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Browse 293 rules and proposed rules from the Federal Register.
293
Total Regulations
Showing 31–60 of 293
Page 2 / 10
NMFS closes commercial harvest for the Atlantic migratory group of Spanish mackerel in the southern zone. NMFS projects that landings of Spanish mackerel will soon reach the commercial quota for the Atlantic southern zone in the 2025-2026 fishing year. Accordingly, NMFS closes the Atlantic southern zone to commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel. This closure is necessary to protect the Spanish mackerel resource in the Atlantic.
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent the underharvest of, and to achieve the full use of, the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 57 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/ Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP), to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, amendment 57 would make a number of non-substantive, administrative changes to the Crab FMP including updates to informational content on the status of crab stocks, fisheries, and communities, as well as reorganizing the structure for clarity and logical sequence. These "housekeeping" changes would not change the management of any fisheries. The proposed amendment is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Crab FMP, and other applicable laws. NMFS will consider public comments in deciding whether to approve, disapprove, or partially approve amendment 57.
NMFS issues these proposed regulations to remove the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area off central California for all groundfish fisheries and implement a new Groundfish Exclusion Area for all groundfish fisheries to protect sensitive habitat. The purpose of this proposed rule is to simplify regulatory complexity associated with overlapping fishery closures in the Cordell Bank area, and to increase fishing opportunity, while still protecting the Cordell Bank ecosystem. NMFS also announces the availability of a draft environmental assessment that analyzes the potential effects of the proposed rule.
NMFS has received a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) for promulgation of incidental take regulations (ITR) and issuance of an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) that would authorize continued take of marine mammals over 5 years (2026-2031) incidental to the construction, maintenance and use of sea ice roads, trails and adjacent ice pads after the expiration of the existing ITR and LOA. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting takes and requests comments on the proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule, if promulgated.
NMFS publishes inseason orders to regulate treaty tribal and non-tribal (all citizen) commercial salmon fisheries in United States (U.S.) waters of the Fraser River Panel (Panel) Area. In 2025, eight orders were issued by the Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission (Commission) and approved and issued by NMFS for fisheries within the U.S. Panel Area. These orders established fishing dates, times, and areas for the gear types of U.S. treaty tribal and all citizen commercial fisheries during the period the Panel exercised jurisdiction over these fisheries.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
This emergency rule temporarily increases 2026 harvest specifications and sector allocations for shortspine thornyhead, canary rockfish, and petrale sole in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. This increase in harvest specifications is based on new, recently discovered information from the latest catch-only projections, which show a higher biomass of these species available for harvest than determined by stock assessments used to set the 2025-26 harvest specifications and management measures. This action is necessary to alleviate significant direct economic loss caused by restrictive annual catch limits for these species.
The Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA or the Act) charges NOAA with the responsibility for issuing licenses for exploration and permits for commercial recovery of hard mineral resources, as defined in the Act, from the deep seabed in areas beyond national jurisdiction and promulgating regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of the Act. Some provisions of the regulations require updating to reflect significant technological and information changes since promulgation of the initial regulations in the 1980s. NOAA has included a consolidated license and permit application process in a section of the regulations reserved for this purpose and has made other clarifying and conforming changes.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
By this rule, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA") is eliminating a part of the Code of Federal Regulations that consists solely of a single provision cross- referencing another part of the Code. This action is necessary to streamline and simplify NOAA's regulations. The intended effect of this action is to reduce administrative clutter without altering any substantive rights or obligations.
NMFS closes the General category fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the January through March time period. The General category may only retain, possess, or land large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) BFT when the fishery is open. This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. During the closure, fishermen aboard General category permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On June 1, 2026, the fishery will reopen automatically.
NMFS closes the Angling category southern area fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm)) curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally.
We, NMFS, have completed a comprehensive status review for the Olympic Peninsula (OP) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss, in response to a petition to list this species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We have determined that OP steelhead is a DPS under the ESA and that listing is not warranted at this time. Accordingly, NMFS will continue to monitor the OP steelhead DPS status, including working closely with Tribal and State co-managers.
NMFS announces that the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) has transmitted Amendment 25 (Revised) to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, Amendment 25 would revise the stocks of Atlantic cod managed in the FMP and include measures in the FMP necessary to manage four stocks of Atlantic cod in U.S. waters. The Council has deemed this action necessary to incorporate the best scientific information available from the most recent Research Track Assessment of Atlantic Cod and establish associated management measures under the FMP. This notice is intended to alert the public to this action and provide an opportunity for comment.
