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Browse 226 rules and proposed rules from the Federal Register.
226
Total Regulations
Showing 91–120 of 226
Page 4 / 8
NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific Ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific Ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA has been or will be reached.
NMFS adjusts the 2025 Winter II commercial scup quota and per- trip Federal landing limit. This action is necessary to comply with regulations implementing Framework Adjustment 3 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan that established the rollover of unused commercial scup quota from the Winter I to the Winter II period. This notification informs the public of the quota and trip limit changes.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock by vessels using trawl gear in the Winter Herring Savings Area of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 herring bycatch allowance specified for the midwater pollock fishery in the BSAI. This action includes prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in the Winter Herring Savings Area by vessels participating in the Community Development Quota Program.
NMFS approves and implements 2025-2026 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP), as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This action sets 2025 and projected 2026 butterfish fishery specifications and reaffirms 2025 chub mackerel, Illex squid, longfin squid, and Atlantic mackerel fishery specifications. These final specifications are intended to establish allowable harvest levels that will prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information. This action also adjusts the minimum square mesh size for directed butterfish trawl trips and corrects existing regulations.
NMFS implements an accountability measure for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects that commercial landings of red snapper will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2025 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for red snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper resource.
NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2025 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 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 Massachusetts.
NMFS closes the General category fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the September 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. This action also waives the previously scheduled restricted- fishing days (RFDs) for the remainder of the September time period. With the RFDs waived 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 the catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. On October 1, 2025, the fishery will reopen automatically and previously scheduled RFDs for October will resume.
This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial and recreational groundfish fisheries. These inseason adjustments will change depth restrictions and trip limits for some stocks in recreational and commercial groundfish fisheries off the California coast to allow more attainment of healthy stocks that co-occur with California quillback rockfish. This action is intended to allow commercial and recreational fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
NMFS announces the re-opening of commercial harvest for blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic through this temporary rule. The most recent data for commercial landings of blueline tilefish indicate the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2025 fishing year has not yet been reached. Therefore, NMFS re-opens the commercial sector to harvest blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ for 6 days. The purpose of this temporary rule is to allow for the commercial ACL of blueline tilefish to be harvested while managing the risk of exceeding the commercial ACL.
NMFS is closing the commercial Atlantic mackerel fishery through December 31, 2025. This closure is required by regulation because NMFS projects that 80 percent of the mackerel domestic annual harvest has been harvested. This action is necessary to comply with the regulations implementing the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan and is intended to prevent overharvest of Atlantic mackerel.
NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts and North Carolina.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2025 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of New York. 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 York.
NMFS is implementing annual harvest specifications and management measures for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine (hereafter, Pacific sardine), for the fishing year from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. This rule prohibits most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest is allowed for use only as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The incidental harvest of Pacific sardine will be limited to 20 percent by weight of all fish per trip when caught with other stocks managed under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP), or up to 2 metric tons (mt) per trip when caught with non-coastal pelagic species stocks. The harvest specifications for 2025-2026 include an overfishing limit (OFL) of 4,645 mt, an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 3,957, an annual catch limit (ACL) of 2,200 mt, and an annual catch target (ACT) of 2,100 mt. This final rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 18 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. This framework would modify exemptions to the minimum mesh size requirements in the commercial summer flounder fishery. The purpose of this action is to increase flexibility for the commercial fishing industry.
NMFS is prohibiting retention of blackspotted and rougheye rockfish in the Central Aleutian Island and Western Aleutian Island districts (CAI/WAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2025 blackspotted and rougheye rockfish total allowable catch (TAC) in the CAI/WAI of the BSAI will soon be or has been reached.
NMFS proposes to implement an annual catch limit (ACL) for Deep 7 bottomfish in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) for fishing years 2024-2025, 2025-2026, and 2026-2027. The fishing year for the fishery begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of the following year. This rule does not revise, add, or remove the current accountability measures (AM). The proposed rule supports the long-term sustainability of the Deep 7 bottomfish fishery.
