NOAA Opens Bering Sea Cod Fishing for Trawl Vessels Now
Published Date: 4/11/2025
Rule
Summary
Good news for American Fisheries Act trawl catcher/processors! Starting now, they can fish for Pacific cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to use up their full 2025 catch limit. This move helps fishermen make the most of their quota without delay.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
AFA Trawl CPs Opened to Fish 2025 Pacific Cod
American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processors (CPs) may now fish for Pacific cod in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action allows those AFA trawl CPs to fully use their 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) allocation for Pacific cod.
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: 2025-06238, Security Zone; Intracoastal Waterway, Palm Beach, FL
The Coast Guard is setting up a temporary security zone near Mar-A-Lago and the Southern Boulevard Bridge in Palm Beach, FL, whenever the President or protected VIPs are around. This zone helps keep everyone safe from potential threats on the water. If you boat or hang out nearby, be ready for some temporary changes, but no extra costs are involved.
Next: 2025-06190, Modification & Establishment of Class E Airspace; Cortez Municipal Airport, Cortez, CO
Cortez Municipal Airport is getting some airspace upgrades to keep flights safe and smooth. The rules for the airspace close to the ground and a bit higher up are changing, plus a new airspace extension is being added. These updates help pilots flying with instruments and won’t cost anyone extra or cause delays.