Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Modify the Timing of Haul Designation for Trawl Catcher Processors in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fisheries

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 679

[Docket No.: 260622-0149]

RIN 0648-BL49

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Modify the Timing of Haul Designation for Trawl Catcher Processors in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fisheries

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

NMFS issues this final rule to standardize the time limit in which trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) participating in the groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska Management Area (GOA) and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) must assign each haul to a management program. This action is necessary to improve consistency with respect to when trawl C/Ps are required to assign a haul to a specific management

program in a logbook. It allows additional time for vessel operators participating in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) and non-CDQ fisheries on the same trip to determine which management program to assign a haul to. This rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Groundfish of the GOA and BSAI Management Areas, and other applicable laws.

DATES:

This rule is effective on July 27, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Electronic copies of the Regulatory Impact Review (referred to as the “Analysis”) and Categorical Exclusion (CE) prepared for this final rule may be obtained from

https://www.regulations.gov.

Written comments regarding the burden-hour estimates or other aspects of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this rule may be submitted to NMFS Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668, Attn: Gretchen Harrington and to

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

Find this particular information collection by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Caleb Taylor,

caleb.taylor@noaa.gov,

907-586-7228.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This final rule is a change to reporting requirements that revises and standardizes the time limit for all trawl C/Ps to assign each haul to a management program in the logbook. NMFS published a proposed rule in the

Federal Register

on October 2, 2025 (90 FR 47716). The comment period on the proposed rule ended on November 3, 2025. NMFS received six comment letters and considered all comments submitted on or before November 3, 2025 in the development of this rule. A summary of the comments and NMFS's responses are provided in the Comments and Responses section of the preamble. All public comment letters submitted during the comment period may be obtained at:

https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0154-0003.

A detailed review of the rationale for these regulations is provided in the preamble to the proposed rule (90 FR 47716).

Authority for Action

NMFS manages the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic zone under the GOA FMP and under the BSAI FMP. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) prepared and recommended these FMPs under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801

et seq.

Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMPs for groundfish of the GOA and BSAI appear at 50 CFR parts 600 and 679. This action is implemented under Magnuson-Stevens Act section 305(d) and is necessary to carry out section 3.9.1 of both the BSAI FMP and GOA FMP, which describe the Council's recommended approach to recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Section 3.9.1 of the BSAI FMP requires C/P vessel operators to submit certain information within a time period specified in regulations and authorizes NMFS, in consultation with the Council, to establish such recordkeeping and reporting regulations that are necessary and appropriate to determine catch, production, effort, price, and other information necessary for conservation and management of the fisheries. Under the FMPs, NMFS may amend these regulations as necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives of the recordkeeping and reporting provisions. On April 8, 2019, the Council recommended the regulatory provisions that this action implements. This action modifies recordkeeping and reporting requirements that are necessary to attribute catch to specific fishery management programs implemented under the BSAI and GOA FMPs.

Background

In 2024, 30 trawl C/Ps fished for groundfish in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska, participating in the Amendment 80 Program, American Fisheries Act (AFA) Program, Central GOA Rockfish Program (Rockfish Program), Aleutian Islands Pollock (AIP) Program, open access fisheries, and the CDQ Program. This rule applies to all trawl C/P fishing activity under the GOA and BSAI groundfish FMPs.

Recordkeeping and reporting requirements necessary to attribute catch to specific fishery management programs are specified at 50 CFR 679.5 and summarized in section 2.1.1 of the Analysis (See

ADDRESSES

). Logbook requirements for trawl C/Ps have evolved over time, beginning with the use of a paper Daily Cumulative Production Logbook (DCPL), followed by development and use of a NMFS-approved electronic logbook (ELB) (§ 679.5(f)). If actively fishing, the operator of a trawl C/P using a NMFS-approved ELB must enter all information into its NMFS-approved ELB that is required to be entered into a DCPL (§ 679.5(c)(4) and (c)(6)), subject to the same recording time limits for DCPLs (§ 679.5(f)(2)(iii)(B)(

