Big Boats Benched: No More Cod Pots in Bering Sea
Published Date: 3/13/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting March 10, 2025, big fishing boats (60 feet or longer) using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands must stop fishing for Pacific cod to avoid catching too much. This temporary closure lasts until September 1, 2025, helping protect the fish population and keep the fishing limits fair. Fishermen affected should plan accordingly to avoid penalties and support sustainable fishing.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Temporary ban on Pacific cod targeting
Starting 1200 hours Alaska local time on March 10, 2025, you may not directed fish for Pacific cod if you operate a catcher vessel 60 feet (18.3 meters) or longer using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI). The closure runs through 1200 hours Alaska local time on September 1, 2025, and was put in place because the A season allowance for these vessels is 5,408 metric tons (mt).
Limits on retaining incidental Pacific cod
While the directed fishery is closed, the maximum retainable amounts (MRAs) in 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip, so you may only keep bycatch of Pacific cod up to those regulatory MRA limits. This means you cannot retain unlimited incidental Pacific cod during the March 10–September 1, 2025 closure.
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Key Dates
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