NOAA Unlocks Extra Halibut Fishing Days for West Coast Anglers in 2026

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.

2026-07536, Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys in the Gulf of America

Starting April 20, 2026, NOAA is setting new rules for companies doing geophysical surveys in the Gulf of America to protect marine mammals. These rules let companies get permission to accidentally disturb marine mammals but require them to minimize harm and report what they find. This plan lasts five years and helps balance ocean research with saving sea life.

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.

2026-18849, Pacific Island Fisheries; Catch and Retention Limits for Striped Marlin in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean North of the Equator

This final rule implements a framework for specifying catch limits for all U.S. fisheries and retention limits by U.S. longline fisheries under a Hawaii longline limited entry permit for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin (Kajikia audax), consistent with the requirements of Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2024-06. If the retention limit is reached, NMFS will prohibit retention of WCNPO striped marlin by longline fishing vessels until the end of the year to prevent the U.S. catch limit from being exceeded. Because the U.S. limit under the framework can change each year, NMFS will specify the updated catch and longline retention limits by notice in the Federal Register early each calendar year. For fishing year 2026, NMFS specifies a U.S. WCNPO striped marlin limit of 393.4 metric tons (mt) (867,300 pounds (lb)) and a U.S. longline retention limit of 381.6 mt (841,300 lb) using the framework.

Previous: 2026-15075, Medical Devices; General Hospital and Personal Use Devices; Classification of the Active Noise Attenuation System for Infant Incubators

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the active noise attenuation system for infant incubators into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for classification of the active noise attenuation system for infant incubators. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices, in part by reducing regulatory burdens.

Next: 2026-15112, Updating Website and Contact Information, and Authorizations for Payments for Legal Services

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is adopting a final rule to update website and contact information in certain parts of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Additionally, OFAC is amending one CFR Part to update general licenses authorizing payments for legal services from funds originating outside the United States to replace the reporting requirement in the general license with a recordkeeping requirement and correcting typographical errors in two CFR Parts. OFAC is also updating its regulations to correct an erroneous cross-reference.