This rule reduces the 2025 Atlantic herring specifications in response to a new stock assessment. We set the 2025 herring specifications in early 2023 as part of the 2023-2025 herring specifications. The 2024 herring management track stock assessment was completed in June and indicated herring biomass was approximately 25 percent of the biomass to support maximum sustainable yield. After reviewing the updated stock assessment, the New England Fishery Management Council recommended reduced specifications for 2025-2027. We intend to implement the 2025-2027 herring specifications via proposed and final rulemaking as soon as possible, but the new specifications would not be effective in time for the start of the fishing year on January 1. Implementing the new 2025 specifications after the start of the fishing year raises a significant risk that catch may exceed the new, lower catch limits. To ensure the new 2025 specifications are in place at the start of the fishing year on January 1, the Council requested we use our in-season adjustment authority to reduce 2025 herring specifications as soon as possible. Therefore, this rule reduces the 2025 Atlantic herring specifications to lessen the risk of overfishing and help rebuild the herring stock.
In-Season Adjusted 2025 Herring Specifications
| Specifications | Current 2025 (mt) | New 2025 (mt) |
| Overfishing Limit | 40,727 | 18,273 |
| Acceptable Biological Catch | 28,181 | 6,741 |
| Management Uncertainty Buffer | 4,220 | 4,031 |
| Optimal Yield /Annual Catch Limit | 23,961* | 2,710* |
| Domestic Annual Harvest | 23,961 | 2,710 |
| Border Transfer | 0 | 0 |
| Domestic Annual Processing | 23,961 | 2,710 |
| US At-Sea Processing | 0 | 0 |
| Area 1A Sub-ACL (28.9%) | 6,925* | 783* |
| Area 1B Sub-ACL (4.3%) | 1,030 | 117 |
| Area 2 (27.8%) | 6,661 | 753 |
| Area 3 (39%) | 9,345 | 1,057 |
| Fixed Gear Set-Aside | 30 | 30 |
| Research Set-Aside | 0% | 0% |
| * If New Brunswick weir landings are less than 2,722 mt through October 1, then 1,000 mt will be subtracted from the management uncertainty buffer and reallocated to the Area 1A sub-ACL and the ACL. | ||
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
