Commerce Ditches Old Small Business Form

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.

2026-16881, Phosphate Fertilizers From the Russian Federation: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With the Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; Notice of Amended Final Results

On August 12, 2026, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued its final judgment in Archer Daniels Midland Co v. United States, Consol. Court no. 23-00239, sustaining the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce)'s second remand results pertaining to the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on phosphate fertilizers from the Russian Federation (Russia) covering the period of review (POR) November 30, 2020, through December 31, 2021. Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's final results of the administrative review, and that Commerce is amending the final results with respect to the countervailable subsidy rate assigned to Joint Stock Company Apatit (JSC Apatit).

Previous: 2025-06191, Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 33; 2025-26 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures; Correcting Amendment

Fishermen off Washington, Oregon, and California get clearer rules for catching groundfish in 2025-26. This fix updates quotas and trip limits for thornyheads and sablefish, making sure the rules match the coastwide management plan. These changes help keep fishing fair and on track without messing up the schedule or budgets.

Next: 2025-06225, Extension of Import Restrictions Imposed on Certain Archaeological and Ecclesiastical Ethnological Material of El Salvador

The U.S. is keeping import limits on special old and religious items from El Salvador until March 2, 2030. This means collectors, museums, and sellers need to follow the rules to protect El Salvador’s cultural treasures. No new fees, just more time to keep these important artifacts safe from being taken out of the country.