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 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for the Gulf of America (Gulf) greater amberjack commercial sector for the 2025 fishing year through this temporary rule. NMFS has determined that Gulf greater amberjack commercial landings have reached the commercial annual catch target (ACT). Therefore, the 2025 commercial fishing season for greater amberjack in the Gulf exclusive economic zone (EEZ) will close on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and will remain closed through December 31, 2025. These actions are necessary to protect the Gulf greater amberjack resource.
NMFS is exchanging allocations of Amendment 80 cooperative quota (CQ) for Amendment 80 acceptable biological catch (ABC) reserves. This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) to be harvested.
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processor vessels to amendment 80 vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.
NMFS proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures for Pacific mackerel in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the West Coast for the fishing year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and the fishing year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. These specifications include overfishing limits (OFL), allowable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACL), harvest guidelines (HG), and annual catch targets (ACT) for each respective fishing year. If the fishery attains the ACT for either fishing year, 8,143 metric tons (mt) for 2025-2026 or 9,448 mt for 2026-2027, the directed fishery will close, reserving the 1,000-mt difference between the HG and ACT as a set-aside for incidental landings in other coastal pelagic species (CPS) fisheries and other sources of mortality. The HG is 9,143 mt for 2025-2026 and 10,448 mt for 2026-2027. This rulemaking is made pursuant to the CPS Fishery Management Plan (FMP), and is intended to conserve and manage the Pacific mackerel stock off the U.S. West Coast.
On March 18, 2025, NMFS published the final rule to implement the 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). Following publication, errors were identified in table 21, which provides notice of allocations of groundfish and apportionments of PSC limits for the Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups. This rule corrects the errors in table 21.
NMFS proposes regulations to implement Amendment 55 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would remove yellowmouth grouper from the other South Atlantic shallow water grouper (other SASWG) complex and establish a new scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex. This proposed rule would establish catch levels, sector management measures, and accountability measures (AM) for the new scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex and establish catch levels for the revised other SASWG complex. In addition, Amendment 55 would establish a rebuilding plan, sector allocations, and status determination criteria (SDC) for the scamp and yellowmouth grouper complex. The purpose of this proposed rule and Amendment 55 is to rebuild the scamp and yellowmouth grouper stock, and achieve optimum yield (OY) while minimizing, to the extent practicable, adverse social and economic effects.
This advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeks comment on the benefits or disadvantages of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) potentially recommending future restrictions for the federally permitted recreational for-hire fisheries for summer flounder, scup, black sea bass, and bluefish. The Council requested NMFS establish a control date while managers consider if, and how, participation may be affected through the ongoing Recreational Sector Separation and Data Collection Amendment. NMFS is informing the public of the new control date to promote awareness of the potential changes to eligibility criteria for future access and to discourage speculative entry into the Federal for-hire fisheries.
NMFS is proposing changes to regulations to implement the binding International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendation 24-12 on mobulid rays of the family Mobulidae, which was adopted in 2024. Specifically, NMFS is proposing to prohibit retention of mobulid rays in fisheries for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS), to require mobulid rays to be released unharmed in HMS fisheries, and to implement mobulid ray handling practices for vessels fishing with pelagic longline gear.
NMFS closes the Angling category fishery for school and large school/small medium-sized (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 centimeters (cm)) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. In addition to this closure, NMFS through a separate action is simultaneously closing the Angling category Gulf of Maine BFT fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) CFL or greater). As a result of these closure actions, the Angling category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for the remainder of the year. This closure applies to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT).
NMFS closes the Angling category Gulf of Maine area fishery for large medium and giant ("trophy" (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 centimeters (cm)) curved fork length (CFL) or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. The Gulf of Maine area trophy fishery is defined as north of lat. 42[deg] N. This action applies to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when fishing recreationally for BFT. In addition to this closure, NMFS, through a separate action, is simultaneously closing the Angling category fishery for school and large school/small medium (i.e., measuring 27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) CFL) BFT. As a result of these closure actions, the Angling category fishery for BFT of all size classes is closed for the remainder of the year.
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear, trawl catcher vessels, and catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.