NOAA Shifts Pacific Cod Limits in Alaska Gulf Area
Published Date: 12/16/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting December 15, 2025, some Pacific cod that catcher vessels using trawl gear won’t catch will be shared with catcher/processors using trawl gear and pot gear vessels in the Central Gulf of Alaska. This switch helps make sure the total allowed catch for 2025 gets fully used, benefiting fishermen who use different gear types. The change lasts until the end of 2025 and helps keep the fishing season fair and productive.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Catch quota cut for trawl catcher vessels
From December 15 through December 31, 2025, the Pacific cod allocation for catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska is reduced by 440 metric tons from 5,617 mt to 5,177 mt. This reallocation shifts that 440 mt away from catcher vessels using trawl gear so other sectors can harvest the 2025 total allowable catch.
Extra Pacific cod for trawl catcher/processors
Effective December 15–31, 2025, NMFS adds 420 metric tons of Pacific cod to the annual allocation for catcher/processors using trawl gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska, increasing their allocation from 626 mt to 1,046 mt. The change is intended to allow that sector to harvest more of the 2025 total allowable catch.
Small allocation boost for pot-gear vessels
From December 15 through December 31, 2025, NMFS transfers 20 metric tons of Pacific cod to vessels using pot gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska, increasing that sector’s allocation from 4,148 mt to 4,168 mt. This change aims to help ensure the 2025 total allowable catch is fully harvested.
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