Data / Federal rules / 2026-12578

Definition of Shellfish; Inclusion of Cephalopods

The Fish and Wildlife Service published this final rule in the Federal Register on June 23, 2026. It took effect on July 23, 2026.

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What the agency says

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are amending the definition of "shellfish" in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) by removing the phrase "having a shell" and adding specific taxa. This amendment will clarify that squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and other cephalopods are included within the regulatory definition of shellfish. This action is deregulatory in nature, as it reduces regulatory ambiguity, aligns the Service's regulations with current biological understanding and commercial practice, reduces regulatory burden and is within the Service's purview to amend definitions as needed.

Key facts

Document number: 2026-12578
Type: Final rule
Action: Final rule
Agency: Interior Department; Fish and Wildlife Service
Published: June 23, 2026
Takes effect: July 23, 2026
Dates: This rule is effective July 23, 2026.
Docket: Docket No. FWS-HQ-LE-2026-0628; FXLE12200900000-267-FF09L00000
Regulation ID (RIN): 1018-BJ16
Code of Federal Regulations: 50 CFR 10
Topics: Exports; Fish; Imports; Law enforcement; Plants; Transportation; Wildlife
Pages: 5

The document on federalregister.gov PDF

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Everything from the Fish and Wildlife Service · Rules on exports · Rules on fish · Rules on imports · Published in June 2026

Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.