News, articles, photos, and other information about commercial fishing in North America.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) recently announced that the fall shrimp season closed in most state inside waters effective Monday, December 19, 2016, at official sunset. The shrimping closure includes: All state inside waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana … Continued
The Gulf of Maine lobster fishery has achieved certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. Certification proves that all commercial vessels licensed by the State of Maine and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that fish within the … Continued
Organizers are encouraging skateholders to sign up for the Shape of the Coast series of sessions that will focus on coastal law and policy in North Carolina. The talks are scheduled for 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. … Continued
On December 8, 2016, NOAA Fisheries launched a comprehensive Seafood Import Monitoring Program to further curb Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices and to identify misrepresented seafood imports before they enter the U.S. market. The program requires that importers … Continued
On December 14, 2016, NOAA Fisheries announced publication of the final rule for a Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) action to designate a large offshore protected area for deep sea corals in the Mid-Atlantic. MAFMC approved the Deep Sea Corals … Continued
In Massachusetts, Jonah crabs were traditionally landed as bycatch of the American lobster fishery. Now a targeted species, Jonah crabs support one of the top ten most valuable fisheries in the state. In 2015, over 9 million pounds of Jonah crab … Continued