Loading
Loading
Your feedback directly shapes Sporos.
Sign in to track your feedback history
Browse 226 rules and proposed rules from the Federal Register.
226
Total Regulations
Showing 121–150 of 226
Page 5 / 8
NMFS is implementing a 2,000-lb (907.2-kg) possession limit for Atlantic herring for Management Area 1A. This adjustment is required because NMFS projects that herring catch from Area 1A has reached 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 1A, which would result in additional catch limit reductions in a subsequent year.
NMFS announces inseason action for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds fishing dates in August and September in the Columbia River and Washington subareas and transfers allocation from the Oregon Central Coast subarea to the Columbia River subarea. These actions are intended to provide opportunity for anglers and are necessary to achieve the overall recreational fishery allocation in the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) 2025 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan.
NMFS proposes a rule to implement amendment 125 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). Amendment 125 would add a small vessel provision to the current BSAI Pacific cod jig sector in the A season, January 1 to April 30. Under this small vessel provision, catch from catcher vessels (CV) using hook-and-line or pot gear that are less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) harvesting Pacific cod in the BSAI during the jig gear A season would accrue to the jig sector allocation. This action would provide stability and additional opportunities for some fishery participants and potential new entrants. It also advances the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.
NMFS announces inseason action for the 2025 Pacific halibut non-Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a fishing period, July 22 through July 24, 2025, with a fishing period catch limit of 5,000 pounds (2.3 metric tons (mt)) per vessel, dressed weight. This action is intended to provide opportunity to achieve the 2025 non-Tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.
NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS estimates that commercial landings of blueline tilefish will soon reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2025 fishing year. Accordingly, NMFS closes the commercial sector for the harvest of blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ to protect the blueline tilefish resource from overfishing.
This final rule announces routine inseason adjustments to management measures in commercial groundfish fisheries. These inseason adjustments will increase sablefish trip limits in the limited entry fixed gear and open access groundfish fisheries to allow more attainment of sablefish within the sector allocations. This action is intended to allow commercial fishing vessels to access more abundant groundfish stocks while protecting overfished and depleted stocks.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch of dusky rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.
NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific cod by catcher/ processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has been or will be reached.
NMFS announces that the commercial per-trip possession limit for the blueline tilefish fishery in the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office Tilefish Management Unit (i.e., north of the Virginia/ North Carolina border) has been reduced for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This announcement informs the public of the reduced blueline tilefish possession limit. This action is intended to prevent over-harvest of blueline tilefish commercial quota for the fishing year.
This final rule authorizes fee collection for the Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) Program. A charter halibut stamp (stamp) is required under this final rule for every charter vessel angler, 18 years of age or older, for each charter vessel fishing trip in a given calendar day, or each calendar day during a charter vessel fishing trip that spans multiple days, who intends to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory areas 2C in Southeast Alaska and 3A in South Central Alaska. Persons who hold charter halibut permits (CHPs) must purchase electronic stamps from NMFS. Charter vessel guides are required to validate a stamp for each adult charter vessel angler intending to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel fishing trip. This final rule is necessary to promote stability and economic viability in the charter halibut fishery and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act), and other applicable laws.
NMFS closes the Harpoon category fishery for large medium and giant (i.e., measuring 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) or greater) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) for the remainder of the 2025 fishing year. This closure applies to Atlantic Tunas Harpoon category permitted vessels.
On May 1, 2019, MARAD published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), titled "How Best to Simplify Filing Statements of American Fisheries Act Citizenship: Policy and Regulatory Review," soliciting public comment on steps MARAD could take to simplify and modernize the process for evidencing U.S. citizenship for owners of U.S.-flag fishing industry vessels of 100 feet or greater in registered length. In response to public support for updating our regulations, MARAD is soliciting public comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Consistent with comments received, the proposed rule would simplify the annual citizenship filing procedures under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) program in order to reduce costs or administrative burdens placed on owners of fishing industry vessels. MARAD proposes (1) to simplify and streamline annual renewal filing for vessel owners whose citizenship information has not changed since their affidavit of U.S. citizenship (AFA Affidavit) filing; (2) to update acceptable methods for evidencing citizenship of publicly traded entities; and (3) to eliminate requirements to provide personally identifiable information (i.e., social security numbers and dates and places of birth for corporate officers and directors) in affidavits of AFA citizenship.
NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland turbot, BS "other rockfish," BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) "other flatfish." This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.
This final rule announces the 2025 U.S. Total Allowable Catch of Pacific whiting and implements the domestic 2025 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (collectively, the West Coast), including the 2025 Tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-Tribal fishery Harvest Guideline and sector allocations, and a set-aside for research activities and incidental mortality in non- groundfish fisheries. These measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of Tribal treaty fishing rights.
