No New Fisheries Added to 2026 Sea Turtle Observer List
Published Date: 9/17/2025
Notice
Summary
In 2026, NMFS won’t add any new fisheries to the sea turtle observer list, keeping the current ones in the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific Oceans under watch. These fisheries must still carry observers if asked, helping protect sea turtles by tracking accidental catches. This means no new costs or changes for fishermen, but the existing rules stay in place through 2027.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
No New Fisheries Added in 2026
For 2026, NMFS will not identify any additional U.S. fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America, or Pacific Ocean to be required to take sea turtle observers. That means the 2026 Annual Determination does not expand the list of fisheries that could be asked to carry observers.
Existing Observer Requirements Stay Active
Fisheries that were identified on the 2020 and 2023 Annual Determinations remain on the observer list and are required to carry observers if NMFS requests them until September 29, 2025 (2020 AD listings) and December 31, 2027 (2023 AD listings), respectively. This keeps the current observer obligations in place for those listed fisheries.
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