Fishing season is winding down in many ports, and with boats tied up, attention turns to the other half of the work—what happens off the water. This is the time when policy meetings, comment periods, and agency hearings start filling the calendar. And right now, two major federal comment opportunities are open that deserve the full attention of independent fishermen.
If you want a future where small boats still have a place on the water, where independent hands can make a living without being swallowed by consolidation, then it’s time to speak up.
The Calls for Comment
Two opportunities are open right now:
1. NOAA Fisheries on the Executive Order for Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness
Public comment open until Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Two virtual listening sessions: Thursday, September 25 and Wednesday, October 1 from 4:30–5:30 PM EST
Submit written comments to nmfs.seafoodstrategy@noaa.gov
2. USDA on Department Reorganization
Public comment open until Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Submit comments to reorganization@usda.gov
Details at usda.gov
These may sound like bureaucratic exercises. But the rules written today will shape tomorrow’s docks, processors, and markets. Independent fishermen have every reason to weigh in.