Instructions for Submitting Public Comments
To submit a public comment to a rule that NOAA Fisheries has published in the Federal Register, which has an open public comment period, you have two options:
- Submit comments electronically:
- Go to Regulations.gov.
- Search for the identifying number in the Federal Register notice (in a format such as NOAA-NMFS-YEAR-####) or for a key word.
- Once you find the rule you would like to comment on click the Comment Now! icon on the right.
- Fill out the web form or upload your letter and submit.
- Submit comments by mail by addressing your letter to the address found in the Federal Register notice. Remember to note attention to a person or subject as specified in the Federal Register notice.
We also solicit comments for proposed Exempted Fishing Permits (EFPs). To submit a public comment on an EFP, please email us at NMFS.GAR.EFP@noaa.gov and include the title of the research project in the subject line of the email.
You can find Federal Register notices for the Greater Atlantic Region below or for specific species on the relevant Managed Species page on our website under the Announcements tab. You can also find Federal Register notices at FederalRegister.gov, the U.S. Government Printing Office, or at Regulations.gov.
2016 Federal Register Actions
January
- 01/27/2016
- Final Rule; Endangered and Threatened Species: Critical Habitat for Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale
- 01/22/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; 2016 -2018 Specifications and Management Measures
- 01/21/2016
- Temporary Rule; Inseason Adjustment; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Adjustment for the Common Pool Fishery
- 01/01/2016
- Notice; 2016 Annual Determination To Implement the Sea Turtle Observer Requirement
- 01/01/2016
- Notice; National Saltwater Angler Registry Program; Annual fee of twenty-nine dollars ($29.00) for registration of anglers, spear fishers and for-hire fishing vessels
- 01/01/2016
- Final Rule; 2016-2018 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Specifications
February
- 02/25/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; DA15-084 CFF Resource Enhancement Study EFP
- 02/23/2016
- Notice of Availability of Proposed Fishery Management Plan Amendment; Request for Comments; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 17
- 02/23/2016
- Proposed Rule; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 27
- 02/05/2016
- Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; Seafood Import Monitoring Program; Proposed Rule; Request For Comments
March
- 03/30/2016
- Notice of Availability and Request for Public Comment; Draft Recovery Plan for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Salmon
- 03/30/2016
- Proposed Specifications; Request for Comments; Bluefish Fishery; 2016-2018 Bluefish Specifications
- 03/24/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; 2016 Monkfish RSA EFP
- 03/18/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Framework Adjustment 55
- 03/18/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Annual Catch Limits
- 03/17/2016
- Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rule Making; Extension of Comment Period; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Recreational Management Measures
- 03/16/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; CFF Fluke Cable TED EFP
- 03/15/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Amendment 17 to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan
- 03/09/2016
- Temporary Final Rule; Adjustment Of Specifications; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Adjustments to 2016 Annual Catch Limits
- 03/08/2016
- Summer Flounder Fishery; Quota Transfer; NC to NJ, RI, VA and MA
- 03/03/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request For Comments; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Recreational Management Measures
April
- 04/29/2016
- Final Rule; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Framework Adjustment 55
- 04/29/2016
- Final Rule; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Fishing Year 2016; Recreational Management Measures
- 04/28/2016
- Notice; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; 2016 Approved Monitoring Service Providers
- 04/25/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; 2016-2018 Specifications and Management Measures
- 04/21/2016
- Notice; Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota Program
- 04/14/2016
- Temporary Rule; Inseason Adjustment; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trip Limit Adjustment for the Common Pool Fishery
- 04/14/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; NC to NJ and MA Quota Transfer
- 04/12/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; CFF Compensation Fishing Gear Research EFP
- 04/12/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; TNC EM EFP
- 04/07/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; 2016 UNE Atlantic Cod Bycatch from Lobster Traps EFP
- 04/06/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; 2016 and 2017 Small-Mesh Multispecies Specifications
- 04/06/2016
- Final Rule To List Eleven Distinct Population Segments of the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) as Endangered or Threatened and Revision of Current Listings Under the Endangered Species Act
- 04/05/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; CFF LAGC Modified Sweep EFP
- 04/05/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; DA16-013 NFI Incidental Discard Mortality EFP
- 04/01/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Framework Adjustment 4
- 04/01/2016
- Correction; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment of Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder Annual Catch Limits
May
- 05/25/2016
- Notice; Request for Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; Box Dredge EFP
- 05/25/2016
- Notice With Request for Comments; Northeast Ocean Plan
- 05/20/2016
- Proposed rule; request for comments; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States Recreational Management Measures for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Fishing Year 2016
- 05/11/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; 2016 Closure of the Northern Gulf of Maine Scallop Management Area
- 05/04/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; DA16-024 CFF Georges Bank Optimization Study EFP
- 05/03/2016
- Final Rule: Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Framework Adjustment 27
June
- 06/30/2016
- Temporary Rule; Closure; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery: Closure of the Mid-Atlantic Access Area to General Category Individual Fishing Quota Scallop Vessels
- 06/28/2016
