# 2026-01197: Alaska Cod Fishing Halted: Pots Stay Empty Till September

2026-01197, Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-01-22, effective 2026-01-20 (as of 2026-06-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01197
- As of: 2026-06-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-01197
- Title: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 2719
- Published: 2026-01-22
- Effective: 2026-01-20
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-11

## In one line

Alaska Cod Fishing Halted: Pots Stay Empty Till September

## Summary

Starting January 20, 2026, boats using pot gear in the Central Gulf of Alaska must stop fishing for Pacific cod until September 1, 2026. This temporary closure helps keep the 2026 catch limits from being exceeded, protecting the fish and the fishing industry. If you’re a fisher with pot gear in this area, plan ahead to avoid missing out during this period.

## Abstract

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

## Effects PRIA read

- Temporary closure for pot-gear cod fishing: cost, high. Starting 1200 Alaska local time on January 20, 2026, boats using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska are prohibited from directed fishing for Pacific cod through 1200 A.l.t. on September 1, 2026. If you operate a pot-gear vessel in this area, you must stop directed Pacific…
- A-season allowance and incidental set-aside: cost, low. The A season allowance of the 2026 Pacific cod TAC apportioned to pot-gear vessels in the Central GOA is 2,473 metric tons; NMFS established a directed fishing allowance of 2,468 mt and set aside the remaining 5 mt as incidental catch. These specific tonnages determine when the directed fishing pro…
- Retainable amounts rule during closure: cost, low. While the closure is effective, the maximum retainable amounts at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip. That means vessels may only keep species up to those retainable limits even if Pacific cod is caught incidentally.

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## Sources
- [2026-01197 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/22/2026-01197/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-pacific-cod-by-vessels-using-pot-gear-in-the)
- [2026-01197 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-22/pdf/2026-01197.pdf)

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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01197 (as of 2026-06-11).