Alaska Fisheries Proposal Lets Some Small Sablefish Go Free
Published Date: 11/6/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
This new rule lets fishermen in Alaska’s Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska release small sablefish instead of keeping them, giving them more flexibility. It