Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Final 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

Federal RegisterMar 18, 2025

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No. 250312-0036]

RTID 0648-XE346

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Final 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Final rule; harvest specifications and closures.

SUMMARY:

NMFS announces the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the remainder of the 2025 and the start of the 2026 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the BSAI (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

DATES:

Harvest specifications and closures are effective from 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Electronic copies of the Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), Record of Decision (ROD), and the annual Supplementary Information Reports (SIR) to the Final EIS prepared for this action are available from

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska.

The 2024 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) report for the groundfish resources of the BSAI, dated November 2024, as well as the SAFE reports for previous years, are available from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) at 1007 West Third Ave., Suite 400, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone 907-271-2809, or from the Council's website at

https://www.npfmc.org/,

and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center website at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/population-assessments/north-pacific-groundfish-stock-assessments-and-fishery-evaluation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steve Whitney, 907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Federal regulations at 50 CFR part 679 implement the FMP and govern the groundfish fisheries in the BSAI. The Council prepared, and NMFS approved, the FMP pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act. General regulations governing U.S. fisheries also appear at 50 CFR part 600.

The FMP and its implementing regulations require NMFS, after consultation with the Council, to specify annually the overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), and total allowable catch (TAC) for each target species. The sum of all TACs for target groundfish species in the BSAI must be within the optimum yield (OY) range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million metric tons (mt) (see § 679.20(a)(1)(i)(A) and 679.20(a)(2)). This final rule specifies the sum of the TACs at 2.0 million mt for 2025 and 2.0 million mt for 2026. NMFS also must specify: (1) apportionments of TACs; (2) PSC limits and prohibited species quota (PSQ) reserves established by § 679.21; (3) seasonal allowances of pollock, Pacific cod, and Atka mackerel TAC; (4) American Fisheries Act (AFA) allocations; (5) Amendment 80 allocations; (6) Community Development Quota (CDQ) reserve amounts established by § 679.20(b)(1)(ii); (7) ABC surpluses and ABC reserves for CDQ groups and any Amendment 80 cooperatives for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole; and (8) halibut discard mortality rates (DMR). The final harvest specifications set forth in tables 1 through 25 of this action satisfy these requirements.

Section 679.20(c)(3)(i) further requires that NMFS consider public comment on the proposed harvest specifications and, after consultation with the Council, publish final harvest specifications in the

Federal Register

. The proposed 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications for the groundfish fishery of the BSAI were published in the

Federal Register

on December 4, 2024 (89 FR 96186). Comments were invited and accepted through January 3, 2025. As discussed in the Response to Comments section below, NMFS received three letters raising 19 distinct comments during the public comment period for the proposed BSAI groundfish harvest specifications. NMFS's responses are included in the Response to Comments section below.

NMFS consulted with the Council on the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications during the December 2024 Council meeting. After considering public comments during public meetings and submitted for the proposed rule (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024), as well as current biological, ecosystem, socioeconomic, and harvest data, NMFS implements in this final rule the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council.

ABC and TAC Harvest Specifications

The final ABC amounts for BSAI groundfish are based on the best available biological information, including projected biomass trends, information on assumed distribution of stock biomass, and revised technical methods used to calculate stock biomass. In general, the development of OFLs and ABCs involves sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations. The FMP specifies a series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts based on the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier 1 represents the highest level of information quality available, while Tier 6 represents the lowest.

In December 2024, the Council, its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), and its Advisory Panel (AP) reviewed current biological, ecosystem, socioeconomic, and harvest information about the condition of the BSAI groundfish stocks. The Council's BSAI Groundfish Plan Team (Plan Team) compiled and presented this information in the 2024 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2024 (see

ADDRESSES

). The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the BSAI ecosystem and the economic condition of groundfish fisheries off Alaska. NMFS notified the public of the comment period for these harvest specifications—and of the publication of the 2024 SAFE report—in the proposed harvest specifications (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024). From the data and analyses in the SAFE report, the Plan Team recommended an OFL and ABC for each species and species group at the November 2024 Plan Team meeting.

In December 2024, the SSC, AP, and Council reviewed the Plan Team's recommendations. The final TAC recommendations were based on the ABCs recommended by the SSC, and were adjusted for other biological and socioeconomic considerations, including the maintenance of the sum of all the TACs within the required OY

range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. As required by National Standard 1 regulations (50 CFR 600.310) and the annual catch limit rules for all fisheries (74 FR 3178, January 16, 2009) and consistent with the FMP, none of the Council's recommended 2025 or 2026 TACs exceed the final 2025 or 2026 ABCs for any species or species group. NMFS finds that the Council's recommended OFLs, ABCs, and TACs are consistent with the preferred harvest strategy outlined in the FMP, as well as the Final EIS and ROD, and the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2024 SAFE report that was approved by the Council, while accounting for ecosystem, socioeconomic, and harvest information presented in the 2024 SAFE report (which includes the Ecosystem Status Reports (ESR)).

NMFS has reviewed the recommendations of the SSC and Council for OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for target species and species groups in the BSAI as well as any other relevant information. Based on that review, NMFS is specifying the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs set forth in the tables of this final rule as consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and other applicable law. Therefore, this final rule provides notification that the Secretary of Commerce approves the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications as recommended by the Council.

The 2025 harvest specifications set in this final action supersede the 2025 harvest specifications previously set in the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024). Pursuant to this final action, the 2025 harvest specifications are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025, and the 2026 harvest specifications are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Other Actions Affecting the 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications

Amendment 125 to the FMP: Pacific Cod Small Boat Access

NMFS is developing a proposed rule to implement Amendment 125 to the FMP, which, if approved, would revise the BSAI Pacific cod jig sector during the A-season (January 1-April 30) to include hook-and-line or pot CV less than or equal to 55 feet (ft) (16.8 meters (m)) length overall (LOA). All harvest from the revised A-season jig sector would be deducted from the jig sector's 1.4 percent allocation currently set in regulation (§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)). In addition, the current hook-and-line or pot CV less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA sector would be redefined from January 1 to April 30 so that harvest only from hook-and-line or pot CVs with a LOA more than 55 ft (16.8 m) and less than 60 ft LOA (55-59 ft) (16.8-18.0 m) would be deducted from the hook-and-line or pot CV less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA sector's 2.0 percent allocation currently set in regulation (§ 679.20(a)(7)(ii)). If amendment 125 and its implementing regulations are approved by the Secretary of Commerce, NMFS would incorporate the changes in a future harvest specifications action, and any such changes are anticipated for the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

State of Alaska Guideline Harvest Levels

For 2025 and 2026, the Alaska Board of Fisheries (BOF) established the guideline harvest level (GHL) for vessels using pot, longline, jig, and hand troll gear in the State of Alaska's (State) Aleutian Islands (AI) sablefish registration area that includes all State waters west of Scotch Cap Light (164° 44.72′ W longitude) and south of Cape Sarichef (54°36′ N latitude). The 2025 AI GHL is set at 5 percent (1,238 mt) of the combined 2025 Bering Sea subarea (BS) and AI subarea ABC (mt). The 2026 AI GHL is set at 5 percent (1,223 mt) of the combined 2026 BS subarea and AI subarea ABC. The State's AI sablefish registration area includes areas adjacent to parts of the Federal BS subarea. The Council and its Plan Team, SSC, and AP recommended that the sum of all State and Federal waters sablefish removals from the BS and AI not exceed the ABC recommendations for sablefish in the BS and AI. Accordingly, after reviewing the Council recommendations, NMFS approves that the 2025 and 2026 sablefish TACs in the BS and AI account for the State's GHLs for sablefish caught in State waters.

For 2025 and 2026, the BOF for the State established the GHL for vessels using pot gear in State waters in the BS equal to 13 percent of the Pacific cod ABC in the BS. Under the State's management plan, the BS GHL will increase by 1 percent if 90 percent of the GHL is harvested by November 15 of the preceding year for two consecutive years but may not exceed 15 percent of the BS ABC. If 90 percent of the GHL is not harvested by November 15 of the preceding year for two consecutive years, the GHL will decrease by 1 percent, but the GHL may not decrease below 10 percent of the BS ABC. For 2025, the BS Pacific cod ABC is 153,617 mt, and for 2026, it is 141,520 mt. Based on the preceding years' harvests in the State fishery, the GHL in the BS for pot gear will be 13 percent for 2025 (19,970 mt) and is projected to be 13 percent for 2026 (18,398 mt). For 2025 and 2026, the BOF established an additional GHL for vessels using jig gear in State waters in the BS equal to 45 mt of Pacific cod in the BS. The Council and its Plan Team, SSC, and AP recommended that the sum of all State and Federal waters Pacific cod removals from the BS not exceed the ABC recommendations for Pacific cod in the BS. Accordingly, after reviewing the Council recommendations, NMFS approves that the 2025 and 2026 Pacific cod TACs in the BS account for the State's GHLs for Pacific cod caught in State waters in the BS.

For 2025 and 2026, the BOF established the GHL for Pacific cod in State waters in the AI equal to 35 percent of the AI ABC. Under the State's management plan, the AI GHL will increase annually by 4 percent of the AI ABC if 90 percent of the GHL is harvested by November 15 of the preceding year, but may not exceed 39 percent of the AI ABC or 15 million pounds (6,804 mt). If 90 percent of the GHL is not harvested by November 15 of the preceding year for two consecutive years, the GHL will decrease by 4 percent, but the GHL may not decrease below 15 percent of the AI ABC. Based on the preceding years' harvests in the State fishery, for 2025 the GHL in the AI will be 35 percent of the AI ABC, which is 4,682 mt, and for 2026 is projected to be 35 percent of the AI ABC, which is 4,541 mt. The Council and its Plan Team, SSC, and AP recommended that the sum of all State and Federal waters Pacific cod removals from the AI not exceed the ABC recommendations for Pacific cod in the AI. Accordingly, after reviewing the Council's recommendations, NMFS approves that the 2025 and 2026 Pacific cod TACs in the AI account for the State's GHLs for Pacific cod caught in State waters in the AI.

Changes From the Proposed 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for the BSAI

In October 2024, the Council's recommendations for the proposed 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024) were based on information contained in the 2023 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2023. In October 2024, the Council recommended that proposed 2025 and 2026 OFLs and ABCs be based on rollovers of the 2025 amounts from the final 2024 and 2025 harvest specifications (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024). In making this

recommendation, the Council used the best information available from the 2023 stock assessments until the 2024 SAFE report could be completed.

In December 2024, the Council's recommendations for the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications were based on information contained in the 2024 SAFE report for the BSAI groundfish fisheries, dated November 2024. The SAFE report contains a review of the latest scientific analyses and estimates of each species' biomass and other biological parameters, as well as summaries of the available information on the BSAI ecosystem, including the stock-specific risk tables and information from the BS ESR and AI ESR.

The ESRs compile and summarize information about the status of the Alaska marine ecosystems for the Plan Team, SSC, AP, Council, NMFS, and the public. These ESRs are updated annually and include ecosystem report cards, ecosystem assessments, and ecosystem status indicators (

i.e.,

climate indices, sea surface temperature), which together provide context for ecosystem-based fisheries management in Alaska. The ESRs inform stock assessments and are integrated in the annual harvest recommendations through inclusion in stock assessments, including stock-specific risk tables. The ESRs provide context for the SSC's recommendations for OFLs and ABCs, as well as for the Council's TAC recommendations. The SAFE reports and the ESRs are presented to the Plan Team and at the October and December Council meetings before the SSC, AP, and Council make groundfish harvest recommendations and they aid NMFS in implementing these annual groundfish harvest specifications.

The SAFE report also includes information on the economic condition of the groundfish fisheries off Alaska through the Economic Status Report. The SAFE report provides information to the Council and NMFS for recommending and setting, respectively, annual harvest levels for each stock, and documenting significant trends or changes in the resource, marine ecosystems, and fisheries over time. From these data and analyses, the Plan Team recommends, and the SSC sets, an OFL and ABC for each species and species group.

The AP and Council review the recommended OFLs and ABCs and recommend TACs for each species and species group such that TACs do not exceed ABCs and ABCs do not exceed OFLs. The Council recommended a final 2025 BS pollock TAC that is an increase of 50,000 mt from the proposed 2025 BS pollock TAC. The Council recommended a final 2026 BS pollock TAC that is an increase of 50,000 mt from the proposed 2026 BS pollock TAC. The Council also recommended to increase the BS Pacific cod TAC by 2,385 mt in 2025 and to decrease the TAC by 8,140 mt in 2026 from the proposed TAC to match changes in ABC for BS Pacific cod. The largest reduction was for yellowfin sole, which was reduced from the proposed rule by 60,000 mt in 2025 and by 50,000 mt in 2026 due to weakening market demand for yellowfin sole. In terms of tonnage, the Council reduced their recommended final TACs from the proposed TACs for several species of lower economic value to maintain an overall total TAC within the required OY range of 1.4 to 2.0 million mt. Some species, such as Atka mackerel, are economically valuable species whose ABC increased in 2025, which allowed most of the 2025 TACs to increase as well. Others, such as Alaska plaice and skates, have decreased TACs due to anticipated decreased incidental catches in other fisheries. Central Aleutian Island (CAI) Atka mackerel had the largest increase in 2025 in terms of percentage, while Greenland turbot had the largest decrease in 2025 and 2026 due to a declining ABC. The changes to TACs between the proposed and final harvest specifications are based on the most recent scientific, biological, and socioeconomic information and are consistent with the FMP, regulatory obligations, and the harvest strategy from the Final EIS and ROD as described in the proposed and final harvest specifications, including the required OY range of 1.4 million to 2.0 million mt. These changes are compared in table A.

Table 1 lists the final 2025 OFL, ABC, TAC, initial TAC (ITAC), CDQ reserve allocations, and non-specified reserves of the BSAI groundfish species and species groups; and table 2 lists the final 2026 OFL, ABC, TAC, ITAC, CDQ reserve allocations, and non-specified reserves of the BSAI groundfish species and species groups. These final 2025 and 2026 TAC amounts for the BSAI are within the OY range established for the BSAI and do not exceed the ABC for any species or species group. These final 2025 and 2026 ABCs do not exceed the OFL for any species or species group. The apportionment of TAC amounts among fisheries and seasons is discussed below.

