NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ISSUES NOTICE: 2026 ANNUAL DETERMINATION TO IMPLEMENT THE SEA TURTLE OBSERVER REQUIREMENT

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a notice called: 2026 Annual Determination To Implement the Sea Turtle Observer Requirement.

The notice was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 17 by Kimberly Damon-Randall, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

Summary: NMFS is providing notification that the agency will not identify additional fisheries to observe on the 2026 Annual Determination (AD), pursuant to its authority under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Through the AD, NMFS identifies U.S. fisheries operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of America, and Pacific Ocean that will be required to take observers upon NMFS' request. The purpose of observi...