Cook Inlet 2026 Salmon Harvest Specifications Proposed

Proposed Rule

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Cook Inlet; Proposed 2026 Harvest Specifications for Salmon

A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 04/15/2026

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• Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-07292 (91 FR 20085) Document Headings ###### Department of Commerce

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1. 50 CFR Part 679
2. [Docket No. 260410-0095; RTID 0648-XF376]

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Proposed rule; harvest specifications and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

NMFS proposes 2026 harvest specifications for the salmon fishery of the Cook Inlet exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for salmon during the 2026 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska (Salmon FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the salmon resources in Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES:

Comments must be received by April 30, 2026.

( printed page 20086)

ADDRESSES:

A plain language summary of this proposed rule is available at https://www.regulations.gov/​docket/​NOAA-NMFS-2026-0562. You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2026-0562, by any of the following methods:

• Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS- 2026-0562 in the Search box. Click on the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
• Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668. Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

An electronic copy of the draft Environmental Assessment for the Harvest Specifications of the Cook Inlet Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ Off Alaska (EA) prepared for this action is available at https://www.regulations.gov/​docket/​NOAA-NMFS-2026-0562. The Environmental Assessment (EA)/Regulatory Impact Review for amendment 16 (A16 EA/RIR) to the Salmon FMP are available from the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​action/​amendment-16-fmp-salmon-fisheries-alaska. A preliminary Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report was presented at the February 2026 North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) meeting, and NMFS incorporated the recommendations of the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and posted the final SAFE at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​alaska/​population-assessments/​alaska-stock-assessments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Adam Zaleski, 907-206-5802, adam.zaleski@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

NMFS prepared the Salmon FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the Salmon FMP appear at 50 CFR part 600 and 50 CFR part 679.

The proposed harvest specifications include catch limits that NMFS could implement subject to further consideration after public comment. Regulations at 50 CFR 679.118(b) require that NMFS consider public comment on the proposed harvest specifications and publish the final harvest specifications in the Federal Register. The final harvest specifications will take effect only after publication of a final rule. NMFS will publish the final 2026 harvest specifications after: (1) considering comments received within the comment period (see DATES section); (2) considering information presented in the draft EA (see ADDRESSES section); and (3) considering information presented in the final 2026 SAFE report prepared for the 2026 Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fisheries. See 50 CFR 679.118(b)(2) for additional considerations regarding the final harvest specifications.

Proposed 2026 Overfishing Limit (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), and Total Allowable Catch (TAC) Specifications

NMFS compiled and presented the preliminary 2026 SAFE report for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon stocks and stock complexes, dated February 2026, at the February Council meeting. The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of biological parameters for seven stocks of Pacific salmon and provides recommendations to the SSC regarding the appropriate tiers for each stock, the status determination criteria (SDC) that will be used to evaluate overfishing (including OFL), and the appropriate ABC, which acts as a ceiling when NMFS specifies TACs.

The Salmon FMP specifies methods to calculate OFLs and ABCs for stocks harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. The methodology used to calculate OFL and ABC depends on the “tier” to which a stock or stock complex has been assigned, which is determined by the level of reliable information available. Tier 1 stocks have the highest level of information quality available, while tier 3 stocks have the lowest level of information quality available. NMFS uses this tier structure to calculate OFLs and ABCs for each salmon stock or stock complex (a stock complex is an aggregate of multiple stocks of a species) according to the methods specified in the Salmon FMP and recommended by the SSC.

For tier 1 stocks as defined in the Salmon FMP, the SAFE report relies on forecasts of the coming year's salmon runs as the basis for the recommended OFLs and ABCs, which are included in the 2026 SAFE report. For tier 1 stocks, SDC and harvest specifications are calculated in terms of potential yield for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. The potential yield is the total forecasted run size minus the number of salmon required to achieve spawning escapement targets and the estimated mortality from other sources, including in other fisheries.

For 2026, no stocks were recommended to be tier 2.

For tier 3 stocks as defined in the Salmon FMP, NMFS used fishery catch estimates from prior years to inform the 2026 harvest specifications.

The Salmon FMP also lays out considerations for the specification of TACs, which are set at the species level. TACs must be less than or equal to the ABCs established for each stock and stock complex and their estimated proportional contribution to total catch and account for allowable de minimis harvest amounts and projected removals from the recreational salmon fishery. TACs may be reduced from ABC if warranted on the basis of concerns about the harvest of weak salmon stocks, bycatch considerations, management uncertainty, ecosystem requirements, or social and economic considerations.

