Nathan Strout

South African fisheries authorities intercepted four Chinese-flagged fishing vessels it claims entered its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) without authorization. The vessels – Zhong Yang 231, Zhong Yang 232, Zhong Yang 233, and Zhong Yang 239 – first requested permission to pass through the EEZ on 23 February, seeking to transit through the area under “innocent passage” and exit by 3 March, according to the South Africa Department of… Read More

A group of nine Democrats in the U.S. Senate has signed a joint letter to U.S. President Trump demanding he reverse his decision to allow commercial fishing in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, calling the move illegal. “We write to express our strong opposition to the elimination of vital protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument and demand that the administration immediately reverse… Read More

A NOAA Fisheries snapshot report concluded that the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fleet “cannot sustainably compete” with imported shrimp, though the authors suggest domestic harvesters can find success by presenting Gulf shrimp as a differentiated or premium product. “This report puts numbers to the economic challenges facing the U.S. shrimp industry. Achieving a truly resilient Gulf shrimp industry hinges on its ability to sustain… Read More

The Council of the European Union has agreed to establish a new framework for fisheries and aquaculture statistics in the bloc, consolidating existing regulations without increasing reporting requirements. “Once adopted, the new framework will help ensure that policymakers, researchers and stakeholders have access to high-quality data to support sustainable fisheries, responsible aquaculture and evidence-based policymaking across the European… Read More

Oregon’s commercial fishing industry generated an economic impact of USD 517 million (EUR 447 million) on households’ incomes in 2025, an all-time high according to Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.-based The Research Group. That generated income, which comes from both seafood harvesting and processing businesses, is USD 81 million (EUR 70 million) more than the five-year average and represents 10,321 jobs in the state. The commercial fishing… Read More

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed reclassifying squids and other cephalopods as shellfish, removing its responsibility for regulating those fishery products and ensuring they are regulated by NOAA Fisheries like other mollusks. Current U.S. law describes shellfish narrowly as “an aquatic invertebrate having a shell.” Despite being mollusks and being considered shellfish by NOAA, squids and octopi do not have external shells,… Read More

The European Parliament has issued a call for action to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species and to limit their impact on fisheries and aquaculture in the European Union. “The European Union can no longer ignore the devastating impact that alien species are having on fisheries and aquaculture, with severe economic losses. By reaffirming the central role of sensitive species as indicators of ocean health, we advocate science-based… Read More

Under a new partnership with the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS), NASA will provide new advanced satellite data to support fisheries and marine science research. As part of the partnership, researchers from NASA’s Earth Science Division have joined SCEMFIS as members of its Industry Advisory Board (IAB), enabling them to integrate satellite imagery into the center’s research and creating a more formal collaborative… Read More

Mexico has simplified its process for issuing commercial fishing and aquaculture permits, according to the country’s National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (Conapesca). The agency, which regulates the nation’s fisheries, said the changes were made in response to calls by Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has pushed for a reduction in red tape regulations across the government. In July 2025, Mexico enacted the new National Law to… Read More

The state of Oregon welcomed USD 1 million (EUR 860,000) for fish passage restoration at McKay Dam Reservoir, which officials say will help reconnect more than 100 miles of historic salmon and steelhead habitat. The fish passage was one of hundreds of projects and groups to receive community project funding in the latest Congressional appropriations bills, which passed into law in January. Community project funding, also known as earmarks, are… Read More