The Mid‑Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) invites fishermen, processors, scientists, seafood businesses, non‑governmental organizations, and other interested parties to provide input on ways to reduce regulatory burdens and increase production in domestic fisheries. Submitted comments will inform the Council’s response to Executive Order (EO)14276, “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.”
Signed on April 17, 2025, EO14276 directs federal agencies to “promote the productive harvest of our seafood resources; unburden our commercial fishermen from costly and inefficient regulation; combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; and protect our seafood markets from the unfair trade practices of foreign nations.”
Read more about EO14276 in the May 5, 2025 edition of The Fisherman (Don’t Forget About Me).
Section 4 of the order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to ask each Regional Fishery Management Council to provide updated recommendations that reduce burdens on domestic fisheries and increase production, building on lists first developed in 2020 under EO 13921 (see the Mid-Atlantic Council’s previous recommendations). Recommended actions should stabilize markets, improve access, enhance economic profitability, and prevent closures. NOAA’s Office of Sustainable Fisheries has requested that Councils submit their updated recommendations by September 30, 2025.
How to Submit Comments
Online: Use the Council’s Executive Order 14276 Comment Form
Email: Send comments to msabo@mafmc.org with the subject line “Executive Order Comment”
All comments must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, July 18, 2025. Submitted materials will be posted publicly on the Council’s website.
