All Protected Resources Regulations & Actions
Final Annual Determination for 2022
NOAA Fisheries published the Federal Register notice for the 2022 Annual Determination to Implement the Sea Turtle Observer Requirement as part of our responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act.
Published
09/22/2021
Atlantic Sea Scallop Turtle Deflector Dredge and Chain Mat Regulated Areas
To protect sea turtles, chain mats and Turtle Deflector Dredges (TDDs) must be used when fishing for scallops in waters west of 71° W. long., from the shoreline to the outer boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone, from May 1 through November 30. The
Effective
05/01/2015
Amendment of Virginia Pound Net Regulations
NOAA Fisheries issues this final rule amending the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Plan (BDTRP) and its implementing regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The rule requires the year-round use of modified pound net leaders for o
Effective
03/11/2015
Revised Limits on Sea Turtle Interactions in Hawaii Shallow-set Longline Fishery
In this final rule, NOAA Fisheries revises the annual number of incidental interactions allowed between the Hawaii-based shallow-set pelagic longline fishery, and leatherback and North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles. NOAA Fisheries also makes adminis
Effective
11/05/2012
Revisions to Turtle Excluder Device Requirements
This rule revises the turtle excluder device (TED) requirements to allow the use of new materials and to modify existing approved TED designs. Specifically, this rule allows using flat bar, rectangular pipe, and oval pipe as construction material in curre
Effective
06/20/2012
Virginia and North Carolina Large Mesh Gillnet Final Rule
The purpose of this action is to reduce the impact of large-mesh gillnet fisheries on endangered and threatened species of sea turtles, primarily the monkfish fishery which uses large-mesh gillnet gear and operates in the area when sea turtles are present
Effective
05/25/2006
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Pelagic Longline Final Rule
This final rule implements new sea turtle bycatch and bycatch mortality mitigation measures for all Atlantic vessels that have pelagic longline (PLL) gear onboard and that have been issued, or are required to have, Federal HMS limited access permits, cons
Effective
08/05/2004
Turtle Excluder Device Double Cover Flap Modification Final Rule
NOAA Fisheries is amending the turtle excluder device (TED) regulations that require most shrimp trawlers to use TEDs in the southeastern Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico to reduce the incidental capture of endangered and threatened sea turtles during shri
Effective
05/27/2004
California Pelagic Longline Final Rule
NOAA Fisheries is issuing a final rule to prohibit shallow longline sets of the type normally targeting swordfish on the high seas in the Pacific Ocean east of 150° W. long. by vessels managed under the Fishery Management Plan for U.S.
Effective
04/12/2004
California and Oregon Drift Gillnet Final Rule
NOAA Fisheries is issuing a final rule to prohibit fishing with drift gillnets in the California/Oregon (CA/OR) thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet fishery in U.S. waters off southern California in waters east of the 120°W., for the months of
Effective
01/15/2004