Webinar: Proposed Rule to Revise Fishing Gear Regulations in Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries

Proposed Gear Revisions:

Buoy gear: Authorize power assistance for gear deployment and retrieval, the use of this gear under additional permits (Swordfish General Commercial permit; some tunas and shark permits), and the retention of additional species (some tunas and sharks).

Speargun fishing gear: Authorize this gear to retain and sell bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas under some commercial permits.

Bait collection gear: Allow the possession and use of small nets and other gear commonly used for bait collection (e.g., cast nets and small dipnets) on board highly migratory species fishing vessels, provided the gear is too small and/or too weak to capture highly migratory species.

Comments Requested

Comments may be submitted on this action until October 13, 2026.