Alaska Pacific Cod Fishery Closure for Catcher Vessels

Regs.gov: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Published March 16th, 2026

Detected March 18th, 2026

Summary

NOAA Fisheries is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet using hook-and-line gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska. This temporary rule is necessary to prevent exceeding the allocated total allowable catch for the A season.

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What changed

NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) has issued a temporary rule prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels 50 feet or larger using hook-and-line gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This action is effective from March 16, 2026, through September 1, 2026, and is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) for this sector, which has been determined to be reached or will be reached imminently.

Regulated entities, specifically catcher vessels meeting the size and gear criteria, must cease directed fishing for Pacific cod in the specified area. The closure is effective immediately upon publication, with no public comment period due to the need for timely response to recent catch data. While directed fishing is prohibited, maximum retainable amounts for incidental catch will still apply. Failure to comply may result in enforcement actions.

What to do next

Cease directed fishing for Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska if operating a catcher vessel >= 50 feet using hook-and-line gear.
Adhere to maximum retainable amounts for incidental Pacific cod catch.
Monitor future advisories from NOAA Fisheries regarding fishery status.

Source document (simplified)

Content

ACTION:

Temporary rule; closure.

SUMMARY:

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 meters (m))
length overall using hook-and-line (HAL) gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary
to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher vessels
greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

DATES:

Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 16, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., September 1, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Abby Jahn, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS manages the groundfish fishery in the GOA exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish
of the GOA (FMP) prepared and recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council under authority of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). Regulations governing fishing by U.S. vessels in accordance
with the FMP appear at subpart H of 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.

The A season allowance of the 2026 Pacific cod TAC allocated to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m)
length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA is 1,160 metric tons (mt) as established by the final
2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025) and the inseason adjustment (91
FR 5858, February 10, 2026).

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) has determined
that the A season allowance of the 2026 Pacific cod TAC allocated to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2
m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA will be or has been reached. Therefore, the Regional
Administrator is establishing a directed fishing allowance of 1,060 mt and is setting aside the remaining 100 mt as incidental
catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries. In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator
finds that this directed fishing allowance has been or will be reached. Consequently, NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing
for catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area
of the GOA to prevent exceeding this sector's A season allowance of Pacific cod TAC.

While this closure is effective the maximum retainable amounts at

  § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.

Classification

NMFS issues this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. This action is required by 50 CFR part 679,
which was issued pursuant to section 304(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), there is good cause to waive prior notice and an opportunity for public comment on this action,
as notice and comment would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest, as it would prevent NMFS from responding
to the most recent fisheries data on Pacific cod catch in a timely fashion and would delay the closure of directed fishing
for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the A season
in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for public comment because the
most recent, relevant data on Pacific cod catch only became available as of March 13, 2026.

There is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to establish an effective date less than 30 days after date of publication. This
finding is based upon the reasons provided above for waiver of prior notice and opportunity for public comment.

Authority:

16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Dated: March 14, 2026. David R. Blankinship, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2026-05266 Filed 3-16-26; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P