Table 1—Final 2025 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), CDQ Reserve Allocation, and Nonspecified Reserves of Groundfish in the BSAI

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Species

Area

2025

OFL

ABC

TAC

ITAC

CDQ

Nonspecified

reserves

Pollock

2,957,000

2,417,000

1,375,000

1,237,500

137,500

55,728

46,051

19,000

17,100

1,900

Bogoslof

77,354

58,015

250

Pacific cod

183,509

153,617

133,602

119,306

14,295

16,782

13,376

8,694

7,764

930

Sablefish

Alaska-wide

58,532

47,605

n/a

13,203

8,496

7,009

1,168

319

n/a

11,566

7,940

6,451

1,340

149

Yellowfin sole

BSAI

299,247

262,557

135,000

120,555

14,445

Greenland turbot

BSAI

2,598

1,678

1,426

n/a

1,415

1,203

151

n/a

263

224

Arrowtooth flounder

BSAI

104,428

88,683

14,000

11,900

1,498

602

Kamchatka flounder

BSAI

8,019

6,800

5,780

1,020

Rock sole

BSAI

165,444

157,487

75,000

66,975

8,025

Flathead sole

BSAI

101,621

83,807

36,000

32,148

3,852

Alaska plaice

BSAI

34,576

28,745

15,903

13,518

2,385

Other flatfish

BSAI

26,083

19,562

4,500

3,825

675

Pacific ocean perch

BSAI

44,594

37,375

33,458

29,443

n/a

10,121

8,603

1,518

EAI

n/a

6,278

5,606

672

CAI

n/a

5,559

4,964

595

WAI

n/a

15,417

11,500

10,270

1,231

Northern rockfish

BSAI

22,848

18,694

12,000

10,200

1,800

Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish

BSAI

838

706

600

106

BS/EAI

n/a

408

347

CAI/WAI

n/a

298

253

Shortraker rockfish

BSAI

631

473

402

Other rockfish

BSAI

1,406

1,054

896

158

n/a

639

543

n/a

415

353

Atka mackerel

BSAI

122,622

103,247

82,000

73,226

8,774

BS/EAI

n/a

46,650

39,000

34,827

4,173

CAI

n/a

26,511

24,443

21,828

2,615

WAI

n/a

30,087

18,557

16,571

1,986

Skates

BSAI

44,086

36,523

27,646

23,499

4,147

Sharks

BSAI

689

450

400

340

Octopuses

BSAI

6,080

4,560

400

340

Total

4,334,715

3,588,065

2,000,000

1,790,454

196,367

13,166

Note:

Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BSAI = Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area, BS = Bering Sea subarea, AI = Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI = Eastern Aleutian district, CAI = Central Aleutian district, WAI = Western Aleutian district). The 2025 harvest specifications are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.

These amounts apply to the entire BSAI management area unless otherwise specified. With the exception of pollock, and for the purpose of these harvest specifications, the Bering Sea subarea (BS) includes the Bogoslof District.

Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to fixed gear, and Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, Pacific cod, and AI Pacific ocean perch), 15 percent of each TAC is placed into a non-specified reserve (§ 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 4).

For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, Pacific cod, and AI Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to fixed gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for BS Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). AI Greenland turbot, “other flatfish,” Alaska plaice, BS Pacific ocean perch, Kamchatka flounder, northern rockfish, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish, “other rockfish,” skates, sharks, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ Program.

Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the annual BS pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance, is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore—50 percent; catcher/processor (CP)—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

) requires the AI pollock TAC to be set at 19,000 mt when the AI pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

), the annual AI pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance, is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. The Bogoslof pollock TAC is set to accommodate incidental catch amounts.

The BS Pacific cod TAC is set to account for the 13 percent, plus 45 mt, of the BS ABC for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the BS. The AI Pacific cod TAC is set to account for 35 percent of the AI ABC for the State guideline harvest level in State waters of the AI.

The sablefish OFL and ABC are Alaska-wide and include the Gulf of Alaska. The Alaska-wide sablefish OFL and ABC are included in the total OFL and ABC. The BS and AI sablefish TACs are set to account for the 5 percent of the BS and AI ABC for the State of Alaska's (State) guideline harvest level in State waters of the BS and AI.

“Rock sole” includes

Lepidopsetta polyxystra

(northern rock sole) and

Lepidopsetta bilineata

(southern rock sole).

“Flathead sole” includes

Hippoglossoides elassodon

(flathead sole) and

Hippoglossoides robustus

(Bering flounder).

“Other flatfish” includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin sole.

“Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish” includes

Sebastes melanostictus

(blackspotted) and

Sebastes aleutianus

(rougheye).

“Other rockfish” includes all

Sebastes

and

Sebastolobus

species except for dark rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, and shortraker rockfish.

Table A—Comparison of Final 2025 and 2026 With Proposed 2025 and 2026 Total Allowable Catch in the BSAI

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Species

Area

2025 and

2026

proposed

TAC

2025

final TAC

2025

difference

from

proposed

2025

percentage

difference

from

proposed

2026

final TAC

2026

difference from

proposed

2026

percentage

difference

from

proposed

Pollock

1,325,000

1,375,000

50,000

3.8

1,375,000

50,000

3.8

19,000

0.0

Bogoslof

250

0.0

Pacific cod

131,217

133,602

2,384.79

1.8

123,077

(8,139.60)

(6.2)

8,080

8,694

614.25

7.6

8,432

352.30

4.4

Sablefish

9,500

8,496

(1,004)

(10.6)

8,996

(504)

(5.3)

8,440

7,940

(500)

(5.9)

7,440

(1,000)

(11.8)

Yellowfin sole

BSAI

195,000

135,000

(60,000)

(30.8)

145,000

(50,000)

(25.6)

Greenland turbot

2,310

1,328

(982)

(42.5)

1,120

(1,190)

(51.5)

430

263

(167)

(38.8)

208

(222)

(51.6)

Arrowtooth flounder

BSAI

14,000

0.0

Kamchatka flounder

BSAI

7,360

6,800

(560)

(7.6)

6,606

(754)

(10.2)

Rock sole

BSAI

66,000

75,000

9,000

13.6

75,000

9,000

13.6

Flathead sole

BSAI

35,500

36,000

500

1.4

36,000

500

1.4

Alaska plaice

BSAI

20,000

15,903

(4,097)

(20.5)

16,200

(3,800)

(19.0)

Other flatfish

BSAI

4,500

0.0

Pacific ocean perch

11,430

10,121

(1,309)

(11.5)

9,905

(1,525)

(13.3)

EAI

7,828

6,278

(1,550)

(19.8)

6,144

(1,684)

(21.5)

CAI

5,423

5,559

136

2.5

5,441

0.3

WAI

12,500

11,500

(1,000)

(8.0)

12,000

(500)

(4.0)

Northern rockfish

BSAI

15,000

12,000

(3,000)

(20.0)

12,000

(3,000)

(20.0)

Blackspotted and Rougheye rockfish

BS/EAI

412

408

(4)

(1.0)

441

7.0

CAI/WAI

195

298

103

52.8

325

130

66.7

Shortraker rockfish

BSAI

530

473

(57)

(10.8)

473

(57)

(10.8)

Other rockfish

880

639

(241)

(27.4)

639

(241)

(27.4)

380

415

9.2

415

9.2

Atka mackerel

EAI/BS

30,000

39,000

9,000

30.0

41,731

11,731

39.1

CAI

14,877

24,443

9,566

64.3

23,716

8,839

59.4

WAI

21,288

18,557

(2,731)

(12.8)

17,494

(3,793.90)

(17.8)

Skates

BSAI

30,361

27,646

(2,715)

(8.9)

27,646

(2,715)

(8.9)

Sharks

BSAI

400

0.0

Octopuses

BSAI

400

0.0

Total

1,998,491

2,000,000

1,509

0.1

2,000,000

1,508.85

0.1

Bering Sea subarea (BS), Aleutian Islands subarea (AI), Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI), Eastern Aleutian District (EAI), Central Aleutian District (CAI), and Western Aleutian District (WAI).

Table 2—Final 2026 Overfishing Level (OFL), Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC), Total Allowable Catch (TAC), Initial TAC (ITAC), CDQ Reserve Allocation, and Nonspecified Reserves of Groundfish in the BSAI

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Species

Area

2026

OFL

ABC

TAC

ITAC

CDQ

Nonspecified reserves

Pollock

2,496,000

2,036,000

1,375,000

1,237,500

137,500

56,231

46,437

19,000

17,100

1,900

Bogoslof

77,354

58,015

250

Pacific cod

169,243

141,520

123,077

109,908

13,169

16,273

12,973

8,432

7,530

902

Sablefish

Alaska-wide

57,797

47,008

n/a

13,037

8,996

3,823

337

n/a

11,421

7,440

1,581

140

Yellowfin sole

BSAI

305,039

267,639

145,000

129,485

15,515

Greenland turbot

BSAI

2,059

1,328

1,129

n/a

1,120

952

120

n/a

208

177

Arrowtooth flounder

BSAI

102,472

87,035

14,000

11,900

1,498

602

Kamchatka flounder

BSAI

7,790

6,606

5,615

991

Rock sole

BSAI

166,220

158,225

75,000

66,975

8,025

Flathead sole

BSAI

106,283

87,700

36,000

32,148

3,852

Alaska plaice

BSAI

33,965

28,230

16,200

13,770

2,430

Other flatfish

BSAI

26,083

19,562

4,500

3,825

675

Pacific ocean perch

BSAI

43,084

36,578

33,490

29,481

n/a

9,905

8,419

1,486

EAI

n/a

6,144

5,487

657

CAI

n/a

5,441

4,859

582

WAI

n/a

16,058

12,000

10,716

1,284

Northern rockfish

BSAI

22,284

18,232

12,000

10,200

1,800

Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish

BSAI

902

766

651

115

BS/EAI

n/a

441

375

CAI/WAI

n/a

325

276

Shortraker rockfish

BSAI

631

473

402

Other rockfish

BSAI

1,406

1,054

896

158

n/a

639

543

n/a

415

353

Atka mackerel

BSAI

107,889

92,361

82,941

74,066

8,875

EAI/BS

n/a

41,731

37,266

4,465

CAI

n/a

23,716

21,178

2,538

WAI

n/a

26,914

17,494

15,622

1,872

Skates

BSAI

43,285

35,833

27,646

23,499

4,147

Sharks

BSAI

689

450

400

340

Octopuses

BSAI

6,080

4,560

400

340

Total

3,849,059

3,188,585

2,000,000

1,782,415

194,357

13,151

Note:

Regulatory areas and districts are defined at § 679.2 (BSAI=Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area, BS=Bering Sea subarea, AI=Aleutian Islands subarea, EAI=Eastern Aleutian district, CAI=Central Aleutian district, WAI=Western Aleutian district). The 2026 harvest specifications are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Except for pollock, the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to fixed gear, and Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, Pacific cod, and AI Pacific ocean perch), 15 percent of each TAC is put into a non-specified reserve (§ 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The ITAC for these species is the remainder of the TAC after the subtraction of these reserves. For pollock and Amendment 80 species, ITAC is the non-CDQ allocation of TAC (see footnotes 3 and 4).

For the Amendment 80 species (Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, Pacific cod, and AI Pacific ocean perch), 10.7 percent of the TAC is reserved for use by CDQ participants (§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)). Twenty percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to fixed gear, 7.5 percent of the sablefish TAC allocated to trawl gear, and 10.7 percent of the TACs for BS Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder are reserved for use by CDQ participants (§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (D)). The 2026 fixed gear portion of the sablefish ITAC and CDQ reserve will not be specified until the final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications. AI Greenland turbot, “other flatfish,” Alaska plaice, BS Pacific ocean perch, Kamchatka flounder, northern rockfish, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, shortraker rockfish, “other rockfish,” skates, sharks, and octopuses are not allocated to the CDQ program.

Under § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the annual BS pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ directed fishing allowance (10 percent) and second for the incidental catch allowance, is further allocated by sector for a pollock directed fishery as follows: inshore—50 percent; CP—40 percent; and motherships—10 percent. Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

) requires the AI pollock TAC to be set at 19,000 mt when the AI pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt. Under § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

“Rock sole” includes

Lepidopsetta polyxystra

(northern rock sole) and

Lepidopsetta bilineata

(southern rock sole).

“Flathead sole” includes

Hippoglossoides elassodon

(flathead sole) and

Hippoglossoides robustus

(Bering flounder).

“Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish” includes

Sebastes melanostictus

(blackspotted) and

Sebastes aleutianu

s (rougheye).

“Other rockfish” includes all

Sebastes

and

Sebastolobus

species except for dark rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, and shortraker rockfish.

Groundfish Reserves and the ICAs for Pollock, Atka Mackerel, Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, Yellowfin Sole, and AI Pacific Ocean Perch

Section 679.20(b)(1)(i) requires that NMFS reserve 15 percent of the TAC for each target species (except for pollock, fixed gear allocation of sablefish, and Amendment 80 species) in a non-specified reserve. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS allocate 20 percent of the fixed gear allocation of sablefish to the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ reserve for each subarea. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D) requires that NMFS allocate 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocations of sablefish in the BS and AI and 10.7 percent of the BS Greenland turbot and arrowtooth flounder TACs to the respective CDQ reserves. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) requires that NMFS allocate 10.7 percent of the TACs for the Amendment 80 species, which includes Atka mackerel, AI Pacific ocean perch, yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole, and Pacific cod to the respective CDQ reserves.

Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(A) requires that 10 percent of the BS pollock TAC be allocated to the pollock CDQ directed fishing allowance (DFA). Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(A) requires that 10 percent of the AI pollock TAC be allocated to the pollock CDQ DFA. The entire Bogoslof District pollock TAC is allocated as an incidental catch allowance (ICA) pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(ii) because the Bogoslof District is closed to directed fishing for pollock by regulation (§ 679.22(a)(7)(B)). With the exception of the fixed gear sablefish CDQ reserve, the regulations do not further apportion the CDQ allocations by gear.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of 46,000 mt of the BS pollock TAC after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS's examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock in the most recent years. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

), NMFS establishes a pollock ICA of 3,000 mt of the AI pollock TAC after subtracting the 10 percent CDQ DFA. This allowance is based on NMFS's examination of the pollock incidental catch, including the incidental catch by CDQ vessels, in target fisheries other than pollock from recent years.

After subtracting the 10.7 percent CDQ reserve and pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8) and (10), NMFS allocates ICAs of 2,000 mt of flathead sole, 3,000 mt of rock sole, 2,000 mt of yellowfin sole, 10 mt of Western Aleutian district (WAI) Pacific ocean perch, 60 mt of CAI Pacific ocean perch, 100 mt of Eastern Aleutian district (EAI) Pacific ocean perch, 20 mt of WAI Atka mackerel, 100 mt of CAI Atka mackerel, and 800 mt of EAI and BS Atka mackerel. These ICAs are based on NMFS's examination of the incidental catch in other target fisheries from recent years.

The regulations do not designate the remainder of the non-specified reserve by species or species group. Any amount of the reserve may be apportioned to a target species that contributed to the non-specified reserves during the year, provided that such apportionments are consistent with § 679.20(a)(3) and do not result in overfishing (see § 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The Regional Administrator has determined that the ITACs specified for two species groups listed in tables 1 and 2 need to be supplemented from the non-specified reserve because U.S. fishing vessels have demonstrated the capacity to catch the full TAC allocations. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(b), NMFS is apportioning the amounts shown in table 3 from the non-specified reserve to increase the ITAC for AI “other rockfish” and blackspotted/rougheye rockfish in the CAI/WAI by 15 percent of their TACs in 2025 and 2026.

Table 3—Final 2025 and 2026 Apportionment of Non-Specified Reserves to ITAC Categories

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Species-area or

subarea

2025

ITAC

2025 Reserve

amount

2025 Final

TAC

2026

ITAC

2026 Reserve

amount

2026 Final

TAC

Other rockfish-Aleutian Islands subarea

353

415

353

415

Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish—CAI/WAI districts

253

298

276

325

Total

606

107

713

629

111

740

Note:

The 2025 apportionments are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 apportionments are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Allocation of Pollock TAC Under the AFA

Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A) requires that the BS pollock TAC be apportioned as a DFA, after subtracting 10 percent for the CDQ program and 46,000 mt for the ICA in both 2025 and 2026, as follows: 50 percent to the inshore sector, 40 percent to the catcher/processor (CP) sector, and 10 percent to the mothership sector. In the BS, 45 percent of the DFAs are allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10), and 55 percent of the DFAs are allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1) (§§ 679.20(a)(5)(i)(B)(

) and 679.23(e)(2)). The AI directed pollock fishery allocation to the Aleut Corporation is the amount of pollock TAC remaining in the AI after subtracting 10 percent (1,900 mt) for the CDQ DFA and 3,000 mt for the ICA (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

)). In the AI, the total A season apportionment of the TAC (including the AI directed fishery allocation, the CDQ DFA, and the ICA) may not exceed 40 percent of the ABC for AI pollock, and the remainder of the TAC is allocated to the B season (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

)). Tables 4 and 5 list these 2025 and 2026 amounts.

Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

) sets harvest limits for pollock in the A season (January 20 to June 10) in Areas 543, 542, and 541. In accordance with this regulation, NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 of no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 of no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 of no more than 5 percent of the AI pollock ABC.

Section 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

) also includes several specific requirements regarding BS pollock allocations. First, it requires that 8.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the CP sector be available for harvest by AFA CVs with CP sector endorsements, unless the Regional Administrator receives a cooperative contract that allows for the distribution of harvest among AFA CPs and AFA CVs in a manner agreed to by all members. Second, AFA CPs not listed in the AFA are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the pollock allocated to the CP sector. Tables 4 and 5 list the 2025 and 2026 allocations of pollock TAC. Table 6 lists the 2025 inshore sector allocation among AFA inshore cooperatives and AFA open access vessels. The 2026 AFA CV cooperative membership will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by December 1, 2025. Table 21 lists the CDQ allocation of pollock among the CDQ groups. Tables 23, 24, and 25 list the AFA CP and CV harvesting and PSC sideboard limits.

Tables 4, 5, and 6 also list seasonal apportionments of pollock and harvest limits within the Steller Sea Lion Conservation Area (SCA). The harvest of pollock within the SCA, as defined at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii), is limited to no more than 28 percent of the annual pollock DFA before 12 p.m. A.l.t. (noon), April 1, as provided in § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C). The A season pollock SCA harvest limit is apportioned to each sector in proportion to each sector's allocated percentage of the DFA.

Table 4—Final 2025 Allocations of Pollock TACs to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA)

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Area and sector

2025

Allocations

2025 A season

A season

DFA

SCA harvest

limit

2025

B season

DFA

Bering Sea subarea TAC

1,375,000

n/a

CDQ DFA

137,500

61,875

38,500

75,625

ICA

46,000

n/a

Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA

1,191,500

536,175

333,620

655,325

AFA Inshore

595,750

268,088

166,810

327,663

AFA CPs

476,600

214,470

133,448

262,130

Catch by CPs

436,089

196,240

n/a

239,849

Catch by CVs

40,511

18,230

n/a

22,281

Unlisted CP Limit

2,383

1,072

n/a

1,311

AFA Motherships

119,150

53,618

33,362

65,533

Excessive Harvesting Limit

208,513

n/a

Excessive Processing Limit

357,450

n/a

Aleutian Islands subarea ABC

46,051

n/a

Aleutian Islands subarea TAC

19,000

n/a

CDQ DFA

1,900

n/a

ICA

3,000

1,500

n/a

1,500

Aleut Corporation

14,100

n/a

Area harvest limit

n/a

541

13,815

n/a

542

6,908

n/a

543

2,303

n/a

Bogoslof District ICA

250

n/a

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 harvest specifications for pollock are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A), the Bering Sea subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and second for the ICA (46,000 mt), is allocated as a DFA as follows: inshore sector—50 percent, catcher/processor sector (CP)—40 percent, and mothership sector—10 percent. In the Bering Sea subarea, 45 percent of the DFA and CDQ DFA are allocated to the A season (January 20-June 10) and 55 percent of the DFA and CDQ DFA are allocated to the B season (June 10-November 1). When the AI pollock ABC equals or exceeds 19,000 mt, the annual TAC is equal to 19,000 mt (§ 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

)). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

), the AI subarea pollock TAC, after subtracting first for the CDQ DFA (10 percent) and second for the ICA (3,000 mt), is allocated to the Aleut Corporation for a pollock directed fishery. In the AI subarea, the A season is allocated no more than 40 percent of the AI pollock ABC.

In the Bering Sea subarea, pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(C), no more than 28 percent of each sector's annual DFA may be taken from the SCA before noon, April 1. The SCA is defined at § 679.22(a)(7)(vii).

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), 8.5 percent of the allocation to listed CPs shall be available for harvest only by eligible CVs with a CP endorsement delivering to listed CPs, unless there is a CP sector cooperative contract for the year.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

)(

iii

), the AFA unlisted CPs are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the CP sector's allocation of pollock.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

), NMFS establishes harvest limits for pollock in the A season in Area 541 of no more than 30 percent, in Area 542 of no more than 15 percent, and in Area 543 of no more than 5 percent of the AI pollock ABC.

Pursuant to § 679.22(a)(7)(i)(B), the Bogoslof District is closed to directed fishing for pollock. The amounts specified are for incidental catch only and are not apportioned by season or sector (§ 679.20(a)(5)(ii)).

Table 5—Final 2026 Allocations of Pollock TACs to the Directed Pollock Fisheries and to the CDQ Directed Fishing Allowances (DFA)

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Area and sector

2025

Allocations

2025 A season

A season

DFA

SCA harvest

limit

2025

B season

DFA

Bering Sea subarea TAC

1,375,000

n/a

CDQ DFA

137,500

61,875

38,500

75,625

ICA

46,000

n/a

Total Bering Sea non-CDQ DFA

1,191,500

536,175

333,620

655,325

AFA Inshore

595,750

268,088

166,810

327,663

AFA CPs

476,600

214,470

133,448

262,130

Catch by CPs

436,089

196,240

n/a

239,849

Catch by CVs

40,511

18,230

n/a

22,281

Unlisted CP Limit

2,383

1,072

n/a

1,311

AFA Motherships

119,150

53,618

33,362

65,533

Excessive Harvesting Limit

208,513

n/a

Excessive Processing Limit

357,450

n/a

Aleutian Islands subarea ABC

46,437

n/a

Aleutian Islands subarea TAC

19,000

n/a

CDQ DFA

1,900

n/a

ICA

3,000

1,500

n/a

1,500

Aleut Corporation

14,100

n/a

Area harvest limit

n/a

541

13,931

n/a

542

6,966

n/a

543

2,322

n/a

Bogoslof District ICA

250

n/a

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2026 harvest specifications for pollock are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026

)). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

)(

iii

), the AFA unlisted CPs are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the CP sector's allocation of pollock.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)(

), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs.

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)(

Table 6—Final 2025 AFA Inshore Cooperative and Open Access Pollock Allocations

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Cooperative name

% of Inshore

sector allocation

Sum of vessel's

catch histories

(mt)

2025

Allocations

(mt)

AFA Open Access

0.925932

18,414

5,516

Akutan Catcher Vessel Association

33.787794

295,836

201,291

Arctic Enterprise Association

0.000000

Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative

9.345631

81,828

55,677

Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative

0.000000

Unalaska Fleet Cooperative (Alyeska)

12.261341

107,357

73,047

UniSea Fleet Cooperative

24.299652

202,454

144,765

Westward Fleet Cooperative

19.379650

169,683

115,454

Sum of all Cooperatives

100.00

875,572

595,750

The 2025 allocations are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 AFA CV cooperative membership will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by December 1, 2025. NMFS will specify the 2026 AFA inshore cooperative and open access pollock allocations in the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

According to regulations at § 679.62(a)(1), the individual catch history for each vessel is equal to the vessel's best 2 of 3 years inshore pollock landings from 1995 through 1997 and includes non-CDQ offshore landings to CPs for vessels that made 500 or more mt of landings to CPs or offshore motherships from 1995 through 1997.

Allocation of the Atka Mackerel TACs

Section 679.20(a)(8) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, ICAs for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and non-trawl gear sector, and the jig gear allocation (tables 7 and 8). The percentage of the ITAC for Atka mackerel allocated to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is listed in table 33 to 50 CFR part 679 and in § 679.91. Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(8)(i), up to 2 percent of the EAI district and the BS subarea Atka mackerel TAC may be allocated to vessels using jig gear. The percent of this allocation is recommended annually by the Council based on several criteria, including, among other criteria, the anticipated harvest capacity of the jig gear fleet. After reviewing the Council's recommendation, NMFS approves a 0.5 percent allocation of the Atka mackerel TAC in the EAI district and BS subarea to the jig gear sector in 2025 and 2026.

Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) apportions the Atka mackerel TAC, after subtraction of the jig gear allocation, into two equal seasonal allowances. Section 679.23(e)(3) sets the first seasonal allowance for directed fishing with trawl gear from January 20 through June 10 (A season), and the second seasonal allowance from June 10 through December 31 (B season). Section 679.23(e)(4)(iii) applies Atka mackerel seasons to CDQ Atka mackerel trawl fishing. Within any fishing year, any under harvest or over harvest of a seasonal allowance may be added to or subtracted from a subsequent seasonal allowance (§ 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(B)). The ICAs and jig gear allocations are not apportioned by season.

Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

)(

) and (

) limits Atka mackerel catch within waters 0 nautical miles (nmi) to 20 nmi of Steller sea lion sites listed in table 6 to 50 CFR part 679 and located west of 178° W longitude to no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543. The annual harvest is also equally divided between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3). Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

) requires that the annual TAC in Area 543 will be no more than 65 percent of the ABC in Area 543. Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(D) requires that any unharvested Atka mackerel A season allowance that is added to the B season be prohibited from being harvested within waters 0 nmi to 20 nmi of Steller sea lion sites listed in table 6 to 50 CFR part 679 and located in Areas 541, 542, and 543.

Tables 7 and 8 list these 2025 and 2026 Atka mackerel seasonal and area allowances, and the sector allocations. One Amendment 80 cooperative has formed for the 2025 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of the sole Amendment 80 cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required for 2025. The 2026 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025. Table 21 lists the allocation of CDQ Atka mackerel among the CDQ groups.

Table 7—Final 2025 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI Atka Mackerel TAC

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Season

2025 Allocation by area

Eastern Aleutian

District/Bering Sea

Central Aleutian

District

Western Aleutian

District

TAC

n/a

39,000

24,443

18,557

CDQ reserve

Total

4,173

2,615

1,986

2,087

1,308

993

Critical Habitat

n/a

785

596

2,087

1,308

993

Critical Habitat

n/a

785

596

Non-CDQ TAC

n/a

34,827

21,828

16,571

ICA

Total

800

100

Jig

Total

170

BSAI trawl limited access

Total

3,386

2,173

1,693

1,086

Critical Habitat

n/a

652

1,693

1,086

Critical Habitat

n/a

652

Amendment 80 sector

Total

30,471

19,555

16,551

15,236

9,777

8,276

Critical Habitat

n/a

5,866

4,965

15,236

9,777

8,276

Critical Habitat

n/a

5,866

4,965

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 harvest specifications for Atka mackerel are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.

Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii) allocates the Atka mackerel TACs, after subtracting the CDQ reserves, ICAs, and jig gear allocation, to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors. The allocation of the ITAC for Atka mackerel to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors is established in table 33 to 50 CFR part 679 and § 679.91. The CDQ reserve is 10.7 percent of the TAC for use by CDQ participants (see § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C)).

Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.

The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel for the CDQ reserve, BSAI trawl limited access sector, and Amendment 80 sector are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.

Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31.

Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

)(

) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of Steller sea lion protection areas; 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

)(

) equally divides the annual catch inside of Steller sea lion protection areas between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC in Area 543.

Sections 679.2 and 679.20(a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian Islands District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. NMFS sets the amount of this allocation for 2025 at 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.

Table 8—Final 2026 Seasonal and Spatial Allowances, Gear Shares, CDQ Reserve, Incidental Catch Allowance, and Amendment 80 Allocations of the BSAI Atka Mackerel TAC

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Season

2026 Allocation by area

Eastern Aleutian

District/Bering Sea

Central Aleutian

District

Western Aleutian

District

TAC

n/a

41,731

23,716

17,494

CDQ reserve

Total

4,465

2,538

1,872

2,233

1,269

936

Critical Habitat

n/a

761

562

2,233

1,269

936

Critical Habitat

n/a

761

562

non-CDQ TAC

n/a

37,266

21,178

15,622

ICA

Total

800

100

Jig

Total

182

BSAI trawl limited access

Total

3,628

2,108

1,814

1,054

Critical Habitat

n/a

632

1,814

1,054

Critical Habitat

n/a

632

Amendment 80 sectors

Total

32,655

18,971

15,602

16,328

9,485

7,801

Critical Habitat

n/a

5,691

4,681

16,328

9,485

7,801

Critical Habitat

n/a

5,691

4,681

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2026 harvest specifications for Atka mackerel are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026

Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery.

The seasonal allowances of Atka mackerel for the CDQ reserve, BSAI trawl limited access sector, and Amendment 80 sector are 50 percent in the A season and 50 percent in the B season.

Section 679.23(e)(3) authorizes directed fishing for Atka mackerel with trawl gear during the A season from January 20 to June 10 and the B season from June 10 to December 31.

Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

)(

) limits no more than 60 percent of the annual TACs in Areas 542 and 543 to be caught inside of Steller sea lion protection areas; 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

)(

) equally divides the annual catch inside of Steller sea lion protection areas between the A and B seasons as defined at § 679.23(e)(3); and 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)(

) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC in Area 543.

Sections 679.2 and 679.20(a)(8)(i) require that up to 2 percent of the Eastern Aleutian Islands District and the Bering Sea subarea TAC be allocated to jig gear after subtracting the CDQ reserve and the ICA. NMFS sets the amount of this allocation for 2026 at 0.5 percent. The jig gear allocation is not apportioned by season.

The 2026 allocations for Atka mackerel between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025.

Allocation of the Pacific Cod TAC

Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(C) allocates 10.7 percent of the BS TAC and the AI TAC to the CDQ program. After CDQ allocations have been deducted from the respective BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, the remaining BSAI Pacific cod TACs are combined for calculating further BSAI Pacific cod sector allocations and seasonal allowances. If the non-CDQ Pacific cod TAC is or will be reached in either the BS or the AI subareas, NMFS will prohibit non-CDQ directed fishing for Pacific cod in that subarea as provided in § 679.20(d)(1)(iii).

Section 679.20(a)(7)(ii) allocates to the non-CDQ sectors the Pacific cod TAC in the combined BSAI, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ program, as follows: 1.4 percent to vessels using jig gear; 2.0 percent to hook-and-line or pot CVs less than 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 0.2 percent to hook-and-line CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 48.7 percent to hook-and-line CPs; 8.4 percent to pot CVs greater than or equal to 60 ft (18.3 m) LOA; 1.5 percent to pot CPs; 2.3 percent to AFA trawl CPs; 13.4 percent to Amendment 80 sector; and 22.1 percent to trawl CVs. The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors will be deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. For 2025 and 2026, the Regional Administrator establishes an ICA of 500 mt based on anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in directed fisheries for groundfish other than Pacific cod. During the fishing year, NMFS may reallocate unharvested Pacific cod among sectors, consistent with the reallocation hierarchy set forth at § 679.20(a)(7)(iii).

The ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Amendment 80 sector is established in table 33 to 50 CFR part 679 and § 679.91. One Amendment 80 cooperative has formed for the 2025 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of the sole Amendment 80 cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required for 2025. The 2026 allocations for Pacific cod between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025.

The BSAI ITAC allocation of Pacific cod to the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program is established in § 679.131(b). Section 679.131(b)(1)(i) also requires NMFS to establish an ICA for incidental catch of Pacific cod in the A and B seasons by trawl CVs engaged in directed fishing for groundfish other than PCTC Program Pacific cod. In the annual harvest specification process, NMFS determines the Pacific cod trawl CV TAC and the annual apportionment of Pacific cod in the A and B seasons between the PCTC Program DFA and the ICA (§ 679.131(b)(2)) (tables 9 and 10 below). The 2025 PCTC cooperative allocations and PSC limits are listed in table 11. The 2026 allocations for PCTC Program cooperatives will not be known until NMFS receives the membership applications by November 1, 2025.

The sector allocations of Pacific cod are apportioned into seasonal allowances to disperse the Pacific cod fisheries over the fishing year (see §§ 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) (CDQ), 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(A) (non-CDQ), and 679.23(e)(5) (seasons)). Tables 9 and 10 list the CDQ and non-CDQ sector allocations and the non-CDQ seasonal allowances. In accordance with § 679.20(a)(7)(iv)(B) and (C), any unused portion of a non-CDQ Pacific cod seasonal allowance for any sector, except the jig sector, will become available at the beginning of that sector's next seasonal allowance. Section 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B) sets forth the CDQ Pacific cod gear allowances by season, and CDQ groups are prohibited from exceeding those seasonal allowances (§ 679.7(d)(6)).

Section 679.20(a)(7)(vii) requires that the Regional Administrator establish an Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit based on Pacific cod abundance in Area 543 as determined by the annual stock assessment process. Based on the 2024 stock assessment, the Regional Administrator determined for 2025 and 2026 the estimated amount of Pacific cod abundance in Area 543 is 36.5 percent of the total AI abundance. To calculate the Area 543 Pacific cod harvest limit, NMFS first subtracts the State GHL Pacific cod amount from the AI Pacific cod ABC. Then NMFS determines the harvest limit in Area 543 by multiplying the percentage of Pacific cod estimated in Area 543 (36.5 percent) by the remaining ABC for AI Pacific cod. Based on these calculations, the Area 543 harvest limit is 3,173 mt for 2025, and 3,078 mt for 2026.

Under the PCTC Program, NMFS is required to specify an AI set-aside of up to twelve percent of the PCTC Program A season cooperative quota for delivery to an AI shoreplant in years in which an AI community representative notifies NMFS of the intent to process PCTC Program Pacific cod in the City of Adak or City of Atka (§ 679.132). A notice of intent to process PCTC Program Pacific cod must be submitted in writing to the Regional Administrator by a representative of the City of Adak or the City of Atka no later than October 15. A notice of intent was not received by October 15, 2024, and accordingly the AI set-aside will not be in effect for 2025. The 2026 set-aside will be determined after the October 15, 2025, deadline in conjunction with the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications process.

Based on the final 2025 and 2026 Pacific cod TACs, tables 9 and 10 list the CDQ and non-CDQ TAC amounts; non-CDQ seasonal allowances by gear; the sector allocations of Pacific cod; and the seasons set forth at § 679.23(e)(5). The CDQ allocation of BS and AI Pacific cod among the CDQ groups is listed in table 21.

Table 9—Final 2025 Sector Allocations and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Percent

2025 Share of

gear sector total

2025 Share of

sector total

2025 Seasonal allowances

Season

Amount

Total Bering Sea TAC

n/a

133,602

n/a

Bering Sea CDQ

n/a

14,295

n/a

See § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)

n/a

Bering Sea non-CDQ TAC

n/a

119,307

n/a

Total Aleutian Islands TAC

n/a

8,694

n/a

Aleutian Islands CDQ

n/a

930

n/a

See § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)

n/a

Aleutian Islands non-CDQ TAC

n/a

7,764

n/a

Western Aleutians Islands Limit

n/a

3,173

n/a

Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC

100.0

127,070

n/a

Total hook-and-line/pot gear

60.8

77,259

n/a

Hook-and-line/pot ICA

n/a

500

n/a

Hook-and-line/pot sub-total

n/a

76,759

n/a

Hook-and-line CPs

48.7

n/a

61,483

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

31,356

B-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

30,127

Hook-and-line CVs ≥ 60 ft LOA

0.2

n/a

252

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

129

B-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

124

Pot CPs

1.5

n/a

1,894

n/a

Pot CPs A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

966

Pot CPs B-season

Sept 1-Dec 31

928

Pot CVs ≥ 60 ft LOA

8.4

n/a

10,605

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

5,408

B-season

Sept 1-Dec 31

5,196

CVs < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear

2.0

n/a

2,525

n/a

Trawl CVs

22.1

28,083

n/a

A-Season ICA

Jan 20-Apr 1

1,500

A-season PCTC

Jan 20-Apr 1

19,281

B-season ICA

Apr 1-Jun 10

700

B-season PCTC

Apr 1-Jun 10

2,389

C-season trawl CVs

Jun 10-Nov 1

4,212

AFA trawl CPs

2.3

2,923

n/a

A-season

Jan 20-Apr 1

2,192

B-season

Apr 1-Jun 10

731

C-season

Jun 10-Nov 1

Amendment 80

13.4

17,027

n/a

A-season

Jan 20-Apr 1

12,771

B-season

Apr 1-Jun 10

4,257

C-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

Jig

1.4

1,779

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Apr 30

1,067

B-season

Apr 30-Aug 31

356

C-season

Aug 31-Dec 31

356

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 harvest specifications for Pacific cod are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.

The sector allocations and seasonal allowances for BSAI Pacific cod TAC are based on the sum of the BS and AI Pacific cod TACs, after subtraction of the reserves for the CDQ Program. If the TAC for Pacific cod in either the BS or AI subareas is or will be reached, then directed fishing will be prohibited for non-CDQ Pacific cod in that subarea, even if a BSAI allowance remains (§ 679.20(d)(1)(iii)).

The ICA for the hook-and-line and pot sectors is deducted from the aggregate portion of Pacific cod TAC allocated to the hook-and-line and pot sectors. The Regional Administrator approves an ICA of 500 mt based on anticipated incidental catch by these sectors in directed fisheries for groundfish other than Pacific cod.

The A and B season trawl CV Pacific cod allocation is allocated to the Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program after subtraction of the A and B season ICAs (§ 679.131(b)(1)). The Regional Administrator approves for the A and B seasons ICAs of 1,500 mt and 700 mt, respectively, to account for projected incidental catch of Pacific cod by trawl CVs engaged in directed fishing for groundfish other than PCTC Program Pacific cod.

Table 10—Final 2026 Sector Allocations and Seasonal Allowances of the BSAI Pacific Cod TAC

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Percent

2026 Share of

gear sector total

2026 Share of

sector total

2026 Seasonal allowances

Season

Amount

Total Bering Sea TAC

n/a

123,077

n/a

Bering Sea CDQ

n/a

13,169

n/a

See § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)

n/a

Bering Sea non-CDQ TAC

n/a

109,908

n/a

Total Aleutian Islands TAC

n/a

8,432

n/a

Aleutian Islands CDQ

n/a

902

n/a

See § 679.20(a)(7)(i)(B)

n/a

Aleutian Islands non-CDQ TAC

n/a

7,530

n/a

Western Aleutians Islands Limit

n/a

3,078

n/a

Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC

100.0

117,438

n/a

Total hook-and-line/pot gear

60.8

71,402

n/a

Hook-and-line/pot ICA

n/a

500

n/a

Hook-and-line/pot sub-total

n/a

70,902

n/a

Hook-and-line CPs

48.7

n/a

56,792

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

28,964

B-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

27,828

Hook-and-line CVs ≥ 60 ft LOA

0.2

n/a

233

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

119

B-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

114

Pot CPs

1.5

n/a

1,749

n/a

Pot CPs A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

892

Pot CPs B-season

Sept 1-Dec 31

857

Pot CVs ≥ 60 ft LOA

8.4

n/a

9,796

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Jun 10

4,996

B-season

Sept 1-Dec 31

4,800

CVs < 60 ft LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear

2.0

n/a

2,332

n/a

Trawl CVs

22.1

25,954

n/a

A-Season ICA

Jan 20-Apr 1

1,500

A-season PCTC

Jan 20-Apr 1

17,706

B-season ICA

Apr 1-Jun 10

700

B-season PCTC

Apr 1-Jun 10

2,155

C-season trawl CVs

Jun 10-Nov 1

3,893

AFA trawl CPs

2.3

2,701

n/a

A-season

Jan 20-Apr 1

2,026

B-season

Apr 1-Jun 10

675

C-season

Jun 10-Nov 1

Amendment 80

13.4

15,737

n/a

A-season

Jan 20-Apr 1

11,802

B-season

Apr 1-Jun 10

3,934

C-season

Jun 10-Dec 31

Jig

1.4

1,644

n/a

A-season

Jan 1-Apr 30

986

B-season

Apr 30-Aug 31

329

C-season

Aug 31-Dec 31

329

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2026 harvest specifications for Pacific cod are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026

Table 11—Final 2025 PCTC Cooperative Allocations and PSC Limits

[Pacific cod and Pacific halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab are in number of animals.]

Cooperative name

Total

Pacific

Cod CQ

A Season

Pacific

Cod CQ

B Season

Pacific

Cod CQ

Halibut

Red King

Crab

C. opilio

COBLZ

Zone 1

C. bairdi

Zone 2

C. bairdi

Akutan Cod Association

13,230.29

11,771.72

1,458.57

134.317

1,009

50,732

20,493

17,078

GA Catcher Vessels Association

1,716.84

1,527.57

189.272

17.429

130

6,583

2,659

2,216

USS Cod Cooperative

2,221.55

1,976.64

244.914

22.553

169

8,518

3,441

2,867

Unified Cod Cooperative

4,501.32

4,005.07

496.245

45.698

343

17,260

6,972

5,810

Totals

21,670

19,281

2,389

220

1,651

83,093

33,565

27,971

Note:

Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas and zones.

The 2025 PCTC cooperative allocations and PSC limits are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 allocations and PSC limits for PCTC Cooperatives will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025. NMFS will specify the 2026 PCTC cooperative allocations and PSC limits in the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

Sablefish Gear Allocation

Sections 679.20(a)(4)(iii) and (iv) require allocation of the sablefish TAC for the BS and AI subareas between the trawl gear and fixed gear sectors. Gear allocations of the sablefish TAC for the BS are 50 percent for trawl gear and 50 percent for fixed gear. Gear allocations of the sablefish TAC for the AI are 25 percent for trawl gear and 75 percent for fixed gear. Section 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B) requires that NMFS apportion 20 percent of the fixed gear allocation of sablefish TAC to the CDQ reserve for each subarea. Also, § 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(

) requires that in the BS and AI 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish TAC from the non-specified reserve, established under § 679.20(b)(1)(i), be assigned to the CDQ reserve.

The Council recommended and NMFS agrees that only trawl sablefish TAC be established biennially and that fixed gear sablefish TAC be established for one year. The harvest specifications for the fixed gear sablefish Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) fisheries are limited to the 2025 fishing year to ensure those fisheries are conducted concurrently with the halibut IFQ fishery, which opens March 20, 2025. Concurrent sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries reduce the potential for discards of halibut and sablefish in those fisheries. The sablefish IFQ fisheries remain closed at the beginning of each fishing year until the final harvest specifications for the sablefish IFQ fisheries are in effect. Table 12 lists the 2025 and 2026 gear allocations of the sablefish TAC and CDQ reserve amounts. Allocations among CDQ groups are listed in table 21.

Table 12—Final 2025 and 2026 Gear Shares and CDQ Reserve of BSAI Sablefish TACs

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Subarea and gear

Percent

of TAC

2025 Share

of TAC

2025 ITAC

2025 CDQ

reserve

2026 Share

of TAC

2026 ITAC

2026 CDQ

reserve

Bering Sea:

Trawl gear

4,248

3,611

319

4,498

3,823

337

Fixed gear

4,248

3,398

850

n/a

Total

100

8,496

7,009

1,168

4,498

3,823

337

Aleutian Islands:

Trawl gear

1,985

1,687

149

1,860

1,581

140

Fixed gear

5,955

4,764

1,191

n/a

Total

100

7,940

6,451

1,340

1,860

1,581

140

Note:

Seasonal or sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding.

For the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using trawl gear, 15 percent of TAC is apportioned to the non-specified reserve (§ 679.20(b)(1)(i)). The ITAC for vessels using trawl gear is the remainder of the TAC after subtracting this reserve. In the BS and AI, 7.5 percent of the trawl gear allocation of sablefish TAC is assigned from the non-specified reserve to the CDQ reserve (§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(D)(

)). The 2025 sablefish allocations to trawl gear are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 sablefish allocations to trawl gear are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

For the portion of the sablefish TAC allocated to vessels using fixed gear, 20 percent of the allocated TAC for the BS and AI is reserved for use by CDQ participants (§ 679.20(b)(1)(ii)(B)). The ITAC for vessels using fixed gear is the remainder of the TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve for each subarea. The Council recommended, and NMFS concurs, that specifications for the fixed gear sablefish IFQ fisheries be limited to one year. The 2025 sablefish allocations to fixed gear are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 sablefish allocations to fixed gear will be specified in the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

Allocation of the AI Pacific Ocean Perch, and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs

Sections 679.20(a)(10)(i) and (ii) require that NMFS allocate AI Pacific ocean perch and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole ITACs between the Amendment 80 sector and the BSAI trawl limited access sector, after subtracting 10.7 percent for the CDQ reserves and ICAs for the BSAI trawl limited access sector and vessels using non-trawl gear. The allocations of the ITACs for AI Pacific ocean perch and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole to the Amendment 80 sector and the BSAI trawl limited access sector are established in accordance with tables 33 and 34 to 50 CFR part 679 and with § 679.91.

One Amendment 80 cooperative has formed for the 2025 fishing year. Because all Amendment 80 vessels are part of the sole Amendment 80 cooperative, no allocation to the Amendment 80 limited access sector is required for 2025. The 2026 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025. Tables 13 and 14 list the 2025 and 2026 allocations of the AI Pacific ocean perch and BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole TACs. Allocations among the CDQ groups are listed in table 21.

Table 13—Final 2025 Community Development Quota (CDQ) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAs), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Pacific ocean perch

Eastern

Aleutian

District

Central

Aleutian

District

Western

Aleutian

District

Flathead sole

BSAI

Rock sole

BSAI

Yellowfin sole

BSAI

TAC

6,278

5,559

11,500

36,000

75,000

135,000

CDQ

672

595

1,231

3,852

8,025

14,445

ICA

100

2,000

3,000

2,000

BSAI trawl limited access

551

490

205

12,718

Amendment 80

4,956

4,414

10,054

30,148

63,975

105,837

Note:

Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 CDQ reserves, ICAs, and allocations for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025.

