Nathan Strout

Hundreds of organizations, individuals, and businesses have signed onto a joint letter urging U.S. lawmakers to reject the Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act, legislation that supports the development of offshore aquaculture in federal waters. “If the MARA Act passes, the only real ‘experiment’ will be on the communities that will lose access to their fisheries, the nearby marine life exposed to filth and fish viruses, the… Read More

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) cited a woman for illegally taking abalone after they caught her hiding two of the endangered species down her pants. While observing two individuals collecting purple sea urchins at Van Damme State Park in California, a wildlife officer observed the female individual discreetly conceal something in her pants. Believing that the mysterious object was an abalone, the officer made contact with… Read More

U.S. Representative Andy Harris (R-Maryland) has asked NOAA Fisheries to declare a fishery disaster for the state’s commercial oyster fishery, which has been hard hit by cold weather and ice. “Severe weather this year, combined with shrinking market access and increased competition, left many crews effectively tied to the dock, with watermen able to fish for just one or two days all season,” Harris said in a statement. “These pressures… Read More

The Senate of Georgia has advanced legislation that would require restaurants and other foodservice establishments to disclose the use of imported shrimp on their menus. “This bill adds transparency that benefits consumers, the local restaurants supporting U.S. shrimpers, and hardworking fishing families that are the economic backbone of coastal communities,” Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) Executive Director Blake Price said in a statement.… Read More

The state legislature of Alabama has passed a bill banning “mud dumping” in Mobile Bay, a term used to describe how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers distributes sediment after dredging a channel in the bay. “As Baldwin County’s state senator, protecting Mobile Bay and preserving the environment that makes our area such a special place to live, work, worship, and raise our families rank among my highest priorities,” Alabama Senator… Read More

Commercial crabbers in California’s Dungeness crab fishery can now use pop-up, or ropeless, gear to continue fishing, even after a fishing area is closed. “Pop-up gear gives us fishermen the ability to harvest Dungeness crab for the public while the whales and turtles are present,” said Stephen Melz, a commercial Dungeness crab fisher who helped test pop-up gear in the state’s fishery last year. “It is an amazing way that technology… Read More

U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana) has asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase more domestic shrimp through the federal government’s Section 32 program, which purchases surplus products to support American producers. Higgins said the financial support is critical for Louisiana’s shrimp industry, which has been hit hard by competition from high volumes of imported shrimp. “Louisiana's shrimp industry is… Read More

Louisiana Department of Fish and Wildlife (LDFW) agents cited two individuals for selling catfish without a commercial license after being alerted to social media posts advertising their sales. According to LDFW, agents found a social media post from Bayou Gauche resident Troy Matherne advertising catfish fillets for sale on 27 December. The post showed a picture of catfish fillets, with Matherne replying under a comment that he was selling… Read More

A trio of U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would require NOAA Fisheries to consider the impact of climate change on fish distribution in setting commercial fishing quotas. “This legislation addresses outdated fishing requirements and ensures that climate change conditions like rising water temperatures that shift fish stocks are prioritized in fishery management plans. Our changing climate has seriously altered our oceans,… Read More

South Korea’s seafood exports hit an all-time high in 2025, driven by a surge in sales of gim – an edible seaweed product. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), the nation exported USD 3.3 billion (EUR 2.8 billion) worth of seafood products last year, a 9.7 percent year-over-year increase. "The export performance of seafood products in 2025 demonstrates that the competitiveness of Korean seafood products is… Read More