NOAA Fisheries Proposes 10-Year Extension for Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Permit Moratorium
NOAA Fisheries is addressing the upcoming expiration of the federal shrimp permit moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico. This moratorium, initially established for a decade through Amendment 13 to the Shrimp Fishery Management Plan (FMP) in 2005 and subsequently renewed for another ten years via Amendment 17A in 2016, is scheduled to conclude on October 26, 2026. The primary objective of this moratorium has been to foster stability and prevent overcapacity within the Gulf shrimp fishery. To continue these efforts, Amendment 19 has been proposed, which seeks to extend the moratorium for an additional ten years, pushing its expiration date to October 26, 2036. This extension would specifically apply to commercial shrimp vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposal is currently in the information gathering phase, with a request for comments issued on June 5, 2026, as part of the process to finalize Amendment 19. 