Table 14—Final 2026 Community Development Quota (CDC) Reserves, Incidental Catch Amounts (ICAs), and Amendment 80 Allocations of the Aleutian Islands Pacific Ocean Perch and BSAI Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole TACs

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

Pacific ocean perch

Eastern

Aleutian

District

Central

Aleutian

District

Western

Aleutian

District

Flathead sole

BSAI

Rock sole

BSAI

Yellowfin sole

BSAI

TAC

6,144

5,441

12,000

36,000

75,000

145,000

CDQ

657

582

1,284

3,852

8,025

15,515

ICA

100

2,000

3,000

2,000

BSAI trawl limited access

539

480

214

15,936

Amendment 80

4,848

4,319

10,492

30,148

63,975

111,549

Note:

Sector apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2026 CDQ reserves, ICAs, and allocations for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

The 2026 allocations for Amendment 80 species between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025.

Section 679.2 defines the ABC surplus for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole as the difference between the annual ABC and TAC for each species. Section 679.20(b)(1)(iii) establishes ABC reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The ABC surpluses and the ABC reserves are necessary to mitigate the operational variability, environmental conditions, and economic factors that may constrain the CDQ groups and the Amendment 80 cooperatives from fully harvesting their allocations and to improve the likelihood of achieving and maintaining, on a continuing basis, the OY in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS, after consultation with the Council, may set the ABC reserve at or below the ABC surplus for each species, thus maintaining the TAC at or below ABC limits. An amount equal to 10.7 percent of the ABC reserves will be allocated as CDQ ABC reserves for flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. Section 679.31(b)(4) establishes the annual allocations of CDQ ABC reserves among the CDQ groups. The Amendment 80 ABC reserves are the ABC reserves minus the CDQ ABC reserves. Section 679.91(i)(2) establishes the Amendment 80 cooperatives' ABC reserve to be the ratio of each cooperatives' quota share units and the total Amendment 80 quota share units, multiplied by the Amendment 80 ABC reserve for each respective species. Table 15 lists the 2025 and 2026 ABC surplus and ABC reserves for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole. The ABC reserves for the CDQ groups are listed in table 21.

Table 15—Final 2025 and 2026 ABC Surplus, ABC Reserves, Community Development Quota (CDQ) ABC Reserves, and Amendment 80 ABC Reserves in the BSAI for Flathead Sole, Rock Sole, and Yellowfin Sole

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Sector

2025

Flathead sole

2025

Rock sole

2025

Yellowfin sole

2026

Flathead sole

2026

Rock sole

2026

Yellowfin sole

ABC

83,807

157,487

262,557

87,700

158,225

267,639

TAC

36,000

75,000

135,000

36,000

75,000

145,000

ABC surplus

47,807

82,487

127,557

51,700

83,225

122,639

ABC reserve

47,807

82,487

127,557

51,700

83,225

122,639

CDQ ABC reserve

5,115

8,826

13,649

5,532

8,905

13,122

Amendment 80 ABC reserve

42,692

73,661

113,908

46,168

74,320

109,517

The 2025 surpluses and reserves for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 surpluses and reserves for BSAI flathead sole, rock sole, and yellowfin sole are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026

PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring

Section 679.21 (b), (e), (f), and (g), set forth the BSAI PSC limits. Section 679.21(b)(1) establishes three fixed halibut PSC limits totaling 1,770 mt, and assigns 315 mt of the halibut PSC limit as the PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ Program, 745 mt of the halibut PSC limit for the BSAI trawl limited access sector, and 710 mt of the halibut PSC limit for the BSAI non-trawl sector. An additional amount of BSAI halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector is determined annually based on the most recent halibut biomass estimates from the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) setline survey index and the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) Eastern Bering Sea shelf trawl survey index. In accordance with § 679.21(b)(1)(i), NMFS uses both halibut biomass estimates such that the value at the intercept of those survey indices from table 58 to 50 CFR part 679 is the Amendment 80 sector halibut PSC limit. The 2024 AFSC Eastern Bering Sea shelf trawl survey index estimate of halibut abundance is 125,145 mt and is below the threshold level of 150,000 mt. The IPHC setline survey index is 6,282 mt and is in the “low” abundance state. Pursuant to table 58 to 50 CFR part 679, the 2025 Amendment 80 sector halibut PSC limit is 1,309 mt. NMFS will publish the 2026 Amendment 80 sector halibut PSC limit in the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

Section 679.21(b)(1)(iii)(A) and (B) require apportionment of the BSAI non-trawl halibut PSC limit into PSC allowances among six fishery categories (see table 19). Sections 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(A) and (B), (e)(3)(i)(B), and (e)(3)(iv) require apportionment of the trawl PSC limits into PSC allowances among seven fishery categories (see tables 16, 17, and 18). These apportionments into PSC

allowances are based on the fishery categories' share of anticipated halibut PSC during the fishing year and the need to optimize the amount of total groundfish harvested under the halibut PSC limit for the non-trawl and trawl sectors.

Pursuant to Section 3.6 of the FMP, the Council recommends that certain specified non-trawl fisheries be exempt from the halibut PSC limit. NMFS concurs with this recommendation and exempts the pot gear fishery, the jig gear fishery, and the sablefish IFQ fixed gear fishery categories from halibut bycatch restrictions for the following reasons: (1) the pot gear fishery has low halibut bycatch mortality; (2) NMFS estimates halibut mortality for the jig gear fleet to be negligible because of the small size of the fishery and the selectivity of the gear; and (3) the sablefish and halibut IFQ fisheries have low halibut bycatch mortality because the IFQ program requires that legal-size halibut be retained by vessels using fixed gear if a halibut IFQ permit holder or a hired master is aboard and is holding unused halibut IFQ for that vessel category and the IFQ regulatory area in which the vessel is operating (see § 679.7(f)(11)).

The 2024 total groundfish catch for the pot gear fishery in the BSAI was 32,622 mt, with an associated halibut bycatch mortality of 10 mt. There was no participation in the 2024 jig gear fishery and 0 mt of total groundfish was harvested.

Under § 679.21(f)(2), NMFS annually allocates portions of either 33,318, 45,000, 47,591, or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limits among the AFA sectors, depending on: (1) past bycatch performance; (2) whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements (IPAs) are formed and approved by NMFS; and (3) whether NMFS determines it is a low Chinook salmon abundance year. NMFS will determine that it is a low Chinook salmon abundance year when abundance of Chinook salmon in western Alaska is less than or equal to 250,000 Chinook salmon. The State provides to NMFS an estimate of Chinook salmon abundance using the 3-System Index for western Alaska based on the Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Upper Yukon aggregate stock grouping.

If an AFA sector participates in an approved incentive plan agreement (IPA) and has not exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), and if it is not a low Chinook salmon abundance year, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(A). If no IPA is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), and if it is not a low abundance year, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 47,591 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(C). If an AFA sector participates in an approved IPA and has not exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), and if in a low abundance year, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 45,000 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). If no IPA is approved, or if the sector has exceeded its performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6), and if in a low abundance year, then NMFS will allocate a portion of the 33,318 Chinook salmon PSC limit to that sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(D).

NMFS has determined that 2024 was a low Chinook salmon abundance year, based on the State's estimate that Chinook salmon abundance in western Alaska is less than 250,000 Chinook salmon. In addition, all AFA sectors are participating in NMFS-approved IPAs, and no sector has exceeded the sector's annual Chinook salmon bycatch performance standard in any three of seven consecutive years. Therefore, in 2025, the Chinook salmon PSC limit is 45,000 Chinook salmon, allocated to each sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(B). In 2025, the Chinook salmon bycatch performance standard under § 679.21(f)(6) is 33,318 Chinook salmon, allocated to each sector as specified in § 679.21(f)(3)(iii)(D). The AFA sector Chinook salmon PSC limits are also seasonally apportioned with 70 percent for the A season pollock fishery, and 30 percent for the B season pollock fishery (see §§ 679.21(f)(3)(i) and 679.23(e)(2)). NMFS publishes the approved IPAs, allocations, and reports at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/chinook-salmon-bycatch-management-alaska.

NMFS will publish the 2026 Chinook salmon PSC limit and bycatch performance standard in the 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

Section 679.21(g)(2)(i) specifies 700 fish as the Chinook salmon PSC limit for the AI pollock fishery. Section 679.21(g)(2)(ii) allocates 7.5 percent, or 53 Chinook salmon, as the AI PSQ reserve for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 647 Chinook salmon to the non-CDQ fisheries.

Section 679.21(f)(14)(i) specifies 42,000 fish as the non-Chinook salmon PSC limit for vessels using trawl gear from August 15 through October 14 in the Catcher Vessel Operational Area (CVOA). Section 679.21(f)(14)(ii) allocates 10.7 percent, or 4,494 non-Chinook salmon, in the CVOA as the PSQ reserve for the CDQ program, and allocates the remaining 37,506 non-Chinook salmon in the CVOA to the non-CDQ fisheries. Section 679.21(f)(14)(iv) exempts from closures in the Chum Salmon Savings Area trawl vessels participating in directed fishing for pollock and operating under an IPA approved by NMFS.

PSC limits for crab and herring are specified annually based on abundance and spawning biomass.

Based on the most recent (2024) survey data, the red king crab mature female abundance is estimated at 11.7 million red king crabs, and the effective spawning biomass is estimated at 22.47 million lbs (19,190 mt). Based on the criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(i), the calculated PSC limit of red king crab in Zone 1 for trawl gear is 97,000 animals. This limit derives from the mature female abundance estimate above 8.4 million mature red king crab and an effective spawning biomass between 14.5 and 55 million lbs.

Section 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(

) establishes criteria under which NMFS must specify, after consultation with the Council, an annual red king crab bycatch limit for the Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS) if the State has established a GHL fishery for red king crab in the Bristol Bay area in the previous year. The regulations limit the RKCSS red king crab bycatch limit to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit, based on the need to optimize the groundfish harvest relative to red king crab bycatch. In December 2024, the Council recommended, and NMFS approves, that the RKCSS red king crab bycatch limit be equal to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit.

Based on the most recent (2024) survey data from the NMFS annual bottom trawl survey, Tanner crab (

Chionoecetes bairdi

) abundance is estimated at 1,216 million animals. Pursuant to criteria set out at § 679.21(e)(1)(ii), the calculated

C. bairdi

crab PSC limit for trawl gear is 980,000 animals in Zone 1, and 2,970,000 animals in Zone 2. The limit in Zone 1 is based on the total abundance of

C. bairdi

(estimated at 1,216 million animals), which is greater than 400 million animals. The limit in Zone 2 is based on the total abundance of

C. bairdi

(estimated at 1,216 million animals), which is greater than 400 million animals.

Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(iii), the PSC limit for trawl gear for snow crab (

C. opilio

) is based on total abundance as indicated by the NMFS annual bottom trawl survey. The

C. opilio

crab PSC

limit in the

C. opilio

bycatch limitation zone (COBLZ) is set at 0.1133 percent of the total abundance minus 150,000 crabs, unless a minimum or maximum PSC limit applies. Based on the most recent (2024) survey estimate of 13.37 billion animals, multiplied by 0.1133 percent, the calculated limit is 14,998,210 animals. Because the calculated limit is greater than 13 million animals, the maximum PSC limit applies and the PSC limit will be 12.85 million animals.

Pursuant to § 679.21(e)(1)(v), the PSC limit of Pacific herring caught while conducting any trawl operation for BSAI groundfish is 1 percent of the annual eastern BS herring biomass. The best current estimate of herring biomass is 265,096 mt. This amount was developed by the State based on biomass for spawning aggregations. Therefore, the herring PSC limit for 2025 and 2026 is 2,651 mt for all trawl gear as listed in tables 16 and 17.

Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A)(

) allocates 10.7 percent from each trawl gear PSC limit specified for crab as a PSQ reserve for use by the groundfish CDQ program. Section 679.21(e)(3)(i)(A) requires that crab PSQ reserves be subtracted from the total trawl gear crab PSC limits. The crab and halibut PSC limits apportioned to the Amendment 80 and BSAI trawl limited access sectors are listed in table 35 to 50 CFR part 679. The resulting allocations of PSC limit to CDQ PSQ reserves, the Amendment 80 sector, and the BSAI trawl limited access sector are listed in table 16. Pursuant to §§ 679.21(b)(1)(i), 679.21(e)(3)(vi), and 679.91(d) through (f), crab and halibut trawl PSC limits assigned to the Amendment 80 sector are then further allocated to Amendment 80 cooperatives as cooperative quota. Crab and halibut PSC cooperative quota assigned to Amendment 80 cooperatives is not allocated to specific fishery categories.

In 2025, there are no vessels in the Amendment 80 limited access sector and there is a single Amendment 80 cooperative. The 2026 PSC allocations between Amendment 80 cooperatives and the Amendment 80 limited access sector will not be known until eligible participants apply for participation in the program by November 1, 2025.

The BSAI ITAC allocation of halibut and crab PSC limits to the PCTC Program is established in § 679.131(c) and (d). The halibut PSC apportioned to the trawl CV sector is 98 percent of the halibut PSC limit apportioned to the BSAI trawl limited access sector's Pacific cod fishery category, and the remaining 2 percent is apportioned to the AFA CP sector. The trawl CV sector apportionment is further allocated to the A and B seasons (95 percent) and the C season (5 percent). The allocation to the trawl CV sector for the A and B season is subject to reductions, currently 25 percent, consistent with § 679.131(c)(1)(iii). The crab PSC apportioned to the trawl CV sector is 90.6 percent of the crab PSC limit apportioned to the BSAI trawl limited access sector's Pacific cod fishery category, and the remaining 9.4 percent is apportioned to the AFA CP sector. The trawl CV sector apportionment is further allocated to the A and B seasons (95 percent) and the C season (5 percent), and the A and B season limit is reduced by 35 percent to determine the overall PCTC Program crab PSC limit. The limits of halibut and crab PSC for the PCTC Program are listed in table 18, and in table 11 for PSC limits for PCTC Program cooperatives.

Sections 679.21(b)(2) and (e)(5) authorize NMFS, after consulting with the Council, to establish seasonal apportionments of halibut and crab PSC limits for the BSAI trawl limited access and non-trawl sectors to maximize the ability of the fleets to harvest the available groundfish TAC and to minimize bycatch. The factors to be considered are: (1) seasonal distribution of prohibited species; (2) seasonal distribution of target groundfish species relative to prohibited species distribution; (3) PSC bycatch needs on a seasonal basis relevant to prohibited species biomass and expected catches of target groundfish species; (4) the expected variations in bycatch rates throughout the year; (5) the expected changes in directed groundfish fishing seasons; 6) the expected start of fishing effort; and (7) economic effects of establishing seasonal prohibited species apportionments on segments of the target groundfish industry. Based on this criteria, the Council recommended and NMFS approves the seasonal PSC apportionments in tables 18 and 19 to maximize harvest among gear types, fisheries, and seasons while minimizing bycatch of PSC. PSC limits for PCTC Program cooperatives are listed in table 11. PSC limits among the CDQ groups are listed in table 21.