The SSC and Council reviewed NMFS's preliminary 2026 SAFE report for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery in February 2026. From these data and analyses, the SSC recommended an OFL and ABC for each managed salmon stock or stock complex. After considering the SSC's recommendations, the Council unanimously took action to recommend TACs for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery, which also include a buffer to reduce TACs from ABCs to account for management uncertainty. A primary source of management uncertainty is whether, upon nearing a TAC, NMFS will have sufficient time to publish a notice of fishery closure in the Federal Register before additional fishing openers occur. As such, the TAC buffers and resulting proposed TACs were calculated to ensure that even if a TAC level is reached, two additional fishing openers occurring before the fishery could be closed would not result in any ABC being exceeded. The TAC buffers were derived by calculating the maximum daily harvest after July 15 in 2024 and 2025, expressing that harvest as a percentage of the 2026 ABC, and ( printed page 20087) doubling it to account for two openers of fishing at that level. For the Aggregate Coho salmon stock complex, given that spawning escapement targets have not been achieved during recent years for the indicator stocks, the Council recommended a larger management buffer such that the proposed 2026 TAC is very similar to the 2025 TAC, and NMFS agrees this level of precaution is warranted in light of ecosystem concerns regarding a data-poor stock complex. Through this action, NMFS is proposing to implement the OFLs and ABCs recommended by the SSC and TACs consistent with the Council's recommendations.

Following the February Council meeting, NMFS updated the 2026 SAFE report to incorporate SSC recommendations (see ADDRESSES section). The proposed specifications are based on SSC recommendations contained in the 2026 SAFE report, which represents the best scientific information available on the biological condition of salmon stocks in Cook Inlet.

NMFS is required to publish and solicit public comment on proposed annual specifications as soon as practicable after consultation with the Council (see 50 CFR 679.118(b)(1)); the proposed harvest specifications are included in table 1 of this proposed rule. The recommended specifications of OFL, ABC, and TAC are consistent with the harvest strategy outlined in the Salmon FMP, the biological condition of salmon as described in the 2026 SAFE report, SSC and Council recommendations, and the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including the National Standards. The recommended ABCs would be less than the OFLs for each stock or stock complex. TACs would be established for species rather than stocks or stock complexes because it is not possible to differentiate among stocks of the same species through catch accounting during the fishing season. The proposed TACs for each species are less than the aggregate ABC for each component stock and stock complex, and these TACs would account for the assumed contribution of each stock or stock complex to total catch to ensure ABC is not exceeded for any stock and stock complex. NMFS will rely on its experience managing the fishery and inseason management authority to close the fishery when it determines a TAC has been or is likely to be reached.

The proposed 2026 OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are based on the best scientific information available, primarily the 2026 SAFE report. The SAFE report was subject to peer review by the SSC, which recommended the ABCs and OFLs that NMFS proposes in table 1, consistent with 50 CFR 600.310(f)(3) and 600.315(c) through (d). These proposed TACs account for other relevant biological and social and economic considerations presented in the resource assessment documents (i.e., the 2026 SAFE report) (see § 679.118(a)(2)), management uncertainty, and the estimated contribution of each stock or stock complex to total catch of a species and would prevent catch in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area from exceeding the ABC for any stock or stock complex. These proposed OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are subject to change pending consideration of public comment.

Stock or stock complex 1	OFL	ABC	TAC
Kenai River Late-Run sockeye salmon	1,284,478	937,993	1,487,153
Kasilof River sockeye salmon	617,006	489,936
Aggregate Other sockeye salmon	181,351	154,149
Aggregate Chinook salmon	373	261	240
Aggregate coho salmon	67,013	26,805	16,619
Aggregate chum salmon	97,508	78,006	68,645
Aggregate pink salmon	141,406	127,266	124,721
1 The TAC for sockeye salmon is combined for Kenai River Late-Run, Kasilof River, and Aggregate Other sockeye salmon because it is not possible to differentiate among stocks of sockeye at the time they are caught.

Directed Fishing Closures and Inseason Adjustments

In accordance with 50 CFR 679.118(c)(1)(i), NMFS will prohibit fishing for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area if NMFS determines that any salmon TAC has been or may be reached for any salmon species or stock. NMFS may also make adjustments to a TAC for any salmon species or stock or open or close a season in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area if necessary to prevent overfishing, among other reasons, consistent with 50 CFR 679.25. Changes to the salmon fisheries in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area will be announced in the Federal Register and posted under the Alaska filter for Management Areas at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​news-and-announcements/​bulletins.

Classification

NMFS is issuing this proposed rule pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Through previous actions, the Salmon FMP and regulations are designed to authorize NMFS to take this action (see 50 CFR 679.118). The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this proposed rule is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Salmon FMP, and other applicable laws, subject to further consideration after public comment.

