🎣Pacific Cod Fishing Closure Impact on Businesses in Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🐟2025 Fisheries Regulation
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from American Fisheries Act (AFA) catcher/processor vessels to amendment 80 vessels in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.
Learn More🎣NMFS Opens Pacific Cod Fishing in Alaska's Bering Sea
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.
Learn More🎣Reallocation of Pacific Cod in Alaska
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear, trawl catcher vessels, and catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.
Learn More🎣Proposed Rule on Pacific Cod Fishing Opportunities for Small Vessels
NMFS proposes a rule to implement amendment 125 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP). Amendment 125 would add a small vessel provision to the current BSAI Pacific cod jig sector in the A season, January 1 to April 30. Under this small vessel provision, catch from catcher vessels (CV) using hook-and-line or pot gear that are less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) harvesting Pacific cod in the BSAI during the jig gear A season would accrue to the jig sector allocation. This action would provide stability and additional opportunities for some fishery participants and potential new entrants. It also advances the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.
Learn More🎣NOAA's Pacific Cod Trawl Program
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on continuing and revised information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More🐟Business Implications of Pacific Cod Retention Prohibition in Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific cod by catcher/ processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA has been or will be reached.
Learn More🎣Temporary Closure of Pacific Cod Fishing in Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🎣Amendment 125 Enhances Small Boat Access to Pacific Cod in Alaska
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 125 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review. If approved, amendment 125 would modify the BSAI Pacific cod jig sector to allow catch from catcher vessels (CV) using hook-and-line or pot gear that are less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) harvesting Pacific cod in the BSAI during the jig gear A season to accrue to the jig sector allocation. Amendment 125 would promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), BSAI FMP, and other applicable laws.
Learn More🐟Clarification on Cost Recovery for Alaska Fisheries Regulations
NMFS is clarifying the cost recovery process timing from the final rule implementing amendment 122 to the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). Amendment 122 established the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program (PCTC Program or Program) to allocate Pacific cod harvest quota to qualifying groundfish License Limitation Program (LLP) license holders and qualifying processors. In this correction, NMFS is clarifying the timing of the cost recovery fee schedule for the existing cost recovery requirements for participants. NMFS is also correcting an out-of-date cross reference.
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