This final rule implements and informs the public of specifications for the 2025 fishing year for the golden tilefish and the blueline tilefish fishery north of the North Carolina/Virginia border and projects specifications for golden tilefish in 2026 and 2027. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing while allowing optimum yield, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the Tilefish Fishery Management Plan (Tilefish FMP).
NMFS is finalizing specifications for the 2025 small-mesh multispecies fishery, including an annual catch limit (ACL) and total allowable landings (TAL) limit. This action is necessary to fully implement previously projected allowable small-mesh multispecies harvest levels that will prevent overfishing and allow harvesting of optimum yield (OY). This action is intended to establish the allowable 2025 harvest levels, consistent with the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP).
NMFS proposes to implement 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 proposed rule would prohibit most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest would be allowed only for use as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The proposed harvest specifications for 2025-2026 include an overfishing limit of 4,645 metric tons (mt), an acceptable biological catch of 3,957 mt, an annual catch limit of 2,200 mt, and an annual catch target of 2,100 mt. This proposed rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
NMFS announces Federal management measures are waived for the 2025 black sea bass recreational fishery. The implementing regulations for this fishery require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of this action is to approve conservation equivalency and set management measures that allow this recreational fishery to achieve, but not exceed, the recreational harvest target and thereby prevent overfishing.
NMFS is implementing annual management measures for the 2025 non-Tribal directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery that operates south of Point Chehalis, WA, (lat. 46[deg]53.30' N) in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. Annual management measures include fishing periods and fishing period limits. NMFS is also implementing modified permit deadlines for all Area 2A non-Tribal commercial fisheries and is modifying inseason action announcement procedures for the Area 2A non-Tribal directed commercial fishery. These actions are intended to conserve Pacific halibut and provide fishing opportunity where available.
NMFS established fishery management measures for the ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California for the season beginning May 16, 2025, and anticipated to end May 15, 2026 (the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season), under the authority of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The final rule, published in the Federal Register on May 16, 2025, included an error in the management measures for commercial ocean salmon fisheries in the area from Humbug Mountain, Oregon, to the U.S./Mexico border. This action edits formatting and corrects an error by adding the text that was unintentionally omitted from the May 16, 2025, rule.
NMFS proposes new 2025 harvest specifications and river herring and shad catch caps for the Atlantic herring fishery, and projects specifications and catch caps for 2026 and 2027, as recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council. This action also proposes to update the target rebuilding date for Atlantic herring. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information from a 2024 management track assessment and to achieve the goals and 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 one inseason action for the 2025 portion of the 2024-2025 ocean salmon fisheries. This inseason action modifies the commercial salmon fisheries in the area from the United States/Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon.
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig 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 vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
NMFS announces the final 2025 harvest specifications for salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for salmon during the 2025 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska (Salmon FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the salmon resources in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
NMFS has determined, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limit that applies to Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/ Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT) should be adjusted for the remainder of 2025, or until further modified. NMFS is adjusting the Angling category BFT daily retention limit to: one BFT per vessel per day/trip that can measure anywhere from 27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) curved fork length (CFL) for private vessels with HMS Angling permits, and two BFT per vessel per day/trip measuring 27 inches (68.5 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) CFL, only one of which can be a large school/small medium-sized fish (47 inches (119 cm) to less than 73 inches (185 cm) CFL), for charter boat vessels and headboat vessels with HMS Charter/Headboat permits when fishing recreationally for BFT. If needed, NMFS could take another action later in the year to modify these retention limits or close the fishery. These retention limits are effective in all areas, except for the Gulf of America, where targeted fishing for BFT is prohibited.
NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2025 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. 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 Virginia.
NMFS announces inseason action for the Pacific halibut recreational fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds fishing dates (June 9, 10, 16, 17, and 30) in the Columbia River subarea. The additional fishing dates are intended to provide opportunity for anglers necessary to achieve the overall recreational fishery allocation in the Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) 2025 Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 125 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, amendment 125 would modify the BSAI Pacific cod jig sector to allow catch from catcher vessels (CV) using hook-and-line or pot gear that are less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) harvesting Pacific cod in the BSAI during the jig gear A season to accrue to the jig sector allocation. Amendment 125 would promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.
NMFS has determined, based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, that the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limit that applies to Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels (when fishing recreationally for BFT) should be adjusted for the remainder of 2025, or until further modified. NMFS is adjusting the Angling category BFT daily retention limit from the default of one school, large school, or small medium BFT to: one school BFT and zero large school/small medium BFT per vessel per day/trip for private vessels with HMS Angling permits; two school BFT and zero large school/small medium BFT per vessel per day/trip for charter boat vessels with HMS Charter/Headboat permits when fishing recreationally for BFT; and two school BFT and zero large school/small medium BFT per vessel per day/trip for headboat vessels with HMS Charter/ Headboat permits when fishing recreationally for BFT. These retention limits are effective in all areas, except for the Gulf of America, where targeted fishing for BFT is prohibited.