Rule2025-23786
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Inseason Adjustment to the 2026 Gulf of Alaska Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 23, 2025
Effective
January 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS is adjusting the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Pacific cod fisheries. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined that these TACs are incorrectly specified and that the adjustments are necessary to ensure that harvest of Pacific cod does not exceed biological limits for the stock, as established by the best scientific information available for Pacific cod in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 244 (Tuesday, December 23, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 23, 2025)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60022-60024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23786]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 679
[Docket No. 250312-0037; RTID 0648-XF395]
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Inseason
Adjustment to the 2026 Gulf of Alaska Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason adjustment; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts
for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Pacific cod fisheries. This action is
necessary because NMFS has determined that these TACs are incorrectly
specified and that the adjustments are necessary to ensure that harvest
of Pacific cod does not exceed biological limits for the stock, as
established by the best scientific information available for Pacific
cod in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives
of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska
(FMP).
DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), January 1,
2026,
[[Page 60023]]
through March 17, 2026, unless otherwise modified or superseded through
publication of the final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications for GOA
groundfish in the Federal Register.
Comments must be received at the following ADDRESSES no later than
January 7, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
docket number NOAA-NMFS-2024-0124 by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> and
enter NOAA-NMFS-2024-0124 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
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 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).
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 FMP prepared and
recommended by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (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 final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in
the GOA set the 2026 Pacific cod TAC at 22,235 metric tons (mt) in the
GOA (90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025). In December 2025, the Council
recommended a 2026 Pacific cod TAC of 21,826 mt for the GOA, which is
less than the 22,235 mt established by the final 2025 and 2026 harvest
specifications for groundfish in the GOA. The Council's recommended
2026 Pacific cod TAC for the GOA is based on the Scientific and
Statistical Committee's (SSC's) overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable
biological catch (ABC) recommendations and is adjusted to account for
the State of Alaska's guideline harvest level (GHL). The GHL increased
from 30 to 35 percent for the Western GOA regulatory area by the Alaska
Board of Fisheries (BOF) in October 2025. There were no GHL changes by
the BOF for the Central GOA or Eastern GOA regulatory areas, which
remain at 25 percent for both areas. However, because the GHL increased
for the Western GOA regulatory area, the Western GOA TAC and GOA wide
TAC must be adjusted to account for that increase to ensure that the
sum of all Pacific cod removals from State waters and Federal waters in
the GOA not exceed the Pacific cod ABC.
Steller sea lions occur in the same location as Pacific cod
fisheries and are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species
Act. Pacific cod are one of the predominant prey species for Steller
sea lions in the GOA. Regulations implementing Steller sea lion
protection measures include regulations at Sec. 679.20(a)(12)(i) that
specify, for each sector, the seasonal apportionment of Pacific cod TAC
in the Western GOA and Central GOA regulatory areas.
Stock assessments were not completed in 2025 due to the lapse in
appropriations and resulting government shutdown from October 1, 2025
through November 12, 2025. The SSC recommendations are informed by the
Groundfish Plan Team's recommended OFLs and ABCs from their November
2024 meeting as well as a review of the most recent Stock Assessment
and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report dated November 2024. The Council's
TAC recommendations are based on those of its Advisory Panel,
consistent with the SSC's OFL and ABC recommendations, and reflect the
most recent information on the State GHL and Pacific cod.
In accordance with Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(iii), (a)(2)(i)(A), and
(a)(2)(iv), the Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS (Regional
Administrator), has determined that the 2026 Pacific cod TACs and
subsequent sector allocations and seasonal apportionments are
incorrectly specified and that adjustments are necessary to ensure that
harvest of Pacific cod does not exceed biological limits for the stock.
Without these adjustments, harvests of Pacific cod in State waters and
Federal waters in the GOA could exceed the ABC which is equal to the
annual catch limit and could increase the risk of overfishing. This
determination is based on the November 2024 SAFE report and SSC
recommendations for OFL and ABC, which is the best available scientific
information on biological stock status. This determination is also
based on TAC recommendations by the Council at the December 2025
meeting, and in consideration of the increase in the State GHL for the
State waters fishery in the Western GOA regulatory area. The
adjustments are also necessary to ensure that the Pacific cod TACs are
seasonally apportioned among sectors consistent with Steller sea lion
protection measures set forth in regulation (Sec. 679.20(a)(12)(i)(A)
& (B)).
