🎣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 NMFS is also correcting an out-of-date cross reference.
Learn More🎣NMFS Regulation on Pacific Cod Fishing in the Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors 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 2025 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to catcher/processors using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🎣NMFS Opens Fishing for Pacific Cod in Alaska's BSAI Management Area
NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by American Fisheries Act (AFA) trawl catcher/processors (CPs) in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to AFA trawl CPs in the BSAI.
Learn More🐟Reallocation of Pacific Cod TAC in Bering Sea Management Area
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) from vessels using jig gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to allow the A season apportionment of the 2025 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested.
Learn More🎣Temporary Fishing Restrictions on Pacific Cod in Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 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 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to catcher vessels less than 50 feet (15.2 m) length overall using HAL gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🎣Temporary Pacific Cod Fishing Closure in Bering Sea Announced
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processors using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season apportionment of the 2025 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher/processors using pot gear in the BSAI.
Learn More🐟Pacific Cod Fishing Closure Regulations in the Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More🐟Fishing Closure for Pacific Cod in Alaska Effective March 2025
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2025 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using pot gear in the BSAI.
Learn More🎣Temporary Closure of Pacific Cod Fishing in Alaska's Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot 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 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
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