Amendment Targets Protection for Eight West Coast Fish Species
Published Date: 3/5/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Pacific Fishery Management Council sent Amendment 35 to update which fish stocks need special care along the West Coast. This change helps protect eight key fish species by setting clear rules for future stock checks, but it won’t change fishing limits or seasons right now. Fishermen and coastal communities can expect smarter fish management without any immediate changes to when or how much they fish.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Defines Eight Stocks for Conservation
If you fish commercially or work in coastal fishing communities, Amendment 35 would formally label eight species as stocks that need conservation and management. Those eight species were prioritized because they are scheduled for stock assessments in 2025 or 2027, and the amendment would let NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) make stock status determinations to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, and achieve optimum yield.
No Immediate Change To Fishing Limits
Amendment 35 is described as administrative and does not change harvest levels or the timing or location of fishing. That means fishermen should not see changes to when or how much they can fish right now.
Sets Schedule for Stock Assessments
Amendment 35 prioritizes eight species because they are scheduled for stock assessments in 2025 or in 2027. This provides a clear timetable for when those species will be reviewed by fishery scientists.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-14204, Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; Delay of Effective Date
NOAA is giving everyone more time before the rule that bans grappling or anchoring on Lake Ontario shipwrecks kicks in. Instead of starting in July 2026, this rule is now delayed until September 2028 to let NOAA set up mooring buoys and work with divers and boaters. This means boaters and commercial vessels can keep anchoring safely while NOAA gets everything ready without rushing.
2026-14195, Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are wiping away the official definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act starting September 14, 2026. This change affects anyone involved in protecting endangered plants and animals by shifting how “harm” is understood and enforced. It’s a big move that could change how projects and protections are handled, but no new costs or deadlines are added right now.
2026-05599, Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Applications for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses and Announcement of Public Comment Period and Virtual Public Hearings
NOAA got two applications from companies wanting to explore mining deep under the ocean floor. They’re holding virtual public meetings in April and want your thoughts by May 22, 2026. This affects anyone interested in ocean mining and how we protect our seas while exploring new resources.
2026-04256, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Spatial Fisheries Management; Amendment 15 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan
Starting April 3, 2026, new rules change shark fishing zones and times in the Atlantic to better protect sharks and manage fishing risks. Fishermen using bottom and pelagic longline gear will see updated area boundaries and must pay for electronic monitoring if fishing in certain safer zones. These changes help keep shark populations healthy while supporting responsible fishing.
2026-16870, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; North Atlantic Swordfish, South Atlantic Swordfish, North Atlantic Albacore, and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Quotas
In this final rule, NMFS is implementing binding recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) on quotas for North Atlantic swordfish, South Atlantic swordfish, North Atlantic albacore tuna (northern albacore), and Atlantic bluefin tuna, including aspects of the management procedures for North Atlantic swordfish and northern albacore. For bluefin tuna, this action implements the increased U.S. baseline quota adopted by ICCAT in 2025, dividing it among the established regulatory domestic subquota categories, and implements changes to the bluefin tuna quota associated with pelagic longline bycatch adopted by ICCAT in 2025. Finally, this action transfers 30.8 metric tons (mt) of bluefin tuna quota from the Longline category to the Reserve category and temporarily adjusts the baseline quotas for U.S. North and South Atlantic swordfish, northern albacore, and the Atlantic bluefin tuna Reserve category for 2026 based on 2025 underharvests and applicable international quota transfers.
2026-16758, Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Ferndale Pier Maintenance Activities in Ferndale, Washington
In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Petrogas Pacific, LLC (Petrogas) to harass marine mammals incidental to Ferndale Pier Maintenance Activities in Ferndale, Washington.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-03547, Protecting Americans From Harmful Data Broker Practices (Regulation V); Extension of Comment Period
The CFPB is updating rules to better protect people’s personal info from data brokers. They’re giving everyone more time—until April 2, 2025—to share their thoughts on these changes. This affects companies handling consumer reports and aims to keep your data safer without extra costs.
Next: 2025-03571, Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; Atlantic Cod Stocks in Need of Conservation and Management
The New England Fishery Management Council wants to change how Atlantic cod are managed in U.S. waters by splitting them into four groups instead of two. This update uses the latest science to help protect cod and keep fishing fair for everyone. If approved, fishermen and communities in the Northeast will see new rules soon, so they should get ready and share their thoughts.