Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open at 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 26, 2026, and will close at 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2026. These dates are the same as the 2026 commercial halibut fishery dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season dates are specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures, which should be referenced for the halibut-specific opening and closure times.
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. 260305-0066 and 260305-0067] RTID 0648-XF542 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Temporary rule; opening. SUMMARY: NMFS is opening directed fishing for sablefish with fixed gear managed under the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program and the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The season will open at 1200 hours, Alaska local time (A.l.t.), March 26, 2026, and will close at 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2026. These dates are the same as the 2026 commercial halibut fishery dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), except the hours are not the same. The IFQ and CDQ halibut season dates are specified by a separate publication in the Federal Register of annual management measures, which should be referenced for the halibut-specific opening and closure times. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, A.l.t., March 26, 2026, until 1200 hours, A.l.t., December 7, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Olson, 907-586-7228. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in 1995, fishing for Pacific halibut and sablefish with fixed gear in the IFQ regulatory areas defined in 50 CFR 679.2 has been managed under the IFQ Program. The IFQ Program is a regulatory regime designed to promote the conservation and management of these fisheries and to further the objectives of the Magnuson-S…
Citation: 91 FR 14652