1

)). In this preamble, the term “logbook” means both the DCPL and ELB. Data recorded in C/P logbooks include information useful to fishery managers such as gear type, catch by haul, and assignment of a management program (including CDQ Program) to each completed haul. Certain information must be recorded by the operator of a C/P using trawl gear at various times during vessel operations as specified in regulations at § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B). Trawl C/P operations with associated reporting requirements include: deployment and retrieval of trawl gear, completion of weighing all catch in a haul, and end-of-day reporting of information about the previous day's processing and production. This final rule does not modify regulations governing the required reporting method. This final rule modifies only § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

1

) and (

2

).

Under the regulations at § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

1

) and (

2

) prior to this action, hauls assigned to the CDQ management program and hauls assigned to other management programs had two different time limits for recording the management program code in the logbook. Hauls needed to be assigned to a management program within 2 hours of completion of gear retrieval if they were not assigned to the CDQ program, versus within 2 hours of completion of weighing all catch in the haul if they were assigned to a CDQ program. This was an unnecessary discrepancy in the reporting requirements that created potential confusion.

Final Rule

This final rule revises § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

1

) and (

2

) to state that a trawl C/P haul must be assigned to a management program (without regard to whether it is CDQ or non-CDQ) no later than 2 hours after all catch in the haul has been weighed. This action eliminates the discrepancy between the time allowed for recording the management program for CDQ Program hauls, as opposed to non-CDQ program hauls. The timing discrepancy created potential confusion for trawl C/P vessel operators participating in both CDQ Program and non-CDQ program fishing on the same fishing trip, and did not allow trawl C/Ps adequate time to assess haul species composition before assigning a haul to a non-CDQ program. In summary, this final rule: (1) modifies when a management program must be reported in the logbook for each trawl C/P haul; and (2) aligns the timing requirements for reporting each haul to

a management program across all management programs.

Specifically, this final rule revises § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B) to allow trawl C/P operators to assign hauls to any management program in the GOA and BSAI management areas under the same time limit. Language on when a haul must be designated to a non-CDQ management program is removed from § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

1

). Language is removed from § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

2

) regarding CDQ number, as it is duplicative given that § 679.5(a)(1)(iii) requires that the CDQ number be recorded where harvest under the CDQ program occurs. Language is added to § 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)(

2

) applying a single haul designation recording time limit for all management programs. With these changes, the timing of when a non-CDQ management program must be reported increased from within 2 hours after completion of gear retrieval to within 2 hours after completion of weighing all catch in the haul.

Changes From Proposed to Final Rule

NMFS did not make changes to the regulatory text in this final rule from the regulatory text in the proposed rule.

Comments and Responses

NMFS received six comment letters during the public comment period on the proposed rule (90 FR 47716, October 2, 2025). Commenters included one individual, one organization, and four anonymous submissions. Below, NMFS summarizes and responds to 13 unique relevant comments.

General

Comment 1:

This program is a positive step toward regulatory clarity and data integrity. By standardizing the haul designation reporting deadline for all management programs, NMFS can create a consistent, logical reporting process. This rule gives vessel operators the necessary time to accurately assess a haul's composition before making a designation, which is crucial for precise quota management. Aligning the reporting requirements across all of the management programs will hopefully enhance compliance and better the management for the fisheries.

Response:

NMFS acknowledges this comment. This rule simplifies reporting requirements for all affected trawl C/P entities by aligning and standardizing the reporting time limits for hauls assigned to all management programs.

Comment 2:

While the change may appear technical, it directly affects when and how captains and crew record and transmit operational data that feed NMFS's observer, electronic monitoring (EM), and catch accounting systems.

