NOAA Fisheries FishNews—March 19, 2026

MARCH 19, 2026

Highlights U.S. Leads the Way to Strengthen Monitoring and Control of Fishing in the South Pacific At a recent meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organisation in Panama, the United States took action to protect American consumers and the U.S. fishing industry—advancing sustainable fisheries management and strengthening compliance for fish exported to the United States.

National Marsh Madness In March, while players duel it out on the court, we’re keeping score of all the ways marsh habitat plays an important role in the protection and restoration work we do for communities, fish, and wildlife. Take a look at our marsh habitat features, follow along with #MarshMadness on social media, and learn more about the latest projects from Florida to Massachusetts. Cells and Shells: New Research into Early Oyster Development Gives Insight into Potential Sterility Methods Many oyster farmers choose to raise triploid oysters, whose extra set of chromosomes render them functionally sterile. Sterile oysters grow faster and meatier and pose less of a risk to native habitats and oyster populations. However, they are also more vulnerable to stressful conditions. A new study sheds light on early oyster development and could pave the way for new oyster sterility induction techniques.

New England/Mid-Atlantic New Study Reveals Broad Spawning Distribution for Bluefin Tuna Atlantic bluefin tuna migrate over long distances and spend much of their lives in the open ocean, making them notoriously challenging to study. A new study analyzing larval and reproductive sampling from 1955 through 2021 reveals that bluefin tuna may have a nearly continuous spawning area from the Northwest Caribbean to the Slope Sea.

Southeast NOAA Fisheries Report Reveals Dire State of Gulf Shrimp Fishery NOAA Fisheries’ new snapshot report outlines the economic decline of the Gulf of America shrimp industry. In recent years, foreign farmed shrimp have driven shrimp prices lower and operating costs have increased. From 2021 to 2023, total Gulf shrimp revenue dropped by more than half, from $489 million to just $221 million. This report is a first step in addressing barriers to restoring the industry’s competitiveness. The Sky’s the Limit: An Interview with Commander Megan Gaston Meet NOAA Corps pilot Commander Megan Gaston, who recently rotated into a land-based assignment at NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Florida. CDR Gatson is a Navy veteran, a former test pilot, and a NOAA hurricane hunter.

West Coast Upwelling Fueled Productive West Coast Ocean, Holding Warm Waters Offshore in 2025 A massive marine heatwave warmed the eastern Pacific Ocean through much of 2025, but the wind-driven upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that drives the rich marine productivity of the West Coast kept the ecosystem healthy. These findings are described in the California Current Ecosystem Status Report, NOAA’s annual assessment of the West Coast marine ecosystem. Cold Water Signals Along West Coast Could Help Assess Whale Entanglement Risk Scientists found that whale entanglements increase when the nutrient-rich cool water corridor along the West Coast shrinks, in what they call “habitat compression.” As both fishermen and whales chase the plentiful marine life concentrated in this habitat, whales are more likely to encounter fishing gear with lines to the surface. Scientists hope that tracking this habitat compression can provide an early warning system to reduce risks. A Conversation with Regional Administrator Jennifer Quan About the 2026 West Coast Salmon Fishing Seasons The California salmon fishery has been closed for 3 years. Now the Pacific Fishery Management Council has released three alternatives for possible West Coast salmon seasons. In this interview, Regional Administrator Jennifer Quan discusses NOAA’s outlook on this year’s salmon seasons. Meet OoNee, Sea Urchin Ranchers NOAA’s Tide to Table series profiles members of the aquaculture community who provide valuable jobs and access to fresh, sustainably sourced American seafood. In this feature, meet the owners of OoNee Sea Urchin Ranch, which is harvesting and ranching purple sea urchins to produce sushi-grade uni. The operation simultaneously helps protect Oregon coast kelp forests by removing the urchins that, unchecked by predators, overeat the kelp.

Upcoming Deadlines March 23: Applications due for the Scallop Research Set Aside Program  March 31: Entries due for the 2026 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species student art contest April 22: Applications due for United States Department of Agriculture’s Value-Added Producer Grants May 4: Public comment period closes for Amendment 58B to the Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan: Modifications to Gulf of America Deep-Water Grouper Management Measures June 2: Deadline to provide feedback to support improvements to vessel speed regulations. View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events March 24–26: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Honolulu, HI March 31: Mid-Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Roundtable webinar April 7–9: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in New York City April 7–9: Gulf Fishery Management Council meeting in Mobile, AL April 10–16: Marine Resource Education Program Federal Fisheries Science & Management Workshop in Honolulu, HI April 14–16: New England Fishery Management Council meeting in Portland, ME April 15: Juneau Aquaculture Opportunity Areas Atlas Workshop in Juneau, AK April 17: Kodiak Aquaculture Opportunity Areas Atlas Workshop in Kodiak, AK April 21–22: Caribbean Fishery Management Council hybrid meeting in St. Croix, USVI May 17: Ocean Fun Days 2026 in Sandy Hook, NJ View more events

Federal Register Actions Visit NOAA Fisheries' Rules & Regulations web page to learn more about recently proposed and finalized regulations in your region.

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