NMFS announces that the quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2026 will remain status quo. NMFS also suspends the minimum size limit for Atlantic surfclams for the 2026 fishing year. Regulations for these fisheries require NMFS to notify the public of the allowable harvest levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive Economic Zone even if the previous year's quota specifications remain unchanged. The 2026 quotas were previously announced as projected values. This action confirms the final quotas are unchanged from those projections. This action continues to provide sustainable fishing opportunities to these fisheries.
NMFS is transferring 26.0 metric tons (mt) of Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) quota from the General category December 2026 subquota to the January through March 2026 subquota period. The adjusted General category January through March 2026 subquota is 63.7 mt and the adjusted December 2026 subquota is 11.0 mt. This action is intended to provide further harvest opportunities for General category fishermen, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments and applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for BFT. Note that NMFS intends to take separate rulemaking action as soon as possible in 2026 to consider modifying the baseline BFT quota consistent with the quota adopted at the 2025 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) annual meeting.
NMFS is implementing a 2,000 pound (lb) (907.2 kilogram (kg)) possession limit for Atlantic herring in Management Area 1B. This is required because NMFS projects that herring catch from Area 1B will reach 92 percent of the Area's sub-annual catch limit before the end of the fishing year. This action is intended to prevent overharvest of herring in Area 1B, which would result in additional catch limit reductions in a subsequent year.
NMFS is proposing several changes for commercial and recreational Atlantic shark fisheries. Specifically, NMFS is considering options to remove the blacknose shark management boundary in the Atlantic region, modify the commercial retention limit for blacknose sharks in the Atlantic region, revise the recreational minimum size limits for Atlantic shark species, and revise the recreational retention limits for Atlantic shark species. In this action, NMFS would also remove commercial management group quota linkages, consistent with Amendment 14 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and make technical changes to clarify certain HMS regulations. This action is responsive to the framework for implementing management measures established in Amendment 14, findings from the Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE) document, public comments from scoping for Amendment 16 to the HMS FMP, and recent domestic laws and international agreements that are having direct and indirect impacts on shark fisheries. The goal of this action is to increase management flexibility to react to changes in the Atlantic shark fisheries and optimize the ability of the commercial and recreational shark fisheries to harvest quota to the extent practicable.
NMFS is taking a deregulatory action to revise the regulations implementing the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan (HPTRP) to ensure the HPTRP is consistent with a gillnet gear requirement previously put in place under the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan to reduce bycatch of Atlantic sturgeon. This action is necessary to inform the public about an amendment to the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan altering the minimum twine size requirement to ensure that fishermen may use the low-profile gillnet gear required by the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan and also be in compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act while fishing in the New Jersey Atlantic Sturgeon Bycatch Reduction Area.
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) from vessels using jig gear, to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the A season allowance of the 2026 TAC of Pacific cod to be harvested.
NMFS announces that the State of New Jersey is transferring a portion of their 2025 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2025 commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey and North Carolina.
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for king mackerel using run-around gillnet gear in the southern zone of the Gulf of America (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for the 2025-2026 fishing year. NMFS has determined that commercial landings of king mackerel harvested by run-around gillnet gear in the Gulf southern zone in the 2024-2025 fishing year have exceeded the component's annual catch limit (ACL). Therefore, NMFS implements the AM to reduce the commercial gillnet component ACL for king mackerel in the Gulf southern zone for the 2025-2026 fishing year.
NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2025 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of New Jersey. This adjustment to the 2025 fishing year quota is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2025 commercial quotas for North Carolina and New Jersey.
NMFS announces that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has submitted Amendment 21 to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan for review and approval by the Secretary of Commerce. We are requesting comments from the public on the amendment. Amendment 21, also known as the Species Separation Requirements Amendment, would allow both surfclams and ocean quahogs to be landed on the same fishing trip. To ensure accurate accounting for the catch, the amendment would also implement additional monitoring and reporting requirements, both at sea and at the dealer where the mixed catch would be sorted.
NMFS is adjusting the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Pacific cod fisheries. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined that these TACs are incorrectly specified and that the adjustments are necessary to ensure that harvest of Pacific cod does not exceed biological limits for the stock, as established by the best scientific information available for Pacific cod in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP).
NMFS is finalizing the 2026 Atlantic herring specifications and river herring and shad catch caps for the Atlantic herring fishery. This action is necessary to implement previously projected 2026 Atlantic herring specifications, including the river herring and shad catch caps. This action is intended to achieve the objectives of the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan, including preventing overfishing, helping rebuild an overfished stock, and achieving optimum yield on a continuing basis.
NMFS announces that the State of New York is transferring a portion of their 2025 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP) quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2025 commercial bluefish quotas for New York and North Carolina.