Trump’s regulatory freeze throws US fishing industry into chaos

President Donald Trump’s regulatory freeze has injected chaos and uncertainty into a number of lucrative American fisheries, raising the risk of a delayed start to the fishing season for some East Coast cod and haddock fleets and

leading to overfishing of Atlantic bluefin tuna, according to Reuters interviews with industry groups and federal government employees.

America’s $320 billion fishing industry relies on a branch of the federal government, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to manage coastal fisheries. Under a 1976 law, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service develops management plans for 45 fisheries, setting quotas and determining the start and close of fishing seasons, in consultation with federal government scientists and local fishermen.

Trump’s January 20 declaration of a 60-day freeze on regulations disrupted this process for several of those fisheries, delaying key meetings and causing confusion over the issuance of new rules, according to Reuters interviews.

The freeze allowed overfishing in waters off North Carolina of Atlantic bluefin tuna which could mean reduced quotas for New York and New England fishermen when the fish migrate further north this summer, according to a Massachusetts lawmaker as well as industry groups and the federal government employees.

“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, an industry group. “I’m getting calls from fishermen asking what’s going to happen.”

Some 163 probationary employees — or about 5% of the NOAA workforce dealing with fisheries — were fired last month including administrative support staff, fish biologists and fisheries management specialists, a senior NOAA employee who was among those fired told Reuters. Those roles are involved in the regulatory process, from monitoring the health of stocks to consulting on regulations for annual catch.

The agency confirmed the freeze in an email, but said that it would not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on management and personnel issues. “NOAA Fisheries is complying with the Presidential Memorandum ‘Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,’ NOAA spokesperson Rachel Hager said.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Even if new regulations can be issued once the freeze lifts, delays in openings can have an impact on the industry, especially fishermen who rely on migratory fish or operate smaller vessels.

“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 and organizations across the country.