- Final Rule; Small-Mesh Multispecies Specifications; Modified Specifications for Northern and Southern Red Hake for Fishing Years 2016 and 2017
- 06/24/2016
- Temporary Rule; Reduction of Possession Limit; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery; 2016 Longfin Squid Trimester II Quota Harvested
- 06/22/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Monkfish; Framework Adjustment 9
- 06/22/2016
- Proposed Specifications; Request For Comments; Spiny Dogfish Fishery; Proposed 2016-2018 Specifications
- 06/21/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; NC to VA Quota Transfer
- 06/20/2016
- Proposed rule, request for comments; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Specification of Management Measures for Atlantic Herring for the 2016-2018 Fishing Years
- 06/15/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery for Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine Yellowtail Flounder
- 06/15/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; 2016 MADMF Whiting Exempted Fishery Study EFP
- 06/14/2016
- Temporary rule; closure; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Closure of the Nantucket Lightship North Access Area to General Category Individual Fishing Quota Scallop Vessels
- 06/14/2016
- Temporary rule; interim measures; request for comments; Blueline Tilefish Fishery; Secretarial Interim Action
- 06/14/2016
- Final Rule; Amendment 17 to the Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery Management Plan
- 06/10/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; Rod and Reel Fishing in WGOM Closed Area EFP
- 06/09/2016
- Notice Of Application For Permit for Transshipment of Atlantic Herring by Canadian Vessels; Request For Comments
- 06/08/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery for Witch Flounder
- 06/03/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Northeast Skate Complex Fishery; Framework Adjustment 3 and 2016-2017 Specifications
- 06/03/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request For Comments; Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, and Chesapeake Bay Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon
July
- 07/29/2016
- Notice; 12-month finding and availability of status review document; 12-Month Finding on Petitions to List Porbeagle Shark as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act
- 07/29/2016
- Notice Of Initiation Of 5 Year Review; Request For Information; Initiation of 5-Year Review for North Atlantic Right Whale
- 07/19/2016
- Notice of availability of fishery management plan amendment; request for comments; Amendment 19 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan
- 07/14/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; CCE FSB mesh selectivity EFP
- 07/13/2016
- Temporary Rule; Area Closure; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery
- 07/13/2016
- Notice; Request For Comments; Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; MA DMF Climate Change Lobster EFP
August
- 08/25/2016
- Final Rule; Monkfish; Framework Adjustment 9
- 08/19/2016
- Temporary Rule; Scup Fishery; Adjustment to the 2016 Winter II Quota
- 08/19/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Florida, Delaware, and Virginia to Massachusetts Quota Transfer
- 08/19/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- 08/18/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request For Comments; Scup Fishery; Framework Adjustment 9
- 08/17/2016
- Temporary Rule; Area Closure; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Gulf Of Maine Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery
- 08/16/2016
- Final Rule; Northeast Skate Complex Fishery; Framework Adjustment 3 and 2016-2017 Specifications
- 08/16/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Florida to New York Quota Transfer
- 08/15/2016
- Temporary Rule; Inseason Adjustment; We announce the reduction of the commercial per-trip possession limit for northern red hake for the remainder of the 2016 fishing year
- 08/15/2016
- Proposed rule; request for comments; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Amendment 19
- 08/12/2016
- Final Rule; Spiny Dogfish Fishery; 2016-2018 Specifications
- 08/11/2016
- Final Rule; Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Northeast Fisheries Science Center Fisheries Research
- 08/11/2016
- Final Rule; Fish and Fish Product Import Provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
- 08/05/2016
- Temporary Rule; Small-Mesh Multispecies Fishery; Adjustment to the Commercial Northern Red Hake Inseason Possession Limit
- 08/04/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications
- 08/01/2016
- Final Rule: Recreational Management Measures for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; Fishing Year 2016
September
- 09/28/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; NC to MA Quota Transfer
- 09/28/2016
- Proposed Rule, Reopening of Public Comment Period; Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Critical Habitat for Five Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon
- 09/27/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; 2016-2018 Atlantic Bluefish Specifications; Correction
- 09/26/2016
- Proposed rule, request for comments; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Amendment 16
- 09/23/2016
- Draft Omnibus Industry-Funded Monitoring Amendment and Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Public Comment
- 09/22/2016
- Notice; Submission for OMB Review; Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota Program; Comment Request
- 09/22/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; NJ to NY Quota Transfer
- 09/19/2016
- Notice of Public Hearings; Request for Comments; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Omnibus Amendment Public Hearings
- 09/01/2016
- Notice of Availability of Fishery Management Plan Amendment; Request for Comments; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Amendment 16
- 09/01/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; NC to NY Quota Transfer
- 09/01/2016
- Final rule; Adjustment to Specifications; Northeast Groundfish Fishery; Framework Adjustment 55; Revisions and Updates
- 09/01/2016
- Final rule; Northeast Skate Complex; Framework Adjustment 3; Correction
October
- 10/31/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Specification of Management Measures for Atlantic Herring for 2016-2018 Fishing Years
- 10/26/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; NH and NC to NY Quota Transfers
- 10/26/2016
- Notice; American Lobster-Annual Trap Transfer Program; Written comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2016
- 10/25/2016
- Notice; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Amendment 14 Data Collection; Written comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2016.
