order, NOAA Fisheries is aiming to address the recent decline in fisheries landings and revenues,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler said in a release. “We look forward to receiving input from the public.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Recommendations for Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness

August 26, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries wants to make sure more American seafood gets on American plates. We’re inviting the public to share input on how to help make that a reality.

On April 17, 2025, the President signed an Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. In response, the Department of Commerce, through NOAA Fisheries, launched a bold, coordinated effort to revitalize the U.S. seafood sector. This call for public comments is a critical step in our efforts to fulfill the President’s vision of making the United States the world’s dominant seafood leader.

In recent years, the seafood industry has faced increasing pressures from global competition, evolving market demands, and impacts from changing ocean conditions. Between 2019 and 2023, domestic landings decreased by approximately 1 billion pounds.

“Through our implementation of the President’s Executive Order, NOAA Fisheries is aiming to address the recent decline in fisheries landings and revenues,” Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, Assistant Administrator of NOAA Fisheries commented. “We look forward to receiving input from the public.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Improved eDNA Primer Enhances Rockfish Species Identification in Alaska

August 22, 2025 — A groundbreaking new environmental DNA (eDNA) tool is set to transform how scientists monitor rockfish populations. Rockfish are important to both commercial and recreational fisheries in Alaska. By analyzing DNA collected from water samples, this tool provides unprecedented accuracy in identifying a wide range of rockfish species. This- includes those that are closely related and hard to tell apart using previously available genetic methods.

Finding and identifying different species of rockfish in the ocean can be surprisingly tricky. Many of them have patchy distributions and live in rocky habitats making them difficult to survey using nets. While eDNA has become a popular method to sample fish biodiversity, previous methods were unable to tell apart many of the most abundant rockfish species in Alaska waters. But a new genetic tool, the Sebastes D-loop primer set, is changing that.

DNA primers match a target sequence in the eDNA and allow researchers to amplify species of interest. Primers are designed to identify multiple species of fishes, marine mammals, invertebrates, sharks, or any other organisms that might be in a water sample. In a recent study, NOAA Fisheries scientists demonstrate that the primer set can successfully identify nearly all rockfish species in Alaska waters. It offers a more accurate and efficient way to monitor these commercially important fish. A few closely related species still require extra effort to distinguish. But, this new approach marks a big step forward in monitoring rockfish populations and protecting their habitats.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

A rare glimpse of a quieter ocean

August 22, 2025 — The dramatic disruption of commerce and trade caused by the COVID-19 pandemic presented scientists with an unanticipated opportunity to study the decrease of human-generated noise and its impact on ocean soundscapes.

An analysis of passive acoustic data from four sites across the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans by NOAA and Oregon State University scientists demonstrated that ocean noise levels were significantly diminished during the COVID pandemic due to the abrupt slowdown of commercial ship traffic. In a new paper published in the Nature journal npj Acoustics, scientists report that ocean noise levels decreased by as much as 2 decibels (dB), or about 30%, as compared to pre- and post-pandemic years.

“The tragic COVID pandemic provided an unexpected view of the effects of reduced shipping traffic on underwater noise,” said Robert Dziak, Acoustics Program Manager for NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory(PMEL). “Our findings can help provide a scientific basis for creating quieter marine habitats, particularly in areas important for vulnerable species.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

NFSC used uncrewed vessel to bolster New England fisheries survey

August 20, 2025 — The Northeast Fisheries Science Center used a DriX uncrewed vessel to complement its survey of southern New England fisheries this spring, with the small drone collecting data that would be difficult for traditional research vessels to gather.

NOAA Fisheries has promoted the use of uncrewed systems as an emerging technology that can be used to overcome several challenges to federal government fisheries surveys. Advocates say the autonomous vessels can navigate in areas where larger vessels can’t operate, such as in and around the increasing number of offshore wind developments. While those installations have threatened to disrupt NOAA Fisheries long-term data collection efforts, researchers believe drones can help fill the gaps in data collection.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

FLORIDA: Restoring Habitat, Bolstering the Economy, and Supporting Jobs in Florida

August 20, 2025 — Coastal restoration might bring to mind images of wetlands, sand dunes, and tidal marshes—but there’s another impact of this work: jobs and economic growth.

A new economic analysis shows that community-led restoration contributes broadly to local, state, and national economies. It finds that $72.5 million invested across 12 habitat restoration projects in Florida is estimated to support jobs and wages and increase both spending and economic activity. In total, more than $100 million will be added to the economy.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Uncrewed Vehicle Helps Fill Data Gaps in Northeast’s Difficult-to-Reach Areas

August 19, 2025 — Between April 16 and May 5, 2025, a team of ocean researchers conducted the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s second DriX survey out of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The DriX operated nearly 24/7 for 20 days. It collected data to characterize fish and plankton in Southern New England, including within five wind energy areas at various stages of development. This is a step toward using this innovative technology to study and sample marine life and habitats in places that are challenging for larger research vessels to access.

“Uncrewed systems have the ability to support various stock and ecosystem assessments through data acquisition, particularly in areas that have traditionally been or are increasingly becoming challenging to sample,” explained Conor McManus, Advanced Technology Program Lead for the science center. “We are learning more about how marine ecosystems are changing while improving the technology and operations to be able to use it more expansively in the future.”

The DriX is a submarine-shaped, 25-foot-long uncrewed surface vehicle. Unlike a sub, the DriX operates entirely on the surface. The vehicle is programmed to collect data along transect lines but can correct its course to avoid objects in the water. Similar to a car’s cruise control, it is monitored by trained operators who are remotely present and can take control when necessary. DriX is a flexible platform that can carry many sensors needed to collect oceanographic data. For this survey, DriX was outfitted with:

  • Seapix multibeam sonar (150 kHz)
  • Konsberg EK80 echosounder (38, 70, 120, 200 kHz)
  • Nortek Signature 500 kHz echosounder and acoustic doppler current profiler

These instruments collected data that will help scientists identify fish and plankton fields, as well as currents and other environmental information. For example, data collected by the Seapix can be used to estimate the volume of a school of fish.

DriX and other autonomous and semi-automous vehicles can complement ship-based surveys and improve the efficiency of collecting acoustic and biological data. The DriX could help fill data gaps by working in tandem with our long-term ecosystem surveys, such as the Bottom Trawl Survey. The science center’s surveys, including the Bottom Trawl, have been consistently collecting data on fisheries, ocean conditions, and habitat from the Gulf of Maine to North Carolina for more than 50 years.

During the first week, scientists launched and accompanied the DriX aboard the R/V Gloria Michelle, a 72-foot research vessel homeported in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. They calibrated the acoustic equipment and plankton sampling systems while collecting oceanographic data in the Revolution Wind Energy Area.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries