# Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; Final 2025 and 2026 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2025-04406 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Rule - **Published:** March 18, 2025 - **Citation:** 90 FR 12640 ## Text 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 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] Species Area 2025 OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3 Nonspecified reserves Pollock 4 BS 2,957,000 2,417,000 1,375,000 1,237,500 137,500 AI 55,728 46,051 19,000 17,100 1,900 Bogoslof 77,354 58,015 250 250 Pacific cod 5 BS 183,509 153,617 133,602 119,306 14,295 AI 16,782 13,376 8,694 7,764 930 Sablefish 6 Alaska-wide 58,532 47,605 n/a n/a n/a BS n/a 13,203 8,496 7,009 1,168 319 AI 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 1,678 1,426 n/a BS n/a 1,415 1,415 1,203 151 61 AI n/a 263 263 224 39 Arrowtooth flounder BSAI 104,428 88,683 14,000 11,900 1,498 602 Kamchatka flounder BSAI 8,019 6,800 6,800 5,780 1,020 Rock sole 7 BSAI 165,444 157,487 75,000 66,975 8,025 Flathead sole 8 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 9 BSAI 26,083 19,562 4,500 3,825 675 Pacific ocean perch BSAI 44,594 37,375 33,458 29,443 n/a BS n/a 10,121 10,121 8,603 1,518 EAI n/a 6,278 6,278 5,606 672 CAI n/a 5,559 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 10 BSAI 838 706 706 600 106 BS/EAI n/a 408 408 347 61 CAI/WAI n/a 298 298 253 45 Shortraker rockfish BSAI 631 473 473 402 71 Other rockfish 11 BSAI 1,406 1,054 1,054 896 158 BS n/a 639 639 543 96 AI n/a 415 415 353 62 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 60 Octopuses BSAI 6,080 4,560 400 340 60 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. 1 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. 2 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). 3 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. 4 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)( 1 ) 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)( 2 ), 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 “Rock sole” includes Lepidopsetta polyxystra (northern rock sole) and Lepidopsetta bilineata (southern rock sole). 8 “Flathead sole” includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder). 9 “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. 10 “Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish” includes Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted) and Sebastes aleutianus (rougheye). 11 “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 1 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 BS 1,325,000 1,375,000 50,000 3.8 1,375,000 50,000 3.8 AI 19,000 19,000 19,000 0.0 Bogoslof 250 250 250 0.0 Pacific cod BS 131,217 133,602 2,384.79 1.8 123,077 (8,139.60) (6.2) AI 8,080 8,694 614.25 7.6 8,432 352.30 4.4 Sablefish BS 9,500 8,496 (1,004) (10.6) 8,996 (504) (5.3) AI 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 BS 2,310 1,328 (982) (42.5) 1,120 (1,190) (51.5) AI 430 263 (167) (38.8) 208 (222) (51.6) Arrowtooth flounder BSAI 14,000 14,000 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 4,500 4,500 0.0 Pacific ocean perch BS 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 18 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 29 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 BS 880 639 (241) (27.4) 639 (241) (27.4) AI 380 415 35 9.2 415 35 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 400 400 400 0.0 Octopuses BSAI 400 400 400 0.0 Total 1,998,491 2,000,000 1,509 0.1 2,000,000 1,508.85 0.1 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 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] Species Area 2026 OFL ABC TAC ITAC 2 CDQ 3 Nonspecified reserves Pollock 4 BS 2,496,000 2,036,000 1,375,000 1,237,500 137,500 AI 56,231 46,437 19,000 17,100 1,900 Bogoslof 77,354 58,015 250 250 Pacific cod 5 BS 169,243 141,520 123,077 109,908 13,169 AI 16,273 12,973 8,432 7,530 902 Sablefish 6 Alaska-wide 57,797 47,008 n/a n/a n/a BS n/a 13,037 8,996 3,823 337 337 AI n/a 11,421 7,440 1,581 140 140 Yellowfin sole BSAI 305,039 267,639 145,000 129,485 15,515 Greenland turbot BSAI 2,059 1,328 1,328 1,129 n/a BS n/a 1,120 1,120 952 120 48 AI n/a 208 208 177 31 Arrowtooth flounder BSAI 102,472 87,035 14,000 11,900 1,498 602 Kamchatka flounder BSAI 7,790 6,606 6,606 5,615 991 Rock sole 7 BSAI 166,220 158,225 75,000 66,975 8,025 Flathead sole 8 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 9 BSAI 26,083 19,562 4,500 3,825 675 Pacific ocean perch BSAI 43,084 36,578 33,490 29,481 n/a BS n/a 9,905 9,905 8,419 1,486 EAI n/a 6,144 6,144 5,487 657 CAI n/a 5,441 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 10 BSAI 902 766 766 651 115 BS/EAI n/a 441 441 375 66 CAI/WAI n/a 325 325 276 49 Shortraker rockfish BSAI 631 473 473 402 71 Other rockfish 11 BSAI 1,406 1,054 1,054 896 158 BS n/a 639 639 543 96 AI n/a 415 415 353 62 Atka mackerel BSAI 107,889 92,361 82,941 74,066 8,875 EAI/BS n/a 41,731 41,731 37,266 4,465 CAI n/a 23,716 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 60 Octopuses BSAI 6,080 4,560 400 340 60 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. 1 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. 2 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). 3 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. 4 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)( 1 ) 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)( 2 ), 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. 5 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. 6 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. 7 “Rock sole” includes Lepidopsetta polyxystra (northern rock sole) and Lepidopsetta bilineata (southern rock sole). 8 “Flathead sole” includes Hippoglossoides elassodon (flathead sole) and Hippoglossoides robustus (Bering flounder). 9 “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. 10 “Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish” includes Sebastes melanostictus (blackspotted) and Sebastes aleutianu s (rougheye). 11 “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)( 1 ), 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)( 2 ), 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 62 415 353 62 415 Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish—CAI/WAI districts 253 45 298 276 49 325 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)( 1 ) 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)( 2 )). 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)( 3 )). Tables 4 and 5 list these 2025 and 2026 amounts. Section 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)( 6 ) 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)( 4 ) 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) 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] Area and sector 2025 Allocations 2025 A season 1 A season DFA SCA harvest limit 2 2025 B season 1 B season DFA Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 1,375,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA 137,500 61,875 38,500 75,625 ICA 1 46,000 n/a n/a 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 3 476,600 214,470 133,448 262,130 Catch by CPs 436,089 196,240 n/a 239,849 Catch by CVs 3 40,511 18,230 n/a 22,281 Unlisted CP Limit 4 2,383 1,072 n/a 1,311 AFA Motherships 119,150 53,618 33,362 65,533 Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 208,513 n/a n/a n/a Excessive Processing Limit 6 357,450 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea ABC 46,051 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 19,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA 1,900 1,900 n/a ICA 3,000 1,500 n/a 1,500 Aleut Corporation 14,100 14,100 n/a Area harvest limit 7 n/a n/a n/a n/a 541 13,815 n/a n/a n/a 542 6,908 n/a n/a n/a 543 2,303 n/a n/a n/a Bogoslof District ICA 8 250 n/a n/a 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. 1 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)( 1 )). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)( 2 ), 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. 2 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). 3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 4 ), 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. 4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 4 )( iii ), the AFA unlisted CPs are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the CP sector's allocation of pollock. 5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 6 ), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. 6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 7 ), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. 7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)( 6 ), 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. 8 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) 1 [Amounts are in metric tons] Area and sector 2025 Allocations 2025 A season 1 A season DFA SCA harvest limit 2 2025 B season 1 B season DFA Bering Sea subarea TAC 1 1,375,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA 137,500 61,875 38,500 75,625 ICA 1 46,000 n/a n/a 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 3 40,511 18,230 n/a 22,281 Unlisted CP Limit 4 2,383 1,072 n/a 1,311 AFA Motherships 119,150 53,618 33,362 65,533 Excessive Harvesting Limit 5 208,513 n/a n/a n/a Excessive Processing Limit 6 357,450 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea ABC 46,437 n/a n/a n/a Aleutian Islands subarea TAC 1 19,000 n/a n/a n/a CDQ DFA 1,900 1,900 n/a ICA 3,000 1,500 n/a 1,500 Aleut Corporation 14,100 14,100 n/a Area harvest limit 7 n/a n/a n/a n/a 541 13,931 n/a n/a n/a 542 6,966 n/a n/a n/a 543 2,322 n/a n/a n/a Bogoslof District ICA 8 250 n/a n/a 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 . 1 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)( 1 )). Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)( 2 ), 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. 2 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). 3 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 4 ), 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. 4 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 4 )( iii ), the AFA unlisted CPs are limited to harvesting not more than 0.5 percent of the CP sector's allocation of pollock. 5 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 6 ), NMFS establishes an excessive harvesting share limit equal to 17.5 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. 6 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i)(A)( 7 ), NMFS establishes an excessive processing share limit equal to 30.0 percent of the sum of the non-CDQ pollock DFAs. 7 Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(iii)(B)( 6 ), 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. 8 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 6—Final 2025 AFA Inshore Cooperative and Open Access Pollock Allocations [Amounts are in metric tons] Cooperative name 1 % of Inshore sector allocation Sum of vessel's catch histories (mt) 2 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 0 0 Northern Victor Fleet Cooperative 9.345631 81,828 55,677 Peter Pan Fleet Cooperative 0.000000 0 0 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 1 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. 2 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)( 1 )( i ) and ( ii ) 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)( 2 ) 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 1 Season 2 3 4 2025 Allocation by area Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea Central Aleutian District 5 Western Aleutian District TAC n/a 39,000 24,443 18,557 CDQ reserve Total 4,173 2,615 1,986 A 2,087 1,308 993 Critical Habitat n/a 785 596 B 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 20 Jig 6 Total 170 BSAI trawl limited access Total 3,386 2,173 A 1,693 1,086 Critical Habitat n/a 652 B 1,693 1,086 Critical Habitat n/a 652 Amendment 80 sector Total 30,471 19,555 16,551 A 15,236 9,777 8,276 Critical Habitat n/a 5,866 4,965 B 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. 1 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)). 2 Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)( 1 )( i ) 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)( 1 )( ii ) 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)( 2 ) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC in Area 543. 6 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 1 Season 2 3 4 2026 Allocation by area Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea 5 Central Aleutian District 5 Western Aleutian District 5 TAC n/a 41,731 23,716 17,494 CDQ reserve Total 4,465 2,538 1,872 A 2,233 1,269 936 Critical Habitat n/a 761 562 B 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 20 Jig 6 Total 182 BSAI trawl limited access Total 3,628 2,108 A 1,814 1,054 Critical Habitat n/a 632 B 1,814 1,054 Critical Habitat n/a 632 Amendment 80 sectors 7 Total 32,655 18,971 15,602 A 16,328 9,485 7,801 Critical Habitat n/a 5,691 4,681 B 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 . 1 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)). 2 Sections 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(A) and 679.22(a) establish temporal and spatial limitations for the Atka mackerel fishery. 3 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. 4 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. 5 Section 679.20(a)(8)(ii)(C)( 1 )( i ) 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)( 1 )( ii ) 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)( 2 ) requires that the TAC in Area 543 shall be no more than 65 percent of ABC in Area 543. 6 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. 7 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 n/a 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 n/a n/a Total Aleutian Islands TAC n/a 8,694 n/a n/a 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 n/a n/a Western Aleutians Islands Limit n/a 3,173 n/a n/a n/a Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 100.0 127,070 n/a n/a n/a Total hook-and-line/pot gear 60.8 77,259 n/a n/a n/a Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 n/a n/a 500 n/a n/a Hook-and-line/pot sub-total n/a 76,759 n/a n/a n/a Hook-and-line CPs 48.7 n/a 61,483 n/a 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 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 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 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 n/a Trawl CVs 3 22.1 28,083 n/a n/a 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 n/a 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 n/a 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 n/a 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. 1 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)). 2 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. 3 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 n/a 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 n/a n/a Total Aleutian Islands TAC n/a 8,432 n/a n/a 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 n/a n/a Western Aleutians Islands Limit n/a 3,078 n/a n/a n/a Total BSAI non-CDQ TAC 1 100.0 117,438 n/a n/a n/a Total hook-and-line/pot gear 60.8 71,402 n/a n/a n/a Hook-and-line/pot ICA 2 n/a n/a 500 n/a n/a Hook-and-line/pot sub-total n/a 70,902 n/a n/a n/a Hook-and-line CPs 48.7 n/a 56,792 n/a 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 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 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 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 n/a Trawl CVs 3 22.1 25,954 n/a n/a 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 n/a 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 n/a 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 n/a 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 . 1 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)). 2 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. 3 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 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 1 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. 1 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)( 1 ) 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 1 50 4,248 3,611 319 4,498 3,823 337 Fixed gear 2 50 4,248 3,398 850 n/a n/a n/a Total 100 8,496 7,009 1,168 4,498 3,823 337 Aleutian Islands: Trawl gear 1 25 1,985 1,687 149 1,860 1,581 140 Fixed gear 2 75 5,955 4,764 1,191 n/a n/a 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. 1 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)( 1 )). 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. 2 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 60 10 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 60 10 2,000 3,000 2,000 BSAI trawl limited access 539 480 214 15,936 Amendment 80 1 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. 1 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 1 Flathead sole 2026 1 Rock sole 2026 1 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 1 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 . 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. 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)( 2 ) 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)( 1 ) 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 1 Total PSC Non-trawl PSC CDQ PSQ reserve 2 Trawl PSC remaining after CDQ PSQ Amendment 80 sector 3 BSAI trawl limited access sector 4 BSAI PSC limits not allocated to Amendment 80 3 Halibut mortality (mt) BSAI 3,079 710 315 n/a 1,309 745 n/a Herring (mt) BSAI 2,651 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 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 1 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. 2 The PSQ reserve for crab species is 10.7 percent of each crab PSC limit. 3 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. 4 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 1 77 n/a Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish 8 n/a Rockfish 8 n/a Pacific cod 14 n/a Midwater trawl pollock 2,359 n/a Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 2 3 31 n/a Red king crab savings subarea non-pelagic trawl gear 4 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. 1 “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. 2 Pollock other than midwater trawl pollock, Atka mackerel, and “other species” fishery category. 3 “Other species” for PSC monitoring includes skates, sharks, and octopuses. 4 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)( 2 )). 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 1 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 2 Greenland turbot/arrowtooth flounder/Kamchatka flounder/sablefish Rockfish April 15-December 31 5 2,971 1,000 Total Pacific cod 3 315 2,955 148,531 60,000 50,000 AFA CP Pacific cod 6 278 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 15 134 6,728 2,718 2,265 PCTC Program unallocated reduction 73 890 44,744 18,075 15,062 Pollock/Atka mackerel/other species 4 175 197 14,854 5,000 5,000 Total BSAI trawl limited access sector PSC 745 26,489 3,688,081 411,228 1,241,500 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. 1 Refer to § 679.2 for definitions of areas and zones. 2 “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. 3 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. 4 “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 CP CV All non-trawl Pacific cod Total Pacific cod 648 13 661 January 1-June 10 388 9 n/a June 10-August 15 162 2 n/a August 15-December 31 98 2 n/a Non-Pacific cod non-trawl-Total May 1-December 31 n/a n/a 49 Groundfish pot and jig n/a n/a n/a Exempt Sablefish hook-and-line n/a n/a n/a Exempt Total for all non-trawl PSC n/a n/a 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 86 Non-pelagic trawl CV 67 Hook-and-line CV 9 Hook-and-line CV 9 Pot All 21 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 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 1,845.8 642.0 882.8 882.8 1,845.8 8,025 Rock Sole ABC reserves 2,118.3 2,030.0 706.1 970.9 970.9 2,030.0 8,826 BS Greenland Turbot 22.7 28.4 11.4 24.2 27.0 28.4 142 Arrowtooth Flounder 329.6 329.6 134.8 194.7 179.8 329.6 1,498 Flathead Sole 770.4 808.9 346.7 577.8 577.8 770.4 3,852 Flathead Sole ABC reserves 1,023.1 1,074.2 460.4 767.3 767.3 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 1,245 2,387 10,379 Zone 1 Bairdi Tanner Crab 27,264 25,166 8,389 8,389 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 69 69 28 38 38 72 315 BS Chinook Salmon A season 547 820 195 937 859 547 3,906 BS Chinook Salmon B season 139 208 50 238 218 139 990 BS Chinook Salmon total 685 1,028 245 1,175 1,077 685 4,896 AI Chinook Salmon 7 11 3 13 12 7 53 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 1 [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 250 250 Aleutian Islands subarea All Greenland Turbot 224 177 Aleutian Islands subarea All ICA pollock “Other rockfish” 2 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 800 800 Eastern Aleutian District/Bering Sea All Blackspotted/Rougheye rockfish 347 375 Eastern Aleutian District All ICA Pacific ocean perch 100 100 Central Aleutian District All ICA Atka mackerel ICA Pacific ocean perch 100 60 100 60 Western Aleutian District All ICA Atka mackerel ICA Pacific ocean perch 20 10 20 10 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” 2 ICA pollock 8,603 415 46,000 8,419 415 46,000 Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands All Shortraker rockfish Skates Sharks Octopuses 402 23,499 340 340 402 23,499 340 340 Hook-and-line and pot gear ICA Pacific cod 500 500 All ICA flathead sole ICA rock sole 2,000 3,000 2,000 3,000 All ICA yellowfin sole 2,000 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. 1 Maximum retainable amounts may be found in table 11 to 50 CFR part 679. 2 “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 1 Ratio of PSC catch to total PSC 2025 and 2026 PSC available to trawl vessels after subtraction of CDQ PSQ 2 2025 and 2026 AFA CP sideboard limit 2 Halibut mortality BSAI n/a 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 3 0.2300 120,555 27,728 1 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. 2 Halibut amounts are in metric tons of halibut mortality. Crab amounts are in numbers of animals. 3 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 sideboar [Text truncated at 120,000 characters. The full text is on the page linked above.] --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A2025-04406. Public record. Not legal advice.