Response:

NMFS disagrees. This rule does not change how trawl C/P vessel operators submit data in the logbook and eLandings. These operators will continue to enter required information in the logbook and eLandings (§ 679.5(f)(1)(iv)). This rule merely simplifies reporting requirements for all affected trawl C/P vessel operators by aligning and standardizing the reporting time limits for assigning trawl hauls to a management program (

i.e.,

without regard to whether it is CDQ or non-CDQ). Therefore, catch reporting systems used by trawl C/P vessel operators will not need to be changed to comply with the timing change implemented by this rule.

Nor will this timing change affect observer data collection, although the North Pacific Observer Sampling Manual has been updated to note the change in timing for when a vessel operator is required to assign each haul to a management program. Observers will continue to gather information from the logbook and report it to NMFS for catch accounting purposes; this timing change aligns the availability of the management program designation with other catch data points that are recorded for each haul. Likewise, this reporting timing change will not affect existing EM systems or data flows.

Comment 3:

The use of the phrase “all catch” in the regulation would enable vessels to weigh some, but not all, catch in order to prolong the delay from hauling to management program assignment, which would increase the potential for inaccuracies and haul mixing.

Response:

NMFS disagrees. NMFS continues to prohibit haul mixing under existing catch weighing regulations. This rule does not modify catch weighing or catch handling regulations. Additional time for recording of non-CDQ management programs is not expected to have substantial impacts on vessel operations or fishery conservation and management. Other required information is to be entered by 2400 hours, A.l.t., each day to record the previous day's information (§ 679.5(c)(4)(ii)(B)), and all relevant data will be captured through existing reporting requirements. Typical handling of each haul includes some period of delay to facilitate handling and processing, but excessive delay is unlikely given that it would reduce fish quality, and thus marketability and profits. Therefore, NMFS does not expect changes to how trawl C/P operators weigh catch and, as a result, also does not expect an increase in haul mixing or inaccuracies.

Impacts on Small Entities

Comment 4:

NMFS must comply with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) by either: placing in the docket the factual basis supporting any certification under 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; or, if such a basis is absent or insufficient, preparing and publishing an Initial/Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA/FRFA) that evaluates direct compliance costs on small catcher vessels and other small entities, considers significant alternatives, and, where applicable, conducting SBREFA outreach (5 U.S.C. 603-604, 605, 609).

Response:

NMFS provided the factual basis for certification under the RFA in the Classification section of the proposed rule (90 FR 47716, October 2, 2025). In that certification, NMFS explained that this rule is a minor change intended to allow trawl C/P vessel operators fishing for both CDQ and non-CDQ programs more time to adequately assess species composition of hauls before assigning each haul to a management program.

This rule applies only to C/P vessels and does not affect recordkeeping and reporting requirements for catcher vessels. There are 30 C/P vessels impacted by this rule. Of those 30 vessels, only one is considered a small entity. Impacts from this rule are beneficial.

This rule simplifies reporting requirements for all affected trawl C/P entities by aligning and standardizing the reporting time limits for trawl hauls assigned to all management programs (

i.e.,

without regard to whether it is CDQ or non-CDQ). Current regulations require vessel operators to assign hauls to a CDQ Program within 2 hours after weighing all catch, in contrast to 2 hours after gear retrieval for all other management programs. This rule applies the timing for the CDQ Program to all management programs. Therefore, this action was certified at the proposed rule stage to not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the RFA and no initial regulatory flexibility analysis has been conducted. The Analysis prepared for this action provides additional information on the potential for economic impacts (see

ADDRESSES

).

This final rule will be effective 30-days after publication in the

Federal Register

to provide time for regulated

entities to comply. Furthermore, NMFS notifies regulated entities of changes to reporting requirements and will conduct outreach prior to the effective date of this rule (See

DATES

).

Comment 5:

NMFS certified no significant economic impacts without providing the underlying data and analysis (

e.g.,

number of small entities, expected per-haul incremental time, transition costs, variance in impacts between catcher vessels and larger platforms).

Response:

NMFS provided the data and analysis, including the number of directly regulated small entities, in the certification under the RFA in the Classification section of the proposed rule (90 FR 47716, October 2, 2025) and in the Analysis (see

ADDRESSES

). Please refer to the response for comment 4.

