West Coast Salmon Get Rebuild Plan: Fish and Fishermen Balance
Published Date: 9/28/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting October 28, 2026, new rules will help rebuild the overfished Queets River Spring/Summer Chinook salmon population. Fishermen and communities along the West Coast will see changes to fishing limits to protect these salmon and support their recovery. This plan aims to balance fishing with saving the salmon, ensuring a healthier future for both fish and people.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Rebuilding plan takes effect Oct 28, 2026
Starting October 28, 2026, NMFS will implement the Pacific Fishery Management Council's rebuilding plan for the overfished Queets River Spring/Summer Chinook salmon stock. The final rule adds regulatory authority to manage the fishery consistent with the Salmon Fishery Management Plan to carry out rebuilding actions.
Queets Chinook officially overfished (2023)
NMFS declared the Queets River Spring/Summer Chinook salmon stock overfished in 2023 because the 3-year geometric mean natural-area spawning escapement for 2019–2021 was 314, below the minimum stock size threshold (MSST) of 350. That overfished determination is the basis for the required rebuilding plan now being implemented.
Clear rebuilt target: 3‑year escapement ≥ SMSY
The rule adds that the Queets stock will be considered rebuilt when the 3-year geometric mean of natural-area adult escapement meets or exceeds SMSY, which is the default rebuilding criterion in the Salmon Fishery Management Plan. SMSY is the numeric recovery benchmark used to determine when rebuilding is achieved.
Agency certified limited small-entity economic harm
During the proposed rule stage, NMFS' Senior Lead Counsel certified to the Small Business Administration that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, and therefore a regulatory flexibility analysis was not required.
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