Alaska sablefish season opens: quota holders, gear up now.
Published Date: 3/18/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting March 20, 2025, fishermen with Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQ) and Community Development Quotas (CDQ) can fish for sablefish off Alaska using fixed gear until December 7, 2025. This fishing season matches the commercial halibut season dates to help reduce bycatch and keep things fair. If you hold quota shares, get ready to fish within these dates and follow the new rules to keep the ocean healthy and your catch steady!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Sablefish IFQ/CDQ Season Dates
If you hold Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) or Community Development Quota (CDQ) for sablefish, you may fish with fixed gear from 1200 hours, Alaska local time, March 20, 2025 until 1200 hours, Alaska local time, December 7, 2025. This announcement authorizes directed sablefish fishing in the IFQ and CDQ programs during those exact dates.
March 20 Opening Time Restriction
If you plan to fish both halibut and sablefish on March 20, 2025, note that halibut opens at 0600 hours A.l.t. but sablefish opens at 1200 hours A.l.t.; sablefish caught from gear deployed to fish for halibut before 1200 hours A.l.t. on March 20 may not be retained. Vessel operators who intend to retain sablefish on March 20 should deploy gear after 1200 hours A.l.t.
December 7 Closing and MRA Limit
On December 7, 2025, NMFS will close the sablefish fishery at 1200 hours A.l.t., while IPHC closes halibut at 2359 hours A.l.t.; sablefish caught from gear deployed to fish for halibut after 1200 hours A.l.t. on December 7 may only be retained up to the Maximum Retainable Amount (MRA) under Sec. 679.20(e). If you hold both halibut and sablefish IFQ/CDQ and intend to retain sablefish after 1200 hours A.l.t. on December 7, you must follow MRA rules.
Season Alignment to Reduce Bycatch
NMFS set the sablefish season dates to run concurrently with the 2025 commercial halibut season dates adopted by the International Pacific Halibut Commission to help reduce bycatch and regulatory discards between the halibut and sablefish fisheries. The Regional Administrator specified the sablefish opening date taking the halibut opening into account to facilitate coordination.
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