This final rule standardizes management program reporting time limits, thereby increasing the time period for assigning non-CDQ hauls to a management program and providing increased flexibility to all directly regulated entities. Therefore, this rule will not increase costs for directly regulated entities. Further, while this rule changes when a trawl C/P vessel operator assigns a non-CDQ haul, it makes no other changes to the reporting requirements, and therefore does not impact any vessel operations. This rule does not regulate catcher vessels.

Comment 6:

Many catcher vessels and shore-based businesses involved in Alaska groundfish trawl operations qualify as small entities under Small Business Administration size standards. NMFS should consider revising the count of small entities affected and consider alternatives that minimize burden.

Response:

This final rule regulates trawl C/Ps and does not regulate catcher vessels or shore-based businesses. NMFS estimates the number of directly regulated small entities based on the annual earnings threshold of $11.0 million established on January 26, 2016 (81 FR 4469). Based on Section 4.4 of the Analysis, only 1 of the 34 directly-regulated entities is a small entity, and no directly-regulated entities are expected to be adversely impacted by the rule. The estimated per-haul administrative burden does not change with this rule. This rule does not place any new regulatory burden on directly-regulated entities, and only provides more time for affected trawl C/Ps to complete assignment of non-CDQ hauls to a management program (since CDQ-designated hauls already had the additional time for reporting). Therefore, this rule was properly certified under the RFA in the Classification section of the proposed rule (90 FR 47716, October 2, 2025), and a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required.

Compliance and Implementation

Comment 7:

Provide a reasonable delayed compliance date or safe harbor of at least 180 days to confirm system readiness to allow vessels, shoreside partners, and vendors to update logbooks, EM/observer workflows, software, training, and compliance protocols without enforcement risk.

Response:

This final rule will become effective 30 days after publication in the

Federal Register

, providing adequate time to notify affected vessels (see

DATES

). Please refer to the response to comment 2. This rule does not require a change or update to the logbook, nor to EM/observer workflows or software for directly regulated entities, which are limited to trawl C/Ps fishing groundfish in the GOA and BSAI management areas. The North Pacific Observer Program updated the North Pacific Observer Sampling Manual to note the timing change, although observer duties and data collection onboard a trawl C/P will not change under this rule, regardless of which management program a trawl C/P haul is assigned to. NMFS has notified the public and affected entities of this change. This includes posting the final rule on

https://www.regulations.gov/document/NOAA-NMFS-2024-0154-0003,

a summary and link to the final rule and analysis on the NMFS Alaska Region website, and direct notification to regulated entities. Note that this final rule gives trawl C/P vessel operators more time to assign a haul to a management program and there are no compliance issues if the operator assigns a haul earlier than 2 hours after completion of weighing the haul.

Comment 8:

We request NMFS consider aligning the compliance date with the start of the next fishing year to simplify training and system updates.

Response:

The final rule becomes effective 30 days after publication in the

Federal Register

(see

DATES

). This timing provides NMFS 30 days to notify the directly regulated entities and conduct outreach about these changes. Since this rule does not place any new regulatory burden on groundfish fishery participants, and indeed gives trawl C/P vessel operators more time in which to report non-CDQ hauls, and does not change the required reporting method, implementation does not need to wait until the beginning of the next fishing year. There are no system updates necessary to implement this timing change. Please refer to the response to comment 7 regarding outreach and implementation of this rule.

Comment 9:

Provide clear guidance to impacted entities to assist with compliance and enforcement discretion to provide a grace period for inadvertent errors during the transition. NMFS should publish detailed guidance, including examples of when a “haul” must be designated under the new timing, how to reconcile entries across logbooks, EM/observer systems, and catch accounting.

