# 2026-12566: California Fishing Rules Get a New Exclusion Makeover

2026-12566, Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area Revisions, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-06-23, effective 2026-06-23; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-30).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12566
- As of: 2026-06-30
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12566
- Title: Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area Revisions
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 37341
- Published: 2026-06-23
- Effective: 2026-06-23
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 0648-BN95
- Last updated: 2026-06-30

## In one line

California Fishing Rules Get a New Exclusion Makeover

## Summary

Starting June 23, 2026, fishermen off central California will see a simpler set of rules as the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area is removed and replaced with a new Groundfish Exclusion Area. This change protects important ocean habitats while opening up more fishing spots. It’s a win-win for the environment and the fishing community, making it easier to fish without harming sensitive areas.

## Abstract

NMFS is issuing final regulations to remove the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area off central California for all groundfish fisheries and implement a new Groundfish Exclusion Area for all groundfish fisheries to protect sensitive habitat. The purpose of this action is to simplify regulatory complexity associated with overlapping fishery closures in the Cordell Bank area, and to increase fishing opportunities while still protecting the Cordell Bank ecosystem.

## Effects PRIA read

- Net 40.1 sq mi Opened to Fishing: benefit, medium. Effective June 23, 2026, the rule opens a net area of 40.1 square miles (103.9 sq km) around Cordell Bank to groundfish fishing. Of that area, 10.2 sq mi (26.4 sq km) is open to trawl gear and the full 40.1 sq mi is open to non-trawl commercial and recreational gear.
- Charter Boats Near San Francisco Benefit: benefit, medium. NMFS states this rule will primarily benefit recreational fishermen in the San Francisco Management Area, specifically charter boat operators out of San Francisco and Bodega Bay. The 2026 California recreational groundfish season runs April 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, and the rule is effecti…
- Non‑Trawl Commercial Fishers Gain Access: benefit, medium. The rule opens 40.1 sq mi (103.9 sq km) to non-trawl commercial and recreational gear; NMFS anticipates some effort shift into this area by non-trawl commercial catch-share sector vessels, which will likely use hook-and-line gear.
- Trawl Area Opened but Gear Restricted: mixed, medium. The rule opens 10.2 sq mi (26.4 sq km) to trawl gear but maintains the prohibition on large footrope trawl gear shoreward of the 100-fathom (183 m) contour, so only small footrope trawl gear would be permitted in that 10.2 sq mi area, effective June 23, 2026.
- 2.5 sq mi Closed to Non‑Bottom Contact Gear: cost, low. The rule closes approximately 2.5 sq mi (6.5 sq km) that previously allowed non-bottom contact groundfish gear, removing the ability to use non-bottom contact gear in that 2.5 sq mi area, effective June 23, 2026.
- Agency: No Significant Small‑Business Impact: benefit, low. During the proposed rule stage, the Department of Commerce Chief Counsel certified that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, so NMFS did not prepare a final regulatory flexibility analysis.

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## Sources
- [2026-12566 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/23/2026-12566/magnuson-stevens-act-provisions-fisheries-off-west-coast-states-pacific-coast-groundfish-fishery)
- [2026-12566 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-23/pdf/2026-12566.pdf)

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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12566 (as of 2026-06-30).