Pursuant to Sec. 679.25(a)(1)(iii), the Regional Administrator is
adjusting the 2026 GOA Pacific cod TAC to 21,826 mt. Therefore, table 2
of the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the
GOA (90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025) is revised consistent with this
adjustment.
Pursuant to Sec. 679.20(a)(6)(ii) and (a)(12)(i), table 6 of the
final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA
(90 FR 12468, March 18, 2025) is revised for the 2026 TACs of Pacific
cod in the GOA.
[[Page 60024]]
Table 1--Final 2026 Seasonal Apportionments and Allocation of Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch Amounts in the
GOA; Allocations in the Western GOA and Central GOA Sectors, and the Eastern GOA Inshore and Offshore Processing
Components
[Values are rounded to the nearest metric ton]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Season B Season
----------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Sector Sector
Regulatory area and sector allocation percentage of Seasonal percentage of Seasonal
(mt) annual non- allowances (mt) annual non- allowances
jig TAC jig TAC (mt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western GOA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jig (2.5% of TAC).............. 133 n/a 80 n/a 53
Hook-and-line CV............... 72 0.70 36 0.70 36
Hook-and-line CP............... 1,026 10.90 565 8.90 461
Trawl CV....................... 1,991 31.54 1,635 6.86 356
Trawl CP....................... 125 0.90 47 1.50 78
All Pot CV and Pot CP.......... 1,971 19.80 1,027 18.20 944
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... 5,318 63.84 3,390 36.16 1,928
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central GOA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jig (4 of TAC)................. 578 n/a 347 n/a 231
Hook-and-line <50 CV........... 2,025 9.32 1,292 5.29 733
Hook-and-line >=50 CV.......... 930 5.61 778 1.10 152
Hook-and-line CP............... 708 4.11 570 1.00 138
Trawl CV \1\................... 5,767 25.29 3,508 16.29 2,259
Trawl CP....................... 582 2.00 278 2.19 304
All Pot CV and Pot CP.......... 3,857 17.83 2,473 9.98 1,384
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... 14,447 64.16 9,246 35.84 5,201
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern GOA........................Inshore (90 of Annual TAC)
Offshore (10 of Annual TAC)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total...................... 2,061 1,855
206
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Trawl catcher vessels participating in Rockfish Program cooperatives receive 3.81 percent, or 550 mt, of the
annual Central GOA TAC (see table 28c to 50 CFR part 679), which is deducted from the Trawl CV B season
allowance. This inseason adjustment also updates the apportionment found in table 13 of the final 2025 and
2026 harvest specifications for groundfish in the GOA (i.e., Final 2026 Apportionments of Rockfish Secondary
Species in the Central GOA to Catcher Vessel and Catcher/Processor Cooperatives) (90 FR 12468, March 18,
2025).
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 and information in a timely fashion and would allow for harvests
that exceed the appropriate allocation for Pacific cod based on the
most recent information available. Without an immediate adjustment
decreasing Pacific cod TACs, harvests of Pacific cod in State waters
and Federal waters in the GOA could exceed the ABC, and therefore the
annual catch limit for Pacific cod and increase the risk of
overfishing. NMFS was unable to publish a notice providing time for
public comment because the most recent, relevant data and information
only became available as of December 19, 2025. This action must be
effective by January 1, 2026, to ensure harvests of Pacific cod are
consistent with seasonal apportionments for Pacific cod that are based
on regulations implementing Steller sea lion protection measures.
Without this inseason adjustment, NMFS could not allow the fishery
for Pacific cod in the GOA to be harvested in an expedient manner.
Under Sec. 679.25(c)(2), interested persons are invited to submit
written comments on this action to the above ADDRESSES until January 7,
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: December 19, 2025.
Kelly Denit,
Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-23786 Filed 12-22-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 23, 2025.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.