On working docks, there is a specific type of annoyance that seldom finds its way into federal registers or policy meetings. In between hauls, fishermen discuss things like regulations that seem out of touch with what’s truly happening on the water, data collection techniques that haven’t kept up with contemporary realities, and management decisions that seem to come from somewhere far away from the ocean. Those discussions remained dockside for a considerable amount of time. There’s a real opportunity to take them somewhere else right now.
The public comment period on the executive order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness has been reopened by NOAA Fisheries and will end on December 15. In addition to more general suggestions for enhancing fisheries management and science, the agency is specifically seeking feedback on regulations that might need to be suspended, changed, or completely eliminated. It’s the kind of formal invitation that doesn’t happen very often, and many people in the industry might not be aware of it until it’s too late.
August 2025 marked the start of the comment period, which lasted until mid-October. NOAA is arguing that a reopening is necessary because it closed during the federal government shutdown that started on October 1. There are two more weeks left, and every working fisherman in America should be considering how to use them. Whether or not that logic is sound is a different matter.
The specificity of this request is what makes it unique. NOAA is requesting more than just broad opinions. In order to support fisheries assessments, the agency is interested in learning about more affordable and dependable technologies. In contrast to lagging indicators from years-old data, it seeks to understand how federal regulations might more accurately reflect current conditions on the water. It poses the direct question, “What tools do you actually need to survive changing economic and environmental conditions?” to fishing businesses. It’s not boilerplate. There seems to be a genuine desire for answers from someone within the agency.
However, the difference between what is being asked and how softly it is being asked is difficult to ignore. Reopening the two-week comment period in early December doesn’t exactly indicate that the government wants as many people to participate as possible. This pattern—short windows, technical submission procedures, and outcomes that seem predetermined—has been observed by the fishing industry before. It makes sense to be skeptical. However, the alternative is to give Washington a blank page and let someone else fill it in, so it’s equally important to show up.
Crab fleets in Alaska, shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico, and cod boats operating in the Gulf of Maine are all subject to regulatory frameworks that were developed at different times and under different presumptions. Revisions to some of those frameworks are long overdue. Regardless of how one views its political roots, the executive order establishes a formal framework for that change. According to NOAA, comments sent to nmfs.seafoodstrategy@noaa.gov will be used to pinpoint specific steps the agency can take to revive the seafood industry, such as boosting aquaculture, reducing the seafood trade deficit, and addressing declining fish landings.
For years, the American fishing industry has seen its reputation decline internationally. All of that won’t be resolved by this comment period. Silence, however, won’t either.