Table 16—Final 2025 and 2026 Apportionment of Prohibited Species Catch Limits to Non-Trawl Gear, the CDQ Program, Amendment 80, and the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sectors

PSC species and area and zone

Total PSC

Non-trawl PSC

CDQ PSQ

reserve

Trawl PSC

remaining after CDQ PSQ

Amendment

80 sector

BSAI trawl

limited access sector

BSAI PSC

limits not

allocated to

Amendment 80

Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI

3,079

710

315

n/a

1,309

745

n/a

Herring (mt) BSAI

2,651

n/a

Red king crab (animals) Zone 1

97,000

n/a

10,379

86,621

43,293

26,489

16,839

C. opilio

(animals) COBLZ

12,850,000

n/a

1,374,950

11,475,050

5,639,987

3,688,081

2,146,982

C. bairdi

crab (animals) Zone 1

980,000

n/a

104,860

875,140

368,521

411,228

95,390

C. bairdi

crab (animals) Zone 2

2,970,000

n/a

317,790

2,652,210

627,778

1,241,500

782,932

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas and zones. The 2025 prohibited species catch limits are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 prohibited species catch limits are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of each crab PSC limit.

The BSAI halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector is determined annually based on the most recent halibut biomass estimates from the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) setline survey index and the NMFS AFSC Eastern Bering Sea shelf trawl survey index (§ 679.21(b)(1)(i)). The Amendment 80 Program reduced apportionment of the trawl PSC limits for crab below the total PSC limit. These reductions are not apportioned to other gear types or sectors.

The Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program reduced the Pacific cod PCTC Program PSC limit for halibut by 25 percent (§ 679.131(c)(1)(iii)). The PCTC Program reduced the Pacific cod PCTC Program PSC limit for crab by 35 percent (§ 679.131(d)(1)(iii)). The PSC limits apply to PCTC Program trawl CVs in the A and B seasons.

Table 17—Final 2025 and 2026 Herring and Red King Crab Savings Subarea Prohibited Species Catch Allowances for all Trawl Sectors

Fishery categories

Herring (mt) BSAI

Red king crab

(animals) Zone 1

Yellowfin sole

153

n/a

Rock sole/flathead sole/Alaska plaice/other flatfish

n/a

Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish

n/a

Rockfish

n/a

Pacific cod

n/a

Midwater trawl pollock

2,359

n/a

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species

n/a

Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic trawl gear

n/a

24,250

Total trawl PSC

2,651

97,000

Note:

Species apportionments may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 prohibited species catch allowances are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 prohibited species catch allowances are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

“Other flatfish” for PSC monitoring includes all flatfish species, except for halibut (a prohibited species), Alaska plaice, arrowtooth flounder, flathead sole, Greenland turbot, Kamchatka flounder, rock sole, and yellowfin sole.

Pollock other than midwater trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and “other species” fishery category.

“Other species” for PSC monitoring includes skates, sharks, and octopuses.

In December 2024, the Council recommended and NMFS approves that the red king crab bycatch limit for non-pelagic trawl fisheries within the Red King Crab Savings Subarea (RKCSS) be limited to 25 percent of the red king crab PSC limit (see § 679.21(e)(3)(ii)(B)(

)).

Table 18-Final 2025 and 2026 Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for the BSAI Trawl Limited Access Sectors and Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program

BSAI trawl limited access sector fisheries

Prohibited species and area

Halibut

mortality (mt) BSAI

Red king

crab (animals) Zone 1

C. opilio

(animals) COBLZ

C. bairdi

(animals)

Zone 1

Zone 2

Yellowfin sole

250

23,337

3,521,726

346,228

1,185,500

Rock sole/flathead sole/Alaska plaice/other flatfish

Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish

Rockfish April 15-December 31

2,971

1,000

Total Pacific cod

315

2,955

148,531

60,000

50,000

AFA CP Pacific cod

278

13,962

5,640

4,700

PCTC Program Pacific cod, January 20-June 10

220

1,653

83,096

33,567

27,973

Trawl CV Pacific cod, June 10-November 1

134

6,728

2,718

2,265

PCTC Program unallocated reduction

890

44,744

18,075

15,062

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species

175

197

14,854

5,000

Total BSAI trawl limited access sector PSC

745

26,489

3,688,081

411,228

1,241,500

Note:

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas and zones.

The Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative (PCTC) Program further apportioned the BSAI trawl limited access sector's Pacific cod fishery category PSC limits for halibut and crab between AFA CPs, PCTC A and B season for trawl CVs, and the open access C-season for trawl CVs (§ 679.131(c) and (d)). The halibut PSC limits are reduced for the A and B season trawl CV sector by 25 percent each year (§ 679.131(c)(1)(iii)). The crab PSC limits are reduced for the A and B season trawl CV sector by 35 percent each year (§ 679.131(d)(1)(iii)). Any amount of the PCTC Program PSC limit remaining after the B season may be reapportioned to the trawl CV open access fishery in the C season.

“Other species” for PSC monitoring includes skates, sharks, and octopuses.

Table 19—Final 2025 and 2026 Halibut Prohibited Species Bycatch Allowances for Non-Trawl Fisheries

Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI

Non-trawl fisheries

Seasons

All non-trawl

Pacific cod

Total Pacific cod

648

661

January 1-June 10

388

n/a

June 10-August 15

162

n/a

August 15-December 31

n/a

Non-Pacific cod non-trawl-Total

May 1-December 31

n/a

Groundfish pot and jig

n/a

Exempt

Sablefish hook-and-line

n/a

Exempt

Total for all non-trawl PSC

n/a

710

Note:

Seasonal or sector allowances may not total precisely due to rounding. The 2025 prohibited species catch allowances are effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. The 2026 prohibited species catch allowances are effective from 0001 hours, A.l.t., January 1, 2026, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Estimates of Halibut Biomass and Stock Condition

The IPHC annually assesses the abundance and potential yield of the Pacific halibut stock using all available data from the commercial and sport fisheries, other removals, and scientific surveys. Additional information on the Pacific halibut stock assessment may be found in the IPHC's 2024 Pacific halibut stock assessment (December 2024) available on the IPHC website at

https://www.iphc.int.

The IPHC considered the 2024 Pacific halibut stock assessment at its January 2025 annual meeting when it sets the 2025 commercial halibut fishery catch limits.

Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMRs)

To monitor halibut bycatch mortality allowances and apportionments, the Regional Administrator uses observed halibut incidental catch rates, DMRs, and estimates of groundfish catch to project when a fishery's halibut bycatch mortality allowance or seasonal apportionment is reached. Halibut incidental catch rates are based on observed estimates of halibut incidental catch in the groundfish fishery. DMRs are estimates of the proportion of incidentally caught halibut that do not survive after being returned to the sea. The cumulative halibut mortality that accrues to a particular halibut PSC limit is the product of a DMR multiplied by the estimated halibut PSC. DMRs are estimated using the best scientific information available in conjunction with the annual BSAI stock assessment process. The DMR methodology and findings are included as an appendix to the annual BSAI groundfish SAFE report.

In 2016, the DMR estimation methodology underwent revisions per the Council's recommendation. An interagency halibut working group (IPHC, Council, and NMFS staff) developed improved estimation methods that have undergone review by the Plan Team, SSC, and the Council. A summary of the revised methodology is included in the BSAI proposed 2017 and 2018 harvest specifications (81 FR 87863, December 6, 2016), and a comprehensive discussion of the working group's statistical methodology is available from the Council (see

ADDRESSES

). The DMR working group's revised methodology is intended to improve estimation accuracy, transparency, and transferability used for calculating DMRs. The working group will continue to consider improvements to the methodology used to calculate halibut mortality, including potential changes to the reference period (the period of data used for calculating the DMRs). The methodology continues to ensure that NMFS is using DMRs that accurately reflect halibut mortality, which will inform the sectors of their estimated halibut mortality and allow sectors to respond with methods that could reduce mortality and, eventually, the DMR for that sector.

At the October and December 2024 meetings, the SSC, AP, and the Council concurred with the continued use of the revised DMR estimation methodology, and NMFS adopts for 2025 and 2026 the DMRs calculated under the revised methodology. The final 2025 and 2026 DMRs in this rule are unchanged from the DMRs in the proposed 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024). Table 20 lists these final 2025 and 2026 DMRs.

Table 20—2025 and 2026 Pacific Halibut Discard Mortality Rates (DMR) for the BSAI

Gear

Sector

Halibut discard

mortality rate

(percent)

Pelagic trawl

All

100

Non-pelagic trawl

Mothership and CP

Non-pelagic trawl

Hook-and-line

Pot

All

Note:

The halibut DMRs are effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

CDQ Group Quotas

In 2006, Public Law 109-241 amended section 305(i)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(i)). This law specifies the allocation of CDQ groundfish among the six CDQ groups. The six CDQ groups are the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association (APICDA), Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC), Central Bering Sea Fisherman's Association (CBSFA), Coastal Villages Regional Fund (CVRF), Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), and Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association (YDFDA). NMFS published the CDQ and CDQ PSQ percentages on August 31, 2006 (71 FR 51804, August 31, 2006). The groundfish and PSC amounts for each CDQ group are based on those percentages and applied to the total 2025 CDQ amounts in these harvest specifications. Those amounts for each CDQ group for 2025 are shown in table 21. The amounts for 2026 will be calculated in conjunction with the final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications.

Table 21—2025 CDQ Program Quota Categories, Target CDQ Reserves, Prohibited Species Quota (PSQ) Reserves, and CDQ Group Quotas

Groundfish CDQ species

CDQ group quotas

Species or Species Group

APICDA

BBEDC

CBSFA

CVRF

NSEDC

YDFDA

Groundfish units are in metric tons.

BS Pollock A season

8,662.5

12,993.8

3,093.8

14,850.0

13,612.5

8,662.5

61,875

BS Pollock B season

10,587.5

15,881.3

3,781.3

18,150.0

16,637.5

10,587.5

75,625

BS Pollock Total

19,250.0

28,875.0

6,875.0

33,000.0

30,250.0

19,250.0

137,500

AI Pollock

266.0

399.0

95.0

456.0

418.0

266.0

1,900

BS Fixed Gear Sablefish

127.4

169.9

135.9

0.0

152.9

263.4

850

AI Fixed Gear Sablefish

166.7

226.3

35.7

321.6

273.9

166.7

1,191

BS Sablefish

66.9

70.1

28.7

41.4

70.1

319

AI Sablefish

38.7

29.8

11.9

19.4

17.9

31.3

149

BS Pacific cod

2,208.4

2,993.2

1,266.7

2,562.5

2,554.0

2,710.7

14,295

AI Pacific cod

143.7

194.8

82.4

166.8

166.2

176.4

930

WAI Atka Mackerel

595.7

297.8

158.8

297.8

278.0

357.4

1,986

CAI Atka Mackerel

784.6

392.3

209.2

392.3

366.2

470.8

2,615

EAI/BS Atka Mackerel

1,251.9

626.0

333.8

626.0

584.2

751.1

4,173

Yellowfin Sole

4,044.6

3,466.8

1,155.6

866.7

1,011.2

3,900.2

14,445

Yellowfin Sole ABC reserves

3,782.2

3,265.4

1,092.2

867.2

994.6

3,646.9

13,649

Rock Sole

1,926.0

1,845.8

642.0

882.8

1,845.8

8,025

Rock Sole ABC reserves

2,118.3

2,030.0

706.1

970.9

2,030.0

8,826

BS Greenland Turbot

22.7

28.4

11.4

24.2

27.0

28.4

142

Arrowtooth Flounder

329.6

134.8

194.7

179.8

329.6

1,498

Flathead Sole

770.4

808.9

346.7

577.8

770.4

3,852

Flathead Sole ABC reserves

1,023.1

1,074.2

460.4

767.3

1,023.1

5,115

WAI Pacific Ocean Perch

369.2

184.6

98.4

184.6

172.3

221.5

1,231

CAI Pacific Ocean Perch

178.4

89.2

47.6

89.2

83.3

107.1

595

EAI Pacific Ocean Perch

201.5

100.8

53.7

100.8

94.0

120.9

672

PSQ

Halibut PSQ is in metric tons. Crab and salmon PSQ are in number of animals

Zone 1 Red King Crab

2,491

2,180

830

1,245

2,387

10,379

Zone 1 Bairdi Tanner Crab

27,264

25,166

8,389

27,264

104,860

Zone 2 Bairdi Tanner Crab

76,270

73,092

25,423

34,957

31,779

76,270

317,790

COBLZ Opilio Tanner Crab

343,738

329,988

109,996

137,495

109,996

343,738

1,374,950

Pacific Halibut

315

BS Chinook Salmon A season

547

820

195

937

859

547

3,906

BS Chinook Salmon B season

139

208

238

218

139

990

BS Chinook Salmon total

685

1,028

245

1,175

1,077

685

4,896

AI Chinook Salmon

Non-Chinook Salmon

629

944

225

1,079

989

629

4,494

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas and zones.

Directed Fishing Closures

In accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator may establish a DFA for a species or species group if the Regional Administrator determines that any allocation or apportionment of a target species has been or will be reached. If the Regional Administrator establishes a DFA, and that allowance is or will be reached before the end of the fishing year, NMFS will prohibit directed fishing for that species or species group in the specified subarea, regulatory area, or district (see § 679.20(d)(1)(iii)). Pursuant to § 679.21(b)(4) and (e)(7), if the Regional Administrator determines that a fishery category's bycatch allowance of halibut, red king crab,

C. bairdi

crab, or

C. opilio

crab for a specified area has been reached, the Regional Administrator will prohibit directed fishing for each species or species group in that fishery category in the area specified by regulation for the remainder of the season or fishing year.

Based on historical catch patterns and anticipated fishing activity, the Regional Administrator has determined that the groundfish allocation amounts in table 22 will be necessary as incidental catch to support other anticipated groundfish fisheries for the 2025 and 2026 fishing years. Consequently, in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(i), the Regional Administrator establishes the DFA for the species and species groups in table 22 as zero mt. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.20(d)(1)(iii), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors and species or species groups in the specified areas effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026. Also, for the BSAI trawl limited access sector, bycatch allowances of halibut, red king crab,

C. bairdi

crab, and

C. opilio

crab listed in table 22 are insufficient to support directed fisheries for the species and species groups listed in table 22. Therefore, in accordance with § 679.21(b)(4)(i) and (e)(7), NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for these sectors, species, and fishery categories in the specified areas effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Table 22—2025 and 2026 Directed Fishing Closures

[Groundfish and halibut amounts are in metric tons. Crab amounts are in number of animals.]

