Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS proposes 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2026 and 2027 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The final 2026 harvest specifications will supersede those previously set in the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications, and the 2027 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2027 when the final 2027 and 2028 harvest specifications are published. The final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications will be effective for one year from the publication of the final rule implementing those specifications, which is anticipated to publish in March 2026. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 50 CFR Part 679 [Docket No. 251212-0183; RTID 0648-XF288] AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Proposed rule; harvest specifications and request for comments. SUMMARY: NMFS proposes 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications, apportionments, and Pacific halibut prohibited species catch limits for the groundfish fishery of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2026 and 2027 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (FMP). The final 2026 harvest specifications will supersede those previously set in the final 2025 and 2026 harvest specifications, and the 2027 harvest specifications will be superseded in early 2027 when the final 2027 and 2028 harvest specifications are published. The final 2026 and 2027 harvest specifications will be effective for one year from the publication of the final rule implementing those specifications, which is anticipated to publish in March 2026. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the GOA in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). DATES: Comments must be received by January 5, 2026. ADDRESSES: A plain language summary of this proposed rule i…
Citation: 90 FR 58185
