President Donald Trump’s regulatory freeze has raised concerns within the $320 billion U.S. fishing industry. Fishermen from the Atlantic to Alaska are anxious about the potential disruptions it could cause, including delays in fishing seasons and overfishing.
According to Reuters, these regulatory challenges could have significant economic consequences, particularly for fleets relying on migratory fish or operating smaller vessels. The situation has left many within the industry uncertain about the immediate future of their operations.
Disruption Across Multiple Fisheries in the Fishing Industry
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a vital branch responsible for managing U.S. fisheries, has been significantly impacted by the regulatory freeze.
This freeze, imposed in January 2020, has created confusion and delayed crucial decision-making processes related to fishing quotas, stock assessments, and the opening of fishing seasons.
This disruption has already had immediate consequences. Notably, the Atlantic bluefin tuna fisheries experienced overfishing due to delays in implementing necessary regulations.
The quota for this species was exceeded by 125% in mid-January before NOAA could close the fishery, leading to concerns that the stocks available for fishermen in New York and New England will be severely limited when the fish migrate further north this summer.
It’s hard for me to believe we’re not going to get punished up here in New York and New England for that – John McMurray, a bluefin fisherman in New York.
The Impact of Trump’s Regulatory Freeze on Fishing Seasons
One of the most pressing concerns is that delayed decisions could shorten the fishing seasons for many fisheries. For example, the Northeast’s $41 million groundfish fishery, which includes species like cod and haddock, may miss its traditional May 1 opening due to the delays in regulatory actions.
Similarly, the $400 million scallop industry in New England faces partial openings, further highlighting how the freeze could diminish fishing opportunities for many smaller vessels that rely on timely seasons.
The regulatory freeze has also impacted Alaska fisheries, which, despite opening on time after some intervention from local political figures, faced challenges due to staff cuts at NOAA and delays in rule-making.
Similarly, the Pacific coast salmon fishing season is behind schedule, with disruptions to meetings of the fishery management council that are essential for regulating the fishery.
Regulatory Freeze’s Broader Economic Effects
Beyond the fishing fleets themselves, the regulatory freeze and the resulting uncertainty pose risks to a broader economic scale.
A significant portion of the fishing industry’s workforce, including 163 NOAA staff members, were furloughed or fired during this period, exacerbating delays in essential management tasks such as stock assessments, quota allocations, and seasonal openings.
There’s just a lot of confusion right now, both internal and external
Said Ben Martens, executive director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.
I’m getting calls from fishermen asking what’s going to happen.
As the freeze persists, many in the fishing community, including fishermen and industry representatives, are left in limbo, unable to make informed decisions about their operations or investments for the coming seasons.
It can make or break a fishery if the window of opportunity to go fishing is narrowed or shifts significantly – said Noah Oppenheim,
Principal of Homarus Strategies, which advises commercial fishermen across the country.
The freeze has led to cuts to NOAA Fisheries staff, leaving key positions vacant, including those responsible for the squid fishery.
The federal managers for the squid fishery are supposed to be slashed and without them, when do we know when the seasons open? When will they decide how much of the quota is caught?
Asked John Ainsworth, a commercial fisherman in Rhode Island