NMFS finds that a comment period of 15 days for this action provides a reasonable opportunity for public participation pursuant to Administrative Procedure Act section 553(c) (5 U.S.C. 553(c)). Section 4.2.3 of the Salmon FMP notes the public review and comment period on the proposed harvest specifications will be at least 15 days. This year a 15-day comment period is necessary to ensure the final harvest specifications publish no later than June 19, 2026, while providing the public with a meaningful opportunity for review and comment. The subject of this proposed rule—the annual harvest specifications—is based on the established harvest specifications process and tier system in the Salmon FMP. NMFS was unable to publish the proposed rule any earlier and afford a longer comment period due to the timing of the February Council meeting. A longer comment period and subsequent potential delay in the implementation of this action before the Cook Inlet EEZ Area commercial salmon fishery season opens on June 22, 2026, would be contrary to public interest and could result in the closure of the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery until the ( printed page 20088) final 2026 harvest specifications are published.

This action is exempt from review under Executive Orders 12866 and 14192.

NMFS prepared the draft EA for the 2026 harvest specifications of the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery, which incorporates by reference the EA/RIR for amendment 16 to the Salmon FMP and the 2026 SAFE report (see ADDRESSES section). These analyses evaluate the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of three alternative catch limits for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery, as is consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA)

This IRFA was prepared for this proposed rule, as required by section 603 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 603), to describe the economic impact that this proposed rule, if adopted, would have on small entities.

The IRFA: (1) describes the action; (2) the reasons why this proposed rule is proposed; (3) the objectives and legal basis for this proposed rule; (4) the estimated number and description of directly regulated small entities to which this proposed rule would apply; (5) the recordkeeping, reporting, and other compliance requirements of this proposed rule; and (6) the relevant Federal rules that may duplicate, overlap, or conflict with this proposed rule. The IRFA also describes significant alternatives to this proposed rule that would accomplish the stated objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and any other applicable statutes, and that would minimize any significant economic impact of this proposed rule on small entities. The description of the proposed action, its purpose, and the legal basis are explained earlier in the preamble and are not repeated here.

For RFA purposes only, NMFS has established a small business size standard for businesses, including their affiliates, whose primary industry is commercial fishing (see 50 CFR 200.2). A business primarily engaged in commercial fishing (North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 11411) is classified as a small business if it is independently owned and operated, is not dominant in its field of operation (including its affiliates), and has combined annual gross receipts not in excess of 11 million dollars for all its affiliated operations worldwide. In addition, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has established a small business size standard applicable to charter fishing vessels (NAICS code 713990) of 9 million dollars.

Number and Description of Small Entities Regulated by This Proposed Rule

This proposed rule directly regulates commercial salmon fishing vessels that operate in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area and charter guides and charter businesses fishing for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. Because NMFS expects the State of Alaska to maintain current requirements for commercial salmon fishing vessels landing any salmon in Upper Cook Inlet to hold a Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) drift gillnet (S03H) permit, NMFS does not expect participation from non-S03H permit holders in the federally managed salmon fishery in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. Therefore, the number of S03H permit holders represents the maximum number of directly regulated entities for the commercial salmon fishery in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. From 2020 to 2024, there was an average of 544 S03H permits in circulation, with an average of 292 active permit holders, all of which are considered small entities based on the 11-million-dollar threshold. The evaluation of the number of directly regulated small entities and their revenue was conducted via custom query by staff of the Alaska Fish Information Network utilizing both Alaska Department of Fish & Game and Fish Ticket revenue data and the CFEC permits database. Revenue data is not yet available for Salmon Federal Fisheries Permits (SFFP) permit holders. The draft EA provides the most recent tabulation of commercial charter vessels that could potentially fish for salmon within the Cook Inlet EEZ Area (see ADDRESSES section).

The commercial fishing entities directly regulated by the salmon harvest specifications are the entities operating vessels with SFFPs catching salmon in Federal waters. For purposes of this analysis, NMFS assumes that the number of small entities with SFFPs that are directly regulated by the salmon harvest specifications is the average number of S03H permits in circulation (i.e., 544 permits). This may be an overstatement of the number of directly-regulated small entities since some entities may hold more than one permit.

The commercial charter fishing entities directly regulated by the salmon harvest specifications are the entities that hold commercial charter licenses and that choose to fish for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area where these harvest specifications will apply. Salmon charter operators are required to register with the State of Alaska annually and the numbers of registered charter operators in the Cook Inlet area varies. Available data indicates that, from 2019 to 2023, the total number of directly regulated charter vessel small entities that have participated in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area was 209. However, from 2019 to 2023, there was an annual average of 92 charter guides that fished for salmon at least once in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area. All of these entities, if they choose to fish in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, are directly regulated by this action and all are considered small entities based on the 9-million-dollar threshold. Updated charter vessel counts for 2024 to present have not yet been published.

