# 2026-12839: Alaska Trawl Fleets Get More Time to Label Their Hauls 2026-12839, Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Modify the Timing of Haul Designation for Trawl Catcher Processors in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fisheries, is a Federal Register rule from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-06-25, effective 2026-07-27; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-28). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12839 - As of: 2026-10-28 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-12839 - Title: Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Modify the Timing of Haul Designation for Trawl Catcher Processors in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fisheries - Type: Rule - Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Citation: 91 FR 38309 - Published: 2026-06-25 - Effective: 2026-07-27 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 0648-BL49 - Last updated: 2026-10-28 ## In one line Alaska Trawl Fleets Get More Time to Label Their Hauls ## Summary Starting July 27, 2026, trawl catcher/processors fishing in Alaska’s Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea areas will have a new, standardized deadline to log their hauls. This change gives crews more time to decide which fishing program to assign each haul to, especially when mixing community and non-community quota catches. It’s a smart move to keep fishing records clear and fair, helping protect fish stocks and support local communities. ## Abstract NMFS issues this final rule to standardize the time limit in which trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) participating in the groundfish fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska Management Area (GOA) and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI) must assign each haul to a management program. This action is necessary to improve consistency with respect to when trawl C/Ps are required to assign a haul to a specific management program in a logbook. It allows additional time for vessel operators participating in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) and non-CDQ fisheries on the same trip to determine which management program to assign a haul to. This rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) for Groundfish of the GOA and BSAI Management Areas, and other applicable laws. ## Effects PRIA read - All hauls must be logged within 2 hours after weighing: benefit, low. Starting July 27, 2026, trawl catcher/processors (C/Ps) fishing in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands must assign each haul to a management program within 2 hours after completion of weighing all catch in the haul. This replaces the prior different deadlines for CDQ and non-CDQ haul… - Rule applies only to trawl catcher/processors (30 vessels): benefit, low. This rule applies only to trawl catcher/processor vessels operating under the GOA and BSAI groundfish FMPs; 30 trawl C/Ps fished in the area in 2024 and only 1 of the directly regulated entities is considered a small entity under SBA size standards. Catcher vessels and shore-based businesses are no… - No change to logbook data or paperwork burden: benefit, low. The rule does not change what data must be reported, how it is submitted, or the frequency of reporting; the C/P logbook still averages 15 minutes per response. NMFS states the timing change shifts when a management program is recorded but does not change the logbook format, required fields, or est… - Compliance begins 30 days after publication: benefit, low. The final rule was published June 25, 2026 and becomes effective 30 days later, on July 27, 2026. NMFS will notify affected entities and conduct outreach before the effective date; vessels may continue assigning hauls earlier than the new deadline if they choose. ## Related documents - [2026-14204](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14204): Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; Delay of Effective Date, 2026-07-15 - [2026-14195](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14195): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2026-07-14 - [2026-07536](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07536): Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys in the Gulf of America, 2026-04-17 - [2026-05599](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-05599): Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Applications for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses and Announcement of Public Comment Period…, 2026-03-23 - [2026-04256](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04256): Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Spatial Fisheries Management; Amendment 15 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fi…, 2026-03-04 - [2025-06746](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-06746): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2025-04-17 ## Sources - [2026-12839 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/25/2026-12839/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-modify-the-timing-of-haul-designation-for-trawl) - [2026-12839 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-25/pdf/2026-12839.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-12838, Safety Zone; Rainy Lake, City of Ranier, MN](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12838) - [Next: 2026-12856, Prohibition on the Use of Reputation Risk](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12856) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12839 (as of 2026-10-28).