Fish Council Zooms In on Mid-Atlantic Herring Protection Plans
Published Date: 1/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is hosting a fully virtual public meeting on February 10-11, 2026, to discuss important fishery updates and management plans. This affects fishermen, coastal communities, and anyone who loves Mid-Atlantic seafood, with talks on river herring, bycatch risks, and new fishing policies. No direct costs are mentioned, but these decisions could shape fishing rules and protect ocean life for years to come.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Fishermen and Coastal Rules in Review
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will meet virtually on February 10–11, 2026 to discuss river herring and shad, an Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) project forecasting river herring bycatch risks, and new fishing policies. The Council’s discussions and any actions could shape fishing rules and ocean protections that affect fishermen and coastal communities for years to come.
Recreational Fishing Data and Rules
On February 10–11, 2026 the Council will review recreational fisheries topics including draft workshop plans for the Recreational Sector Separation Amendment, a Recreational Data Collection White Paper outline, and revisions to the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Fishing Effort Survey. These discussions could influence rules or data collection that affect recreational anglers and people who use Mid-Atlantic fishing resources.
Virtual Meeting and Disability Access
The February 10–11, 2026 MAFMC meeting will be fully virtual via Webex; webinar instructions and briefing materials are posted at https://www.mafmc.org/briefing/february-2026. People needing sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should contact Shelley Spedden at (302) 526-5251 at least 5 days before the meeting date.
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