“These regional priorities are a critical step in our efforts to fulfill the President’s vision of making the United States the world’s dominant seafood leader,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA Administrator. “We look forward to partnering with the councils to advance seafood competitiveness and support our American fishermen.”

In August 2025, NOAA Fisheries requested input from all interested stakeholders, including the regional fishery management councils, on ways to improve fisheries management and science in an effort to stabilize markets, improve access, enhance economic profitability, and prevent closures. NOAA received comments from more than 700 individuals and organizations, and each council submitted a detailed action plan in response to the request.

After considering all input from councils, the fishing industry, and the public, NOAA has prioritized a number of actions for each council region, many of which reinforce council priorities.

• In the New England region, NOAA’s priorities are to alleviate industry-funded monitoring burdens, modernize fleet capacity, and re-evaluate static area closures to restore yield and economic viability.
• In the Mid-Atlantic region, NOAA’s priorities are to modernize fleet capacity and improve quota distribution.
• In the South Atlantic region, NOAA’s priorities are to improve access and flexibility and advance state-led data partnerships.
• In the Caribbean region, NOAA’s priorities are to review the effectiveness of marine protected areas, evaluate the role of the territories in management of spiny lobster and queen conch, and significantly increase economic returns to the islands.
• In the Gulf of America region, NOAA’s priorities are to defend the domestic shrimp fleet from trade imbalances and optimize Individual Fishing Quota accessibility.
• In the Pacific region, NOAA’s priorities are to review trawl observer redundancies and review Pacific sardine science and management.
• In the North Pacific region, NOAA’s priorities are to review Stellar sea lion closure boundaries, prioritize efforts to remove unnecessary requirements, and increase flexibility.
• In the Western Pacific region, NOAA’s priorities are to enable commercial fishing, previously prohibited by punitive monument closures, and further consider additional management changes to improve access and flexibility, consistent with the Endangered Species Act.
• NOAA’s priorities for Highly Migratory Species are to implement international quota increases and maximize target catch retention.

The complete list of priority actions is available on the NOAA Fisheries website.