Saving Seafood

NOAA could take lead on scallop permit-stacking

September 22, 2026 — The New England Fishery Management Council will not prioritize scallop permit-stacking in 2027, potentially leaving NOAA to pursue the controversial permitting change through a federal process.

The council voted overwhelmingly last week to tell federal officials that it “lacks the operational capacity” to take up permit-stacking next year, according to reporting from The New Bedford Light.

The decision follows federal officials’ July request that the council consider six fisheries management actions stemming from President Trump’s 2025 executive order, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.” The order called for reducing regulatory burdens and strengthening U.S. seafood competitiveness.

Of those requests, NOAA would develop the regulatory changes rather than the council, while still providing opportunities for council and public input. Scallop permits have been tied to individual vessels for decades. Permit-stacking would allow owners to place more than one permit on a vessel, potentially allowing that vessel to make additional trips while owners retire older boats from their fleets.

The proposal, however, has divided members of the scallop industry.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

New England regulators won’t make scallop ‘permit-stacking’ a priority in 2027

September 21, 2026 — The New England Fishery Management Council won’t make a controversial scallop permit-stacking proposal a priority in 2027. That’s despite federal officials directing the regulators to do just that.

The council voted overwhelmingly last week to respond to the federal government’s early July request by saying that it “lacks the operational capacity” to take action on the permitting change next year.

Federal officials handed down six requests for the council to discuss, a byproduct of a 2025 Trump Administration executive order aimed at ending “overregulation” and the “erosion of American seafood competitiveness at the hands of unfair foreign trade practices.”

Only one of them, the permit-stacking request, had this caveat: If the council can’t take up the permit stacking issue, federal officials are prepared to consider doing it themselves.

Read the full article at the New Bedford Light

New England Fishery Management Council implementing measures to respond to Trump executive order

September 21, 2026 — The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has implemented multiple measures intended to directly address an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that included a deregulatory wish list featuring desired changes to fisheries the council manages.

During its September 2026 meeting, the council committed to considering some of the measures that Trump proposed in his order, including opening scallop fishery access to the Northern Edge area of Georges Bank. Trump’s order directly called on the NEFMC to open the Northern Edge area, which would mark the first time in 30 years that fishing for scallops would be allowed in the region.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

US Offshore Wind Project Revolution Wind Installs Last Turbine

September 21, 2026 — One of the few large offshore wind projects proceeding in the United States, Revolution Wind completed the installation of its 65th and final wind turbine. The project began delivering power in March despite repeated opposition from the Trump administration and now expects to complete its commissioning by the end of the year.

Revolution Wind is being developed in a 50-50 partnership between Orsted and Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables. Media reports indicate it represents an investment of $6.2 billion to develop and will become the third large, commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the United States to be completed. It is located in Rhode Island Sound, not too far from the Vineyard Wind and South Fork Wind projects, which have already been completed and commissioned.

The project received its final approvals in November 2023 after the companies noted more than nine years of planning and permitting. It has 20-year power purchase agreements to deliver 400 MW to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut.

The project started offshore construction in 2024, and by August 2025 it was reported to be nearly 80 percent complete. The first of its turbines was installed in September 2024, and by August 2025, Revolution Wind said 45 of the 65 Siemens Gamesa turbines were installed.

Read the full article at The Maritime Executive

Council Addresses Executive Order and NOAA Directives through 2027 Work Priorities

September 21, 2026 — The following was released by the New England Fishery Management Council:

During its September 2026 Council Meeting the New England Fishery Management Council addressed multiple management priorities that were identified by NOAA in a July 2, 2026 letter regarding Executive Order 14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”. Updates and Council next steps on each item are outlined below. The Council will send an official response to NOAA by September 30, 2026.

IMPLEMENT ROTATIONAL ACCESS FOR THE NORTHERN EDGE SCALLOP FISHERY

The Council committed to considering scallop fishery access to the Northern Edge during the 2027 priority setting process at the December 2026 meeting. NOAA had requested the Council establish a controlled, rotational limited-access scallop fishery within the Northern Edge Habitat Areas of Particular Concern. This will allow time to evaluate the request alongside all potential 2027 priorities. The Council considered four potential management options to open the area to scalloping including a holistic habitat management review; a dedicated habitat action; a scallop action that builds on previous analyses and alternatives; or not including this work as 2027 priorities which could lead to a Secretarial Action. The Northern Edge is currently designated a Habitat Management Area, which closes it to dragging gear to minimize impacts on essential fish habitat for Atlantic cod, American lobster, Atlantic herring, among other species.

