New Caps on Striped Marlin for Pacific Longliners
Published Date: 5/1/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The government is setting new catch and keep limits for striped marlin caught by U.S. longline fishing boats north of the equator in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. If fishers hit the limit, they must stop keeping striped marlin for the rest of the year to protect the fish population. These limits will be updated yearly, starting with a 2026 cap of about 393 metric tons, and fishers should get ready to follow the new rules.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.
New annual catch-limit framework
NMFS proposes a formal framework to set the annual U.S. catch limit for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin. The framework sets a U.S. base limit of 228.4 metric tons (503,500 lb), allows adding unused international TAC up to 165 mt (when available), and subtracts any U.S. overage from 2 years prior; limits will be published yearly in the Federal Register.
2026 catch and retention limits set
For fishing year 2026, NMFS proposes a U.S. WCNPO striped marlin catch limit of 393.4 metric tons (867,300 lb) and a U.S. longline retention limit of 381.6 mt (841,300 lb). NMFS will specify updated limits each year by notice in the Federal Register.
Longline non-retention and timing rules
If NMFS projects the longline retention limit will be reached, NMFS would publish a Federal Register notice with a non-retention date that takes effect no earlier than 7 days after filing. Striped marlin caught on or after that non-retention date must be immediately released, but marlin already on board before the non-retention date may be landed within 14 days.
Quantified revenue-loss examples
NMFS provides revenue-loss examples if the 2026 retention limit (381.6 mt) is reached: a hypothetical discard of 183.4 mt could reduce fleet revenue by $400,284 (at a 2024 price of $0.99/lb) up to $1,124,030 (at a 2023 price of $2.78/lb), or about $2,686 to $7,544 per vessel (using 149 active vessels). For a lower 221.5 mt retention limit scenario, NMFS estimates fleet losses of $749,714 to $2,105,258 and per-vessel losses of $5,032 to $14,129, and potential per-vessel revenue impacts of up to 3.3 percent in extreme cases.
Troll and handline fisheries excluded from retention limit
Hawaii-based troll and handline fisheries are not subject to the longline retention limit or the in-season retention prohibition; these fisheries lack in-season monitoring and average about 2.6 percent of U.S. striped marlin landings. Troll and handline participants may continue to sell striped marlin year-round.
Potential reduced supply to consumers
If longline retention is prohibited when the retention limit is reached, NMFS expects a reduction in striped marlin supply to consumers and associated revenue losses for the longline fleet. NMFS notes price variability (e.g., $2.78/lb in 2023, $0.99/lb in 2024) and seasonal price peaks in Feb–Mar and Jul–Sep.
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