No More Marlin: New Limits for Pacific Swordfish Cousins
Published Date: 9/15/2026
Rule
Summary
This final rule implements a framework for specifying catch limits for all U.S. fisheries and retention limits by U.S. longline fisheries under a Hawaii longline limited entry permit for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin (Kajikia audax), consistent with the requirements of Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2024-06. If the retention limit is reached, NMFS will prohibit retention of WCNPO striped marlin by longline fishing vessels until the end of the year to prevent the U.S. catch limit from being exceeded. Because the U.S. limit under the framework can change each year, NMFS will specify the updated catch and longline retention limits by notice in the Federal Register early each calendar year. For fishing year 2026, NMFS specifies a U.S. WCNPO striped marlin limit of 393.4 metric tons (mt) (867,300 pounds (lb)) and a U.S. longline retention limit of 381.6 mt (841,300 lb) using the framework.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Longline retention ban when limit reached
If NMFS projects the longline retention limit will be reached, longline vessels with a Hawaii longline limited entry permit may not retain, transship, or land striped marlin caught north of the Equator and west of 150°W from the non-retention date through December 31 of that year. The non-retention date will be published in the Federal Register at least 7 days before it can take effect, and all striped marlin caught on or after that date must be immediately released (alive or dead) unless they were already on board before the non-retention date and landed within 14 days.
2026 catch and longline limits set
For fishing year 2026, NMFS set the U.S. WCNPO striped marlin catch limit at 393.4 metric tons (867,300 lb) and the U.S. longline retention limit at 381.6 metric tons (841,300 lb). NMFS will specify updated catch and longline retention limits each year by Federal Register notice early in the calendar year.
Small-entity economic finding
NMFS certified during the proposed rule stage that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, and therefore a final regulatory flexibility analysis was not required. No comments were received that altered that certification.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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