Opportunity
Federal Register #2026-20877
NOAA Seeks Comments on Massachusetts Ropeless Lobster Gear Trial
Buyer
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Posted
October 13, 2026
Respond By
October 29, 2026
Identifier
2026-20877
NAICS
114119
NOAA is seeking public comments on a Massachusetts proposal to trial ropeless lobster-fishing gear in restricted areas. - Government buyer and applicant - Department of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Greater Atlantic Region (GARFO). - The application was submitted by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF). - Proposed trial scope - Up to 50 federally permitted lobster vessels could make up to 700 trips and conduct up to 14,000 trap/pot sets using fully ropeless, on-demand gear. - Trips are limited to one day each; individual sets may remain deployed for up to seven days. - The trial would evaluate gear-location marking systems and collect information about gear deployment and retrieval, gear conflicts, and fishing operations, with the goal of supporting efforts to reduce whale-entanglement risks. - Named gear manufacturers and systems - Sub Sea Sonics on-demand gear. - Guardian on-demand gear. - EdgeTech on-demand gear. - Participants may use privately owned gear or gear obtained through reimbursements from an MA DMF on-demand grant program. - Notable requirement and opportunity type - The requested exemption would allow trial use of trap/pot gear without the surface markings otherwise required by federal rules. - This is a request for public comments on an exempted fishing permit application, not a solicitation to purchase products or services.
Description
The National Marine Fisheries Service is seeking comments on an application for an Exempted Fishing Permit proposed by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. The permit would allow up to 50 federally permitted lobster trap vessels to test on-demand, fully ropeless fishing gear in specified seasonal restricted areas in Massachusetts coastal waters, with up to 700 trips proposed. The project would test gear location marking systems and collect data on gear deployment, retrieval, conflicts, and fishing operations. Comments are due October 28, 2026.