IMPLEMENT SCALLOP PERMIT STACKING

NOAA tasked the Council with pursuing an action on scallop permit stacking but due to capacity constraints, the Council will not include this issue as a 2027 priority, deferring to NOAA and a potential Secretarial Action. While the Council does not have a position on stacking permits, it last took up the issue of consolidation at the September 2022 meeting when it opted not to develop an action to allow leasing in the Limited Access component of the fishery following a scoping process. At the time, the Council cited concerns about job losses and other negative economic impacts on waterfront communities as reasons for not developing an action. The July 2026 NOAA letter also cited these associated risks of stacking including “foreign ownership, job reductions, and erosion of our critical working waterfronts.” Proponents of stacking cite the economic relief of reduced operational costs, reduced congestion in ports and while fishing, and the ability to fish two allocations on their safest and best vessel.

Internal memo shows Trump administration’s plan to allow accidental killing of endangered species

September 21, 2026 — An internal memo from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik shows the agency’s plan to rewrite the definition of “take” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), effectively allowing unintended harm to or killing of threatened wildlife.

“This stabs at the very heart of the Endangered Species Act by giving federal approval to the killing of some of America’s most beloved wildlife,” Center for Biological Diversity Government Affairs Director Brett Hartl said in a release. “The Trump administration is desperate to annihilate environmental protections, but this incredibly radical measure is both cruel and profoundly unlawful. Killing endangered wildlife is illegal, whether that’s your purpose or not.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Trump rescinds executive order coordinating Chesapeake Bay restoration over “rain taxes”

September 21, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump has rescinded a 17-year-old executive order directing federal agencies to coordinate restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, claiming that it’s been used to improperly justify stormwater management fees – or rain taxes – implemented by municipalities.

The president went on to state that enough progress has been made on improving the water quality and environmental health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed that the executive order issued by then-U.S. President Barrack Obama is no longer needed.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Lawsuits challenge deep-sea mining in Marianas, American Samoa

September 14, 2026 — Conservation and community groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the Trump administration’s plan to kickstart deep-sea mining off the coasts of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. The first lawsuit was specific to the Trump administration’s attempt to launch deep-sea mining off the coast of American Samoa.

Meanwhile, CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds wants territories to get a 50% cut of revenues from any deep-sea mining leases.

Tuesday’s lawsuit is the second filed by Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, on behalf of parties Our Common Wealth 670, PåganWatch, Conservation Council for Hawai’i and Center for Biological Diversity. The first lawsuit was specific to the Trump administration’s attempt to launch deep-sea mining off the coast of American Samoa.

The mining leases were advanced by the Marine Minerals Administration in July and August, first for the seabed of American Samoa and then for the Marianas Islands. A lease sale is planned for Dec. 16 for the Marianas and for American Samoa in November.

Read the full article at Samoa News

NOAA proposal could change protections for NC right whales, turtles

September 11, 2026 — In a move that could have dramatic impacts on the ocean, the federal government wants to remove some protections and modify others for a host of marine life − including sea turtles and North Atlantic right whales off the North Carolina coast − to help revitalize the American seafood industry.

Calling the layers of bureaucracy and red tape commercial fishermen now have to navigate unwieldy and economic anchors, the Trump administration wants to cut back rules and regulations fishermen have to follow to protect endangered species and open protected marine areas to fishing.

But environmentalists and biologists fear the moves could seriously hurt some marine species that are teetering on the edge of extinction or only now showing signs of recovery after decades of recovery efforts.

Read the full article at USA TODAY

US States Sue Trump Administration for Weakening Endangered Species Protections

September 9, 2026 — U.S. states filed two lawsuits on Wednesday accusing President Donald Trump’s ⁠administration ⁠of illegally weakening the federal Endangered Species Act, a landmark ⁠law that has shielded the bald eagle and other wildlife from dangers posed by development.

The lawsuits by the Democratic attorneys ​general of 20 states and Washington, D.C. were filed less than two months after the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce announced final rules that could make it easier for ‌developers, fossil fuel companies and others to disturb ‌lands that environmental advocates say need protection from business interests.

Enacted by Congress in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been credited with saving animals including the California condor, grizzly bear and ⁠humpback whale.

In one lawsuit, ⁠the states challenged a rule that narrowed the Endangered Species Act’s definition of “harm,” which had long included encroachments on ​habitats where endangered animals live.

The new rule, which the states called “a reversal of staggering proportions,” allows oil drilling, mining and other activities in those habitats so long as those activities are not “directed immediately and intentionally” against particular animals, even if they cause injuries or death.

In the other lawsuit, the states challenged two rules. One rule eliminates broad protections for newly threatened species unless the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service creates ​species-specific protections. The second rule requires the government to consider objections by businesses, such as potential economic burdens, before declaring areas as “critical habitats.”

“The Trump administration is ⁠trying to ⁠undermine the law, the will of ⁠Congress and the will of the people ​who overwhelmingly support protections for endangered species,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said at a press conference. “Instead of stewardship, this administration’s approach to our land, to ​our water is one of exploitation.”

Read the full article at US News