- 10/25/2016
- Notice; Atlantic Herring Amendment 5 Data Collection; Written comments must be submitted on or before December 27, 2016
- 10/18/2016
- Temporary Rule; Inseason Adjustment; Northeast Skate Complex; Adjustment to the Skate Bait Inseason Possession Limit
- 10/18/2016
- Notice; Request for Comments; General Provisions for Domestic Fisheries; Application for Exempted Fishing Permits; BSB Research Fleet EFP
- 10/18/2016
- Temporary Rule; Closure; Atlantic Herring Fishery; 2016 Management Area 1A Seasonal Annual Catch Limit Harvested
- 10/14/2016
- Notice; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fisheries; Notice That Vendor Will Provide 2017 Cage Tags
- 10/13/2016
- Jonah Crab Fishery; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; Scoping Process
November
- 11/30/2016
- Proposed Rule; Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Fishery; 2017-2019 Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab Specifications
- 11/29/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; VA to NY Quota Transfers
- 11/22/2016
- Final rule; adjustment to specifications; Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan; Revisions to Framework Adjustment 55
- 11/22/2016
- Proposed rule; request for comments; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; Proposed 2017-2018 Fishing Quotas
- 11/22/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; ME to RI Quota Transfer
- 11/15/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Georges Bank Cod Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure and Possession and Trip Limit Reductions for Common Pool Fishery
- 11/15/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Management Area 1B Directed Fishery Closure
- 11/14/2016
- Proposed Rule; 2017 and 2018 Summer Flounder Specifications
- 11/09/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Witch Flounder Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area Closure for the Common Pool Fishery
- 11/08/2016
- Final Rule; Scup Fishery; Framework Adjustment 9
- 11/02/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery; Amendment 19
December
- 12/23/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Fishery; 2017-2018 Fishing Quotas
- 12/22/2016
- Temporary Rule; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Possession and Trip Limit Modifications for the Common Pool Fishery
- 12/22/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for Connecticut
- 12/20/2016
- Final Rule; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries; 2017-2018 Summer Flounder Specifications and Announcement of 2017 Summer Flounder and Black Sea Bass Commercial Accountability Measures
- 12/19/2016
- Proposed Rule; Request for Comments; Amendment 18 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
- 12/16/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; Maine to Connecticut Quota Transfer
- 12/14/2016
- Notice; 2017 Annual Determination to Implement the Sea Turtle Observer Requirement
- 12/14/2016
- Final Rule; Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries; Amendment 16
- 12/08/2016
- Temporary Rule; Summer Flounder Fishery; NJ to VA Quota Transfer
- 12/08/2016
- Notice; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Approved Monitoring Service Providers
- 12/06/2016
- Notice of availability of proposed Fishery Management Plan amendment; request for comments; Amendment 18 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan
- 12/01/2016
- Temporary Rule; Atlantic Bluefish Fishery; Commercial Quota Harvested for the State of New York
Click Below for Past Federal Register Actions & Public Comments:
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
Disclaimer
"This information is provided by the NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office for the use and convenience of interested persons. The information available on this site may change over time. Official sources of information, such as the Federal Register, control in the event of any discrepancy appearing on NMFS Home Pages."
