2026 Fish Quotas Locked In: Northeast Groundfish Season Starts May 1
Published Date: 4/27/2026
Rule
Summary
The 2026 fishing season for Northeast multispecies groundfish is set! Approved fishing groups get their catch limits starting May 1, 2026, so they can keep fishing without a hitch. If new rules don’t come by October 31, some fishing spots will close starting November 1, 2026, to protect fish stocks and keep things fair.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
ACE allocations go into effect May 1
Approved groundfish sectors and state permit banks receive their 2026 annual catch entitlements (ACE) starting May 1, 2026, so they can operate through April 30, 2027. The allocations are based on fishing year 2025 rosters and the 2026 catch limits in Framework 69 or default specifications.
Fishing banned Nov 1 if rules not finalized
If Framework 72 and Amendment 25 are not approved and implemented by October 31, 2026, all fishing for the stocks covered by those measures would be prohibited beginning November 1, 2026, and remain prohibited until catch limits are approved. The prohibition would affect sectors and other fishers for the rest of the fishing year.
Default catch limits set at 75% (May–Oct)
For stocks without final 2026 specifications, default catch limits are set at 75 percent of their 2025 catch limits (with a white hake exception) and are effective May 1, 2026, through October 31, 2026. These default specifications will be replaced if Framework 72 and Amendment 25 are approved and implemented before November 1, 2026.
Two-week ACE trading to address 2025 overages
NMFS will allow sectors to trade fishing year 2025 ACE for two weeks after the completion of the year-end catch accounting to reduce or eliminate 2025 overages. NMFS may reduce a sector's 2026 allocation to account for any remaining 2025 overage.
Monitoring coverage: 100% ASM preliminary target
NMFS announced a preliminary at-sea monitoring (ASM) coverage target of 100 percent for all sector groundfish trips for the 2026 fishing year on March 13, 2026. The final ASM coverage level will be announced when Congress approves the 2026 ASM spend plan; sectors may use ASM or audit-model electronic monitoring if approved in their operations plans.
Listed exemptions remain available in 2026
NMFS previously granted and continues to grant a set of exemptions for fishing years 2025 and 2026 (18 items listed, including spawning blocks, gillnet limits, DAS leasing restrictions, prohibition on discarding, sampling exemption, and others). These exemptions remain in effect for sectors that were granted them.
Permit holders can withdraw until April 30
Permit holders who join a sector for fishing year 2026 have until April 30, 2026, to withdraw and instead elect to fish in the common pool. Sectors may set an earlier withdrawal date in their operations plans, but April 30, 2026 is the regulatory deadline.
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