Area

Sector

Species

2025

Incidental

catch

allowance

2026

Incidental

catch

allowance

Bogoslof District

All

Pollock

250

Aleutian Islands subarea

All

Greenland Turbot

224

177

Aleutian Islands subarea

All

ICA pollock

“Other rockfish”

3,000

415

3,000

415

Aleutian Islands subarea

Trawl non-CDQ, Non-Amendment 80

Sablefish

1,687

1,581

Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea

All

ICA Atka mackerel

800

Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea

All

Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish

347

375

Eastern Aleutian District

All

ICA Pacific ocean perch

100

Central Aleutian District

All

ICA Atka mackerel

ICA Pacific ocean perch

100

Western Aleutian District

All

ICA Atka mackerel

ICA Pacific ocean perch

Western and Central Aleutian Districts

All

Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish

298

325

Bering Sea subarea

Trawl non-CDQ, non-Amendment 80

Sablefish

3,611

3,823

Bering Sea subarea

All

Pacific ocean perch

“Other rockfish”

ICA pollock

8,603

415

46,000

8,419

415

46,000

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

All

Shortraker rockfish

Skates

Sharks

Octopuses

402

23,499

340

402

23,499

340

Hook-and-line and pot gear

ICA Pacific cod

500

All

ICA flathead sole

ICA rock sole

2,000

3,000

2,000

3,000

All

ICA yellowfin sole

2,000

BSAI trawl limited access

Rock sole/flathead sole/Alaska plaice/other flatfish fishery category- halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1,

C. opilio

COBLZ,

C. bairdi

Zone 1 and 2

Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish fishery category—halibut mortality, red king crab Zone 1,

C. opilio

COBLZ,

C. bairdi

Zone 1 and 2

Rockfish fishery category—red king crab Zone 1

Note:

The directed fishing closures are effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Maximum retainable amounts may be found in table 11 to 50 CFR part 679.

“Other rockfish” includes all

Sebastes

and

Sebastolobus

species except for dark rockfish, Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, blackspotted/rougheye rockfish, and shortraker rockfish.

Closures implemented under the final 2024 and 2025 BSAI harvest specifications for groundfish (89 FR 15484, March 4, 2024) remain effective under authority of these final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications and until the date specified in those closure notifications. Closures are posted at the following website under the Alaska filter for Management Area:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/rules-and-announcements/bulletins.

While these closures are in effect, the maximum retainable amounts at § 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a fishing trip. These closures to directed fishing are in addition to closures and prohibitions found at 50 CFR part 679. NMFS may implement other closures during the 2025 and 2026 fishing years as necessary for effective conservation and management and consistent with the regulations at 50 CFR part 679.

Listed AFA CP Sideboard Limits

Pursuant to § 679.64(a), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of listed AFA CPs to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA fishery and from fishery cooperatives in the directed pollock fishery. These restrictions are set out as sideboard limits on catch. On February 8, 2019, NMFS published a final rule (84 FR 2723) that implemented regulations to prohibit non-exempt AFA CPs from directed fishing for all groundfish species or species groups subject to sideboard limits (see § 679.20(d)(1)(iv)(D) and table 54 to 50 CFR part 679). Section 679.64(a)(1)(v) exempts AFA CPs from a yellowfin sole sideboard limit because the final 2026 aggregate ITAC of yellowfin sole assigned to the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector is projected to be greater than 125,000 mt. For 2025, the final yellowfin sole ITAC is below 125,000 mt. A sideboard limit will apply in 2025. Section 679.64(a)(1)(iii) sets the procedures for calculating AFA CP sideboards. The yellowfin sole sideboard limit for AFA CPs is 23 percent of the yellowfin sole TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve in the BSAI. Therefore, in 2025 the AFA CP yellowfin sole sideboard limit will be 27,728 mt (table 23).

Section 679.64(a)(2) and tables 40 and 41 to 50 CFR part 679 establish a formula for calculating PSC sideboard limits for halibut and crab caught by listed AFA CPs. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002) and Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007). PSC species listed in table 23 that are caught by listed AFA CPs participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the final 2025 and 2026 PSC sideboard limits for the listed AFA CPs. Section 679.21(b)(4)(iii), (e)(3)(v), and (e)(7) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for listed AFA CPs once a final 2025 or 2026 PSC sideboard

limit listed in table 23 is reached. Pursuant to § 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(C) and (e)(3)(ii)(C), halibut or crab PSC by listed AFA CPs while fishing for pollock will accrue against the PSC allowances annually specified for the pollock/Atka mackerel/“other species” fishery categories, according to § 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (e)(3)(iv).

Table 23—Final 2025 and 2026 BSAI AFA Listed CP Prohibited Species and 2025 Yellowfin Sole Sideboard Limits

PSC species and area

Ratio of PSC

catch to

total PSC

2025 and 2026

PSC available to

trawl vessels after

subtraction of

CDQ PSQ

2025 and 2026

AFA CP

sideboard limit

Halibut mortality BSAI

n/a

286

Red king crab Zone 1

0.0070

86,621

606

C. opilio

(COBLZ)

0.1530

11,475,050

1,755,683

C. bairdi

Zone 1

0.1400

875,140

122,520

C. bairdi

Zone 2

0.0500

2,652,210

132,611

Yellowfin sole

0.2300

120,555

27,728

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. The AFA listed CP prohibited species sideboard limits are effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.

The 2025 AFA listed CP yellowfin sideboard limit is effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. Section 679.64(a)(1)(v) exempts AFA CPs from a yellowfin sole sideboard limit in 2026 because the final 2026 aggregate ITAC of yellowfin sole assigned to the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector is projected to be greater than 125,000 mt.

AFA CV Sideboard Limits

Pursuant to § 679.64(b), the Regional Administrator is responsible for restricting the ability of AFA CVs to engage in directed fishing for groundfish species other than pollock to protect participants in other groundfish fisheries from adverse effects resulting from the AFA fishery and from fishery cooperatives in the pollock directed fishery. Section 679.64(b)(3) and (b)(4) and tables 40 and 41 to 50 CFR part 679 establish formulas for setting AFA CV groundfish and halibut and crab PSC sideboard limits for the BSAI. The basis for these sideboard limits is described in detail in the final rules implementing the major provisions of the AFA (67 FR 79692, December 30, 2002), Amendment 80 (72 FR 52668, September 14, 2007), and Amendment 122 (88 FR 53704, August 8, 2023). Section 679.64(b)(6) exempts AFA CVs from a yellowfin sole sideboard limit because the final 2026 aggregate ITAC of yellowfin sole assigned to the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector is projected to be greater than 125,000 mt. For 2025, the final yellowfin sole ITAC is below 125,000 mt. A sideboard limit will apply in 2025. Section 679.64(b)(3)(iii) sets the procedures for calculating AFA CV sideboards. The yellowfin sole sideboard limit for AFA CVs is 6.47 percent of the yellowfin sole TAC after subtracting the CDQ reserve for the BSAI. Therefore, in 2025 the AFA CV yellowfin sole sideboard limit will be 7,800 mt (table 24).

On February 8, 2019, NMFS published a final rule (84 FR 2723) that implemented regulations to prohibit non-exempt AFA CVs from directed fishing for a majority of the groundfish species or species groups subject to sideboard limits (see § 679.20(d)(1)(iv)(D) and table 55 to 50 CFR part 679). The only remaining sideboard limit for non-exempt AFA CVs is for Pacific cod. Pursuant to Amendment 122 to the FMP, the Pacific cod sideboard limit is no longer necessary in the A and B seasons because directed fishing in the BSAI for Pacific cod by trawl CVs is now managed under the PCTC Program, and accordingly the sideboard limit is in effect in the C season only (§ 679.64(b)(3)(ii)). Table 24 lists the final 2025 and 2026 AFA CV groundfish sideboard limits.

Table 24—Final 2025 and 2026 BSAI Pacific Cod and 2025 Yellowfin Sole Sideboard Limits for American Fisheries Act CVs

[Amounts are in metric tons]

Fishery by area/gear/season

Ratio of 1997 AFA

CV catch to 1997

TAC

2025 initial TAC

for C season

2025 AFA CV

sideboard limit

2026 initial TAC

for C season

2026 AFA CV

sideboard limit

Pacific cod BSAI

n/a

Trawl gear CV

n/a

Jun 10-Nov 1

0.8609

4,212

3,626

3,893

3,351

Yellowfin sole BSAI

0.0647

120,555

7,800

n/a

Note:

The AFA CV Pacific cod sideboard limit is effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026. The 2025 AFA CV yellowfin sole sideboard limit is effective from 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 2400 hours, A.l.t., December 31, 2025. Section 679.64(b)(6) exempts AFA CVs from a yellowfin sole sideboard limit in 2026 because the final 2026 aggregate ITAC of yellowfin sole assigned to the Amendment 80 sector and BSAI trawl limited access sector is projected to be greater than 125,000 mt.

Halibut and crab PSC limits listed in table 25 that are caught by AFA CVs participating in any groundfish fishery other than pollock will accrue against the final 2025 and 2026 PSC sideboard limits for the AFA CVs. Section 679.21(b)(4)(iii), (e)(3)(v), and (e)(7) authorizes NMFS to close directed fishing for groundfish other than pollock for AFA CVs once a final 2025 or 2026 PSC sideboard limit listed in table 25 is reached. Pursuant to § 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(C) and (e)(3)(ii)(C), halibut or crab PSC by AFA CVs while fishing for pollock will accrue against

the PSC allowances annually specified for the pollock/Atka mackerel/“other species” fishery categories under § 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (e)(3)(iv).

Table 25—Final 2025 and 2026 American Fisheries Act CV Prohibited Species Catch Sideboard Limits for the BSAI

PSC species and area

Target fishery category

AFA CV PSC

sideboard limit ratio

2025 and 2026 PSC

limit after subtraction

of PSQ reserves

2025 and 2026 AFA

CV PSC sideboard

limit

Halibut

Pacific cod trawl

n/a

Pacific cod hook-and-line or pot

n/a

Yellowfin sole total

n/a

101

Rock sole/flathead sole/Alaska plaice/other flatfish

n/a

228

Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish

n/a

Rockfish

n/a

Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species

n/a

Red king crab Zone 1

n/a

0.2990

86,621

25,900

C. opilio

COBLZ

n/a

0.1680

11,475,050

1,927,808

C. bairdi

Zone 1

n/a

0.3300

875,140

288,796

C. bairdi

Zone 2

n/a

0.1860

2,652,210

493,311

Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas. The AFA CV prohibited species sideboard limits are effective at 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2025, through 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 18, 2026.

Target trawl fishery categories are defined at § 679.21(b)(1)(ii)(B) and (e)(3)(iv).

Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals.

“Other species” for PSC monitoring includes skates, sharks, and octopuses.

Response to Comments

NMFS received three letters raising 19 distinct comments during the public comment period for the proposed BSAI groundfish harvest specifications (89 FR 96186, December 4, 2024). NMFS's responses are below.

Comment 1:

NMFS must reduce TAC to address food security and ways-of-life for communities reliant on marine resources like salmon.

Response:

NMFS acknowledges that there are communities throughout Alaska that are reliant on marine resources like salmon that provide food security and are integral for ways-of-life. However, considering the best scientific information available, NMFS does not agree a reduction in TACs in the BSAI groundfish fisheries is warranted at this time. NMFS's response to Comment 2 comprehensively addresses how NMFS manages to minimize bycatch in the BSAI groundfish fisheries. NMFS's response to Comment 13 explains how changes in TACs are not expected to result in reductions in salmon PSC. Therefore, we focus our response to this comment on explaining the TAC setting process and why TAC reductions are not warranted at this time.

The annual TAC setting process is a robust, expansive process that involves significant scientific input and includes consideration of current environmental and ecosystem factors (

e.g.,

climate variability) and other marine resources (

e.g.,

salmon and halibut). Scientists from the AFSC prepare the assessment using sophisticated statistical analyses of fish populations and draft the written assessment for a species or species group. The assessments for the BSAI are informed by the most recent survey and harvest data available, including multiple annual surveys in the Eastern Bering Sea (EBS) and biennial surveys in the AI. The stock assessments then undergo rigorous review, during public meetings, by the scientists and resource managers on the Plan Team and SSC.

During this annual TAC setting process, the Plan Team, SSC, AP, and Council review several sources comprising the best scientific information available—the ESRs, Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profiles (ESP), stock assessments, and Plan Team report—and incorporate them into their OFL, ABC, and TAC recommendations to NMFS. NMFS reviews the same information for its annual decision to implement the OFLs, ABCs, and TACs for BSAI groundfish. Updates on salmon abundance estimates, commercial salmon catch, and the physical environment are included in the ESR and ESP. For an overview of the ESR and ESP, refer to the response to Comment 3.

The stock assessment author and Plan Team make a recommendation for OFL and ABC for each species and species group, and the SSC may concur with this recommendation or make a different recommendation. Ultimately, the SSC recommends the OFL and ABC (

i.e.,

the biological reference points), and, because the TAC cannot exceed the ABC, this informs the setting of the TAC (the harvest target/limit) for each species and species group. (See section 3.2.3.4.1 of the FMP and 50 CFR 600.310(g)(4)). This ensures that the TAC for each species and species group does not exceed the scientific recommendations for OFL and ABC.

OFL and ABC are calculated using prescribed methods set forth in the FMP. The FMP specifies a series of six tiers to define OFL and ABC amounts based on the level of reliable information available to fishery scientists. Tier 1 represents the highest level of information quality available, while Tier 6 represents the lowest. The methods for calculating OFL and ABC (including the ABC control rule) become more precautionary depending on the tier and stock status: for example, with less reliable information the larger the buffer (reduction) between OFL and ABC, and as stock status declines the OFL and ABC are reduced.

The specification of ABC is informed by the ecosystem, environmental, and socioeconomic factors presented in the ESRs and in the stock assessment, specifically the stock-specific risk table prepared for each stock as well as an additional ecosystem considerations section prepared for full/operational assessments like pollock. For EBS pollock, for example, the ecosystem considerations section of the stock assessment analyzes the fishery's effects on the ecosystem, including assessments of the pollock fishery's bycatch of non-target species like salmon.

The ESRs provide information on the status of PSC species like salmon, halibut, and crab. The 2024 ESRs included information on salmon in the BS ecosystem and AI ecosystem, including a synthesis of the status of adult and juvenile chum, king, and sockeye salmon; updated information

on the abundance of salmon; fish condition and trends; trends in the run size of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon; the increasing abundance and role of eastern Kamchatka pink salmon in the Aleutian Islands; and trends in directed commercial catch of salmon. The 2024 EBS ESR also included an overview of foraging and energetics for halibut, and the 2024 AI ESR evaluated changes in the biomass of fish apex predators, including halibut. The 2024 EBS ESR evaluated trends influencing commercial crab stock biomass (including snow crab).

In short, the annual process for specifying TACs for groundfish in the BSAI is a thorough, scientifically driven process informed by the best available information on the status of target and bycatch species and the marine ecosystems off Alaska, as well as socioeconomic and harvest data. The 2025 and 2026 TACs were developed through this process and account for ecosystem, environmental, and socioeconomic factors, including bycatch of non-target species like salmon. NMFS has therefore determined that the 2025 and 2026 TACs are consistent with the biological condition of groundfish stocks as described in the 2024 SAFE report and are consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other regulations because they are based on the best scientific information available (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(2); 50 CFR 600.315) and none of the final TACs exceed the final ABCs (16 U.S.C. 1851(a)(1); 50 CFR 600.310). The 2024 SAFE report is available at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/population-assessments/2024-north-pacific-groundfish-stock-assessments#bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-stock-assessments.

