Home / Agencies / Interior / 2026-04460
Proposed Rule

Definition of Shellfish; Inclusion of Cephalopods

Agency
Interior
Document Number
2026-04460
Published
March 6, 2026
Effective Date
-

Abstract

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to amend the definition of "shellfish" in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) by removing the phrase "having a shell" and adding specific taxa. This amendment would 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.

Federal Register Source

This document is published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Access the full regulatory text, preamble, and docket comments below.

View Full Text on FederalRegister.gov →

Opens in new tab · federalregister.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2026-04460 Federal Register document?
Document 2026-04460 is a Proposed Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on March 6, 2026. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to amend the definition of "shellfish" in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) by removing the phrase "having a shell" and adding specific taxa. This amendment would 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. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/06/2026-04460/definition-of-shellfish-inclusion-of-cephalopods.
Is document 2026-04460 an economically significant rule?
No. Document 2026-04460 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.

Other Rules from Interior

Ohio Regulatory Program
Final Rule · Aug 2026
Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations on the Outer Continental Shelf-Revisions to the Requirements for Exploratory Drilling on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf
Proposed · Aug 2026
First State National Historical Park; Bicycling
Proposed · Jul 2026
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Florida Keys Mole Skink; Correction
Final Rule · Jul 2026
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment of the Canada Lynx; Correction
Final Rule · Jul 2026
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Key Ring-Necked Snake and Rim Rock Crowned Snake
Final Rule · Jul 2026
View all Department of Interior rules →

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →
Data sourced from official state legislatures, IAPP, NCSL, and federal regulatory trackers. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainRegWatch

Every figure on PlainRegWatch is rendered from curated state legislative and Federal Register source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Figures on this page come from the curated five-category archive. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Tracker scores and rule counts are curated records in five tracked categories - not enforcement strength, legal advice, a complete inventory of US law, or a live bill-status feed.