This action is economically beneficial to entities operating in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery, including small entities. The action proposes TACs for commercially valuable salmon stocks that allow for the prosecution of the salmon fishery in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, thereby creating the opportunity for fishery revenue. The TACs proposed for each salmon stock or stock complex, except for aggregate coho, are higher than the recent 10-year average harvest estimated to have occurred in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area, which may help to reduce foregone yield and allow for additional harvest opportunity.

Recordkeeping, Reporting, and Other Compliance Requirements and Relevant Federal Rules That May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With This Rule

This action does not impose or modify recordkeeping or reporting requirements or duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any Federal rules.

Description of Significant Alternatives That Minimize Adverse Impacts on Small Entities

The action under consideration is the proposed 2026 harvest specifications for the Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon fishery. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for Cook Inlet salmon harvested within the EEZ during the 2026 fishing year and is taken in accordance with the Salmon FMP and pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The establishment of the harvest specifications is governed by the process for determining harvest levels for salmon in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area in the Salmon FMP and regulations. Under this process, harvest specifications typically will be made annually for specifying the OFL, ABC, and TAC for each salmon stock or stock complex. This includes identifying the stocks and stock complexes for which specifications are made. Salmon stocks ( printed page 20089) or stock complexes may be split or combined based on several biological, management, or fishery considerations, including for purposes of establishing a new harvest specification unit if such action is desirable based on the commercial importance of a stock or stock complex, or if sufficient biological information is available to manage a stock or stock complex as a single unit. Stocks and stock complexes are separated into three tiers based on the level of information available for each stock and stock complex, and the corresponding tier is used to calculate OFL and ABC.

For each stock and stock complex, NMFS establishes harvest specifications prior to the commercial salmon fishing season. To inform the harvest specifications, NMFS prepares the annual SAFE report, based on the best scientific information available at the time it is prepared, for review by the SSC and the Council. The SAFE report provides information needed for: (1) determining annual harvest specifications; (2) documenting significant trends or changes in the stocks, marine ecosystem, and fisheries over time; and (3) assessing the performance of the Federal fishery management program. The SAFE report provides a summary of the most recent biological condition of the salmon stocks.

For the proposed 2026 harvest specifications, NMFS prepared the preliminary 2026 SAFE report and consulted with the Council consistent with the Salmon FMP and implementing regulations. The proposed TACs recommended by the Council are based on the preliminary SAFE report, which represents the best scientific information available at that time for the stock and stock complexes identified by NMFS. In February 2026, the SSC reviewed the preliminary 2026 SAFE report and recommended buffers that reduce ABCs from the OFLs for all stocks. The Council unanimously recommended the harvest specifications with buffers to reduce TACs from the aggregate ABCs of component stocks for all salmon species. In light of the manner in which the fishery will operate, including the limited number of openers and NMFS's ability to monitor the TAC for each salmon species and implement closures in-season, NMFS has determined that the proposed TACs will prevent exceeding the ABC (and therefore ACL) for any stock or stock complex and prevent overfishing.

Under this action, the ABCs reflect harvest amounts that are less than the specified OFLs, and the TACs are set less than the biological reference points (i.e., the ABCs and OFLs) recommended by the SSC. The Salmon FMP specifies that the Council's annual TAC recommendations should account for the estimated proportional contribution of component stocks to total catch of each species and may account for social and economic considerations. These considerations include the need to promote efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources (e.g., minimizing costs); the desire to conserve, protect, and rebuild depleted salmon stocks; the importance of the salmon fishery to harvesters, processors, local communities, and other salmon users in Cook Inlet; and the need to promote utilization of certain species (see 50 CFR 679.118(a)(2)(ii)). The proposed TACs account for such considerations. TACs cannot be set higher than the ABCs. Moreover, management measures must be consistent with the governing FMP. The proposed harvest specifications are the only alternatives that are consistent with the process described above, the Salmon FMP, and the MSA.

Based upon the best scientific information available and in consideration of the objectives for this proposed action and after a public process during which the Council and NMFS solicited public input and consultation with the Council, NMFS has concluded that there are no significant alternatives to this proposed rule for salmon harvest specifications that have the potential to comply with the Salmon FMP, accomplish the stated objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Act or any other statutes, and minimize any significant economic impact of the action on small entities while preventing overfishing.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This proposed rule contains no information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 773 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 1540(f); 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.; Pub. L. 105-277; Pub. L. 106-31; Pub. L. 106-554; Pub. L. 108-199; Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 109-241; Pub. L. 109-479.

Dated: April 10, 2026.

Samuel D. Rauch, III,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 2026-07292 Filed 4-14-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

Published Document: 2026-07292 (91 FR 20085)