The FMP and implementing regulations direct that the sum of the TACs specified for the BSAI “must be within the OY range specified” in regulation, which for the BSAI is 1.4 to 2.0 million mt (§ 679.20(a)(1)(i)(A) and (a)(2)). This OY, which was previously recommended by the Council and approved by NMFS, is set forth in the FMP and in regulation, and is based on the sum of all TACs. NMFS has therefore determined that, in any given year, setting the TACs to fall within the OY range provides the greatest overall benefit to the Nation, particularly with respect to food production and recreational opportunities and taking into account the protection of marine ecosystems and relevant economic, social, or ecological factors (§ 600.310(e)(3)).

For the 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications, NMFS concurs with the Council's recommendation that TACs fall within the upper bound of the OY range (

i.e.,

2.0 million mt). Setting TACs to meet the upper bound of the OY range of 2.0 million mt, which represents a 44 percent reduction below the total groundfish ABC, balances relevant National Standard 1 considerations. Setting TACs at the higher bound of the OY will provide the greatest benefit for the Nation based on the benefits of maintaining viable groundfish fisheries and contributions to regional and local economies. The 44 percent reduction from total groundfish ABC recognizes the benefits that flow from that reduction, such as protections afforded to marine ecosystems, forage for ecosystem components, and other ecological factors (see § 600.310(e)(3)(iii)(A)-(B)). For 2025 and 2026, NMFS has specified TACs to sum to the upper end of the OY range, which NMFS has determined is consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and National Standard 1, the FMP, and the harvest strategy analyzed in the Final EIS.

Comment 2:

Salmon support Tribal ways-of-life and food security and are important for the cultural well-being of Alaska Native Tribes. NMFS must limit bycatch of salmon and other species to address food security and ways-of-life for communities reliant on marine resources like salmon.

Response:

As described above in response to Comment 1, NMFS and the Council considered the status of Chinook and chum salmon and other PSC species like halibut and crab in the harvest specifications process. In addition, the harvest specifications announce bycatch limits for PSC species.

The Chinook bycatch limits are based on promulgated regulations implementing amendments 91 and 110 to the FMP. NMFS and the Council have previously taken comprehensive action through amendments 91 and 110 to the FMP and implementing regulations to reduce salmon bycatch in the pollock trawl fishery because of the potential for negative impacts on salmon stocks. Existing measures have reduced Chinook salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery. For total Chinook bycatch since 1991, see

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/akro/chinook_salmon_mortality2025.html.

Regulations set limits on how many Chinook salmon can be bycaught in a year in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, and those regulations require that NMFS announce the applicable Chinook salmon limits in the harvest specifications (§ 679.21(f)). Pursuant to § 679.21(f), NMFS annually allocates portions of either 33,318, 45,000, 47,591, or 60,000 Chinook salmon PSC limits among the AFA sectors, depending on: (1) past bycatch performance; (2) whether Chinook salmon bycatch incentive plan agreements (IPAs) are formed and approved by NMFS; and (3) whether NMFS determines it is a low Chinook salmon abundance year (§ 679.21(f)). NMFS will determine that it is a low Chinook salmon abundance year when abundance of Chinook salmon in western Alaska is less than or equal to 250,000 Chinook salmon, based on the estimate provided by the State. The State provides NMFS with an estimate of Chinook salmon abundance using the 3-System Index for western Alaska based on the Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Upper Yukon aggregate stock grouping.

For 2024, NMFS has determined it was a low abundance year based on the State's 3-System Index. In accordance with the regulations at § 679.21(f), NMFS has specified a Chinook salmon PSC limit of 45,000 Chinook salmon, and a Chinook salmon bycatch performance standard of 33,318 Chinook salmon for the 2025 fishing year. NMFS publishes the approved IPAs, allocations, and reports at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/bycatch/chinook-salmon-bycatch-management-alaska.

Bycatch of salmon is posted on the NMFS website at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/fisheries-catch-and-landings-reports-alaska

(under BSAI Prohibited Species).

For each fishing year, the Bering Sea pollock fleet is constrained by the limit of Chinook salmon PSC set in regulation (as explained above), regardless of the size of the pollock TAC and harvest. The AFA sectors are prohibited from continuing to fish if their Chinook salmon PSC limit has been exceeded. Further, if the sector exceeds its performance standard in 3 of 7 years, that sector becomes constrained by the performance standard in future years (meaning, the sector would be subject to a lower PSC limit in future years).

Regulations set limits on Chinook salmon PSC for the AI pollock fishery and non-Chinook salmon PSC for vessels using trawl gear (§ 679.21(f)(14) and (g)). These are static limits set in regulations and are included in the groundfish harvest specifications each year. Regulations also set limits on halibut PSC in the groundfish fisheries. Section 679.21(b)(1) establishes a fixed halibut PSC limit of 745 mt for the BSAI trawl limited access sector. The Council and NMFS apportion for seven trawl fishery categories a PSC allowance from

the fixed limit of 745 mt. Halibut PSC in the pollock fisheries accrues to a specific fishery category—the pollock/Atka mackerel/other species fishery category—as specified in regulations. For 2025 and 2026, the halibut PSC allowance for the pollock/Atka mackerel/other species fishery category is 175 mt (see table 18). Regulations also set limits on crab PSC. These limits are based on the abundance of crab from the most recent survey data such that limits decrease as abundance decreases (§ 679.21(e)(1)). Each year NMFS determines which of the regulatory limits applies based on the most recent survey data and announces the limits in the groundfish harvest specifications (see table 16 for final 2025 PSC limits for red king crab, snow crab (

C. opilio

), and Tanner crab (

C. bairdi

)). These specifications apportion the crab limits set in regulation amongst some target fisheries, but the overall limits of crab PSC are set by regulation and survey results.

Ultimately, NMFS manages bycatch in the pollock fishery through a variety of tools that apply at all levels of pollock TAC. The tools for bycatch include the Chinook salmon PSC limits (which are announced in these annual harvest specifications), halibut and crab PSC limits set in regulation (which are also announced in these annual harvest specifications), IPAs to address Chinook and chum bycatch, and a comprehensive monitoring program to collect data on bycatch, including salmon, halibut, and crab bycatch. The information from this monitoring program is used to estimate bycatch, including how many Chinook and chum salmon are caught as bycatch from trawl vessels, where those fish originated from, and whether a potential violation of law occurred.

NMFS acknowledges the western Alaska salmon crisis and the impact it is having on Tribal ways-of-life, cultural well-being, and food security throughout western Alaska. Science indicates climate change as the primary driver of poor chum salmon returns in western Alaska. Scientists from NMFS and the State found that recent heat wave events created conditions where energy allocation and prey quality was affected and added stress to western Alaska chum salmon at critical life stages (see Farley, Jr.,

et al.,

2024;

https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v726/p149-160

). A recent technical report for the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission expanded further and considered the role of heatwaves in overwinter survival for chum salmon (see Farley, Jr.,

et al.,

2025;

https://www.npafc.org/tr23-24/

). For other species like Chinook salmon, climate change is also an important driver of poor salmon returns in western Alaska and demographic shifts also appear important (see Feddern,

et al.,

2024;

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39377278/; see also

Howard & von Biela, 2023;

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36661402/).

Scientists from NMFS will continue to study the impacts of climate change on salmon. The Council and NMFS will also continue to consider the status of salmon in the harvest specifications process; the 2024 EBS ESR, for example, provided a summary and synthesis on chum, Chinook, and sockeye salmon, including the different species' responses to climate conditions.

NMFS also recognizes that salmon bycatch may be a contributing factor to the current status of salmon in western Alaska. As discussed in the response to Comment 13, the best scientific evidence indicates that the numbers of the ocean bycatch that would have returned to western Alaska rivers would be relatively small due to ocean mortality and the large number of other river systems, and hatchery production, contributing to the total Chinook or chum salmon bycatch.

NMFS and the Council are committed to continued improvements in bycatch management with a goal of minimizing bycatch at all levels of abundance for target species (

e.g.,

pollock) and PSC species (

e.g.,

halibut, salmon). For example, in 2023 NMFS approved Amendment 123 to the FMP and implementing regulations (see

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/amendment-123-fishery-management-plan-groundfish-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands

). Amendment 123 changed the PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector from a static limit to an abundance-based limit. The halibut PSC limit for the Amendment 80 sector is now determined annually based on the most recent halibut biomass estimates from the IPHC setline survey index and the NMFS AFSC Eastern Bering Sea shelf trawl survey index. More details are provided in the earlier section

PSC Limits for Halibut, Salmon, Crab, and Herring.

Currently, NMFS and the Council are engaged in a comprehensive process to evaluate existing measures and develop alternatives to further reduce chum salmon bycatch. The Council and NMFS most recently considered management measures for chum salmon bycatch at a February 2025 special meeting of the Council (see Agenda Item C2 at

https://meetings.npfmc.org/Meeting/Details/3071

). The proposed management measures (meaning, changes to existing federal regulations) aim to reduce chum salmon bycatch in the pollock fishery, particularly Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch. The range of management alternatives being considered includes limits or “caps” on the number of chum salmon that may be caught in the pollock fishery and closure of all or part of the Bering Sea to pollock fishing once a cap is met, as well as changes to the IPAs. More information on salmon bycatch and management can be found at

https://www.npfmc.org/fisheries-issues/bycatch/salmon-bycatch/.

However, the PSC limits and the conditions that affect the limits are set in regulations, and changes to those regulations are outside of the scope of the annual harvest specification process. NMFS believes that changes to bycatch management of all prohibited species, including Chinook salmon, chum salmon, halibut, and crab, are best accomplished through the Council process to recommend FMP amendments and regulations that NMFS would implement if consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the FMP, and other applicable law.

Comment 3:

Management of fisheries, including TAC setting and PSC limits, should incorporate information on the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands ecosystems, which are undergoing changes.

Response:

Current processes and protocols incorporate ecosystem information into fisheries management, including the specification of TACs for BSAI groundfish. The annual process for specifying TACs for groundfish in the BSAI is a scientifically-driven process informed by the best available information on the status of the marine ecosystems off Alaska. Each year, ESRs are prepared for the BS and AI ecosystems (as well as the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) ecosystem). The intent of the ESRs is to provide the Plan Team, SSC, AP, Council, and NMFS, as well as the public, with a broad overview of the current status of the marine ecosystems. The ESRs are drafted by scientists and staff from NOAA, other federal and state agencies, academic institutions, Tribes, and non-profits, and they compile and summarize information about the status of the Alaska marine ecosystems and represent the best scientific information available. The ESRs include information on the physical environment and oceanography, climate data, biological data, marine resources, and socio-ecological dimensions to provide context for the specification of OFL, ABC, and TAC.

For example, the 2024 ESR for the EBS includes: (1) a synthesis of the

physical environment (

e.g.,

air and water temperatures, marine heatwaves, winds, sea ice, and cold pool); (2) an analysis of primary production including status, trends, and implications across the ecosystem (

e.g.,

phytoplankton and zooplankton like copepods); (3) an analysis of groundfish condition (such as length and weight), body condition of some species like pollock, seasonal food habits and patterns in foraging, natural mortality, and recruitment predictions based on environmental variables like temperature and nutrients; (4) an analysis of status, trends, and implications across the ecosystem for benthic communities and for non-target species and discards (

e.g.,

jellyfish, forage fish, herring, salmon, and crab) (see responses to Comment 1 and 2 for more details on salmon and crab); (5) integrated information on seabirds, like breeding and reproductive success for seabirds across the EBS (such as common murres), mortality, and implications across the ecosystem, seabird bycatch estimates, and marine mammal stranding reports; (6) emerging stressors (

e.g.,

ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms); and (7) other ecosystem and community indicators like stability of fish biomass as well as a sustainability index. The AI ESR includes similar information. Many of the sections of the respective ESRs outline trends and implications from the changes across the ecosystem and offer linkages across ecosystem variables. The 2024 ESRs are available at

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/ecosystems/ecosystem-status-reports-gulf-alaska-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands#2024-alaska-marine-ecosystem-status-reports.

Information from the ESRs are integrated in stock assessments, primarily through the risk tables that are prepared for each stock. The risk table includes evaluation of four considerations: (1) assessment-related; (2) population dynamics; (3) environmental/ecosystem; and (4) fishery performance. The risk table is meant to inform the specification of ABC by accounting for additional scientific uncertainty that is not addressed in the stock assessment model used to calculate OFL and ABC based on the stock's tier and the corresponding OFL and ABC control rules in the FMP. Because TAC cannot exceed ABC, reductions in ABC based on the risk table result in additional precaution in the catch limits for groundfish of the BSAI. The risk table can highlight changes in ecosystem conditions for consideration in specifying ABC. For example, in last year's EBS pollock SAFE report (2023), the risk table assessed several environmental and ecosystem considerations that warranted an elevated level of concern (including environmental/oceanographic factors related to climate, low levels of prey, and mixed trends in the status of potential competitors like jellyfish and salmon), and the SSC adopted a reduction of 18 percent for the ABC for EBS pollock for last year's specifications based on the elevated environmental and ecosystem risk identified in the 2023 stock assessment (for the final SSC report for the December 2023 Council meeting, see

https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=f7e6149f-a0d5-496f-a64c-63077eb2165e.pdf&fileName=SSC%20Report%20Dec%202023_FINAL.pdf

Some stock assessments also include an individual ESP. The ESP was developed as a framework for organizing and evaluating ecosystem and socioeconomic information about an individual stock. The ESP informs environmental and ecosystem considerations, population dynamics, and fisheries performance in the risk table. For example, the ESP for EBS Pacific cod assesses ecosystem indicators that include physical indicators, lower tropic indicators, and upper trophic indicators; for ecosystem indicators, the ESP also assesses the relationship between each indicator and parameters in the EBS Pacific cod stock assessment (like natural mortality, growth, and recruitment). The 2024 ESP for EBS Pacific cod is available at

https://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/SAFE/2024/ESPpcod_app2.pdf.

Stock assessment authors consider a variety of ecosystem-related factors when preparing their assessments, which are thoroughly reviewed by the Plan Team and the SSC through a public process. Stock assessment authors will include, if possible, relevant ecosystem-related factors into their modeling. Many models use variables that are potentially ecosystem-related, climate-impacted like size and condition of fish (

i.e.,

length and weight) and recruitment, and some models integrate specific environmental factors that have been influenced by climate variability, such as the extent of the cold pool and bottom temperature in the survey area.

The information from the ESRs, stock assessments, and ESPs allows the Plan Team, SSC, AP, Council, and NMFS to respond to ecosystem changes and stock changes in the BSAI and to adjust the harvest specifications as necessary. This is consistent with the FMP and the preferred harvest strategy analyzed in the Final EIS and implemented each year for the harvest specifications. The Final EIS contemplated that ABCs could be reduced based on ecosystem considerations (Chapter 11 of Final EIS). The harvest strategy is designed such that the most recent information would be used each year in setting the annual harvest specification. The process is flexible to incorporate current information on stock condition and harvest and environmental, ecosystem, and socioeconomic factors (

e.g.,

physical and ecosystem changes associated with climate variability). Similarly, the FMP contemplates ongoing consideration of relevant factors (

e.g.,

ecosystem c

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