Response:

Upon publication of this final rule in the

Federal Register

, NMFS will notify directly-regulated entities to aid and assist impacted entities with this transition. The logbook and observer data reconciliation process will remain unchanged after implementation of this rule. Although the time from gear retrieval to weighing of catch varies, the order of operations generally remains the same, including reporting. For example, if a vessel retrieved a haul at 6:00 a.m., combined aging and weighing of the catch took 16 hours (vessels commonly allow catch to age before weighing and processing), and catch weighing was completed at 10:00 p.m., then under this rule, the haul must be assigned to a management program by 12:00 a.m. (midnight). Since this rule is less restrictive than the status quo, if a trawl C/P vessel operator followed their usual practice on assigning a haul to a non-CDQ program within 2 hours of gear retrieval, they will still be within the new timing requirement implemented in this final rule. Therefore, no new compliance issues should arise from this additional timing flexibility.

Paperwork Reduction Act

Comment 10:

NMFS should reevaluate and correct its Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) determinations by explaining how the change in the timing of haul designation does or does not alter the time, manner, and frequency of existing collections of information. If it does alter any of those elements or the associated burden, NMFS should submit a revision to the applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved information collections, publish the required 60-day and 30-day PRA notices, and delay the rule's compliance date until OMB approval is obtained (44 U.S.C. 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8).

Response:

This rule revises existing requirements for the collection of information for OMB Control Number 0648-0515 (Alaska Interagency Reporting System). This final rule changes the timing for reporting a management program in the logbook

and does not place any new regulatory burden on groundfish fishery participants. Further information is included under the “Collection-of-Information Requirements” section below. Frequency of reporting will still be once per haul, and there is no change to the required logbook format or reporting mechanism. This rule aligns the timing of haul reporting requirements to allow trawl C/P vessel operators fishing for CDQ and non-CDQ programs on the same trip to better assess species composition before assigning a haul to a management program.

Comment 11:

Changing the timing of when the vessel operator records a fishery management program in the logbook raises significant concerns including the accuracy of the burden estimate, specifically that the change in threshold for reporting from gear retrieval to the completion of weighing all catch is variable and not reported in the logbook.

Response:

This final rule does not place any new regulatory burden on groundfish fishery participants. Instead, this final rule shifts the timing of when a management program is recorded for a haul and increases consistency and flexibility for C/P trawl vessel operators by aligning the reporting time limit across all fishery management programs to within 2 hours after completion of weighing all catch in the haul. Trawl C/P vessel operators already follow the timing in this final rule for assigning a haul to the CDQ Program. This final rule aligns the reporting timing of haul designation for all management programs. While completion of catch weighing time is variable and not reported, CDQ-designated hauls already follow this reporting timeline (

i.e.,

2 hours after completion of weighing of all catch), and NMFS is unaware of this presenting any problems in data compilation or estimation. Please also refer to the response to comment 3.

Comment 12:

NMFS's Alaska fisheries reporting tools include multiple integrated instruments (

e.g.,

the logbook, observer and EM sampling records, and landing/catch accounting submissions). If any of these instruments or their instructions must be revised to match the new haul timing, a PRA revision is required.

Response:

This final rule does not require revision of the logbook, nor of observer and EM sampling records or landing/catch accounting submissions. The rule change is being noted in the North Pacific Observer Sampling Manual simply to ensure observers are aware of this change. This final rule revises the existing requirements for the collection-of-information for OMB Control Number 0648-0515 (Alaska Interagency Electronic Reporting System). Collection of information through vessel logbooks and through the Observer Program remain unchanged by this final rule and are approved by OMB in collections 0648-0213 (Alaska Region Logbook and Activity Family of Forms) and 0648-0318 (North Pacific Observer Program).

Comment 13:

If the preamble states there are no new or revised collections, that determination appears incomplete given the rule's core change to the timing of haul designation. NMFS should clarify and/or consider the accuracy of the burden estimate and any changes in the timing or reporting from gear retrieval to completion of weighing and, if necessary, revise the rule's PRA treatment.

Response:

Please refer to the response to comment 10. This rule does not change data required to be submitted in the logbook or the number of respondents or responses for the logbook, and is not expected to change the logbook's time or cost burden. Thus, no change is made to the estimated reporting or cost burdens for the logbook.

Classification

Rulemaking Authority

NMFS is issuing this rule pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Following previous actions taken by the Council and transmitted to NMFS under section 304(b), the FMP authorizes NMFS to take this action pursuant to section 305(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this final rule is consistent with the GOA and BSAI FMPs and other applicable laws.

E.O. 12866 Statement

This final rule has been determined to be significant for the purposes of Executive Order (E.O.) 12866.

E.O. 14192 Statement

This final rule is considered an E.O.14192 deregulatory action because this rule increases flexibility for trawl C/P vessel operators fishing for groundfish.

E.O. 13175 Statement

NMFS has determined that this action would not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian Tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes; therefore, consultation with Tribal officials under E.O. 13175 is not required, and the requirements of section (5)(b) and (c) of E.O. 13175 also do not apply. A Tribal summary impact statement under section (5)(b)(2)(B) and section (5)(c)(2) of E.O. 13175 is not required and has not been prepared.

Regulatory Impact Review (RIR)

An RIR was prepared to assess costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives. A copy of this Analysis is available from NMFS (see

ADDRESSES

). NMFS is recommending the regulatory revisions in this final rule based on those measures that maximized net benefits to the Nation.

Certification under the Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration during the proposed rule stage that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The factual basis for the certification was published in the proposed rule and is not repeated here. NMFS has responded to three comments received regarding this certification under the “Impacts on Small Entities” heading in the Comments and Responses section of this preamble. These comments did not raise substantive issues with the factual basis supporting certification. As a result, a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required, and none was prepared.

Collection-of-Information Requirements

This final rule contains collection-of-information requirements subject to review and approval by OMB under the PRA. This rule changes the existing requirements for the collection of information for OMB Control Number 0648-0515 (Alaska Interagency Electronic Reporting System).

This information collection is revised because this final rule changes the reporting time limit for when the operator of a C/P using trawl gear must report a non-CDQ management program to within 2 hours after completion of weighing all catch in the haul. This rule does not change the data required to be submitted in the logbook. The timing change does not change the number of respondents or responses for this logbook and is not expected to change the logbook's time or cost burdens. Therefore, no change is made to the estimated reporting or cost burdens for the C/P logbook.

Public reporting burden per individual response for the C/P logbook

is estimated to average 15 minutes, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Written comments and recommendations for this information collection should be submitted on the following website:

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

Find this particular information collection by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0515.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person is required to respond to, and no person shall be subject to penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 679

Alaska, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Date: June 22, 2026.

Samuel D. Rauch III,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine Fisheries Service.

For reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part 679 as follows:

PART 679—FISHERIES OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE OFF ALASKA

1. The authority citation for 50 CFR part 679 continues to read as follows:

Authority:

16 U.S.C. 773

et seq.;

1801

et seq.;

3631

et seq.;

Pub. L. 108-447; Pub. L. 111-281.

2. In § 679.5, revise paragraphs (c)(4)(ii)(B)(

1

) and (

2

) to read as follows:

§ 679.5

Recordkeeping and reporting (R&R).

(c) * * *

(4) * * *

(ii) * * *

(B) * * *

Reporting Time Limits, Catcher/Processor Trawl Gear

Required information

Record in

DCPL

Submit via

eLandings

Time limit

for recording

(

1

) Haul number, time and date gear set, time and date gear hauled, begin and end positions of gear, and, if not required to weigh catch on a scale approved by NMFS, total estimated hail weight for each haul

X

Within 2 hours after completion of gear retrieval.

(

2

) Management program and, if required to weigh catch on a scale approved by NMFS, the scale weight of total catch for each haul

X

Within 2 hours after completion of weighing all catch in the haul.

*         *         *         *         *         *         *

[FR Doc. 2026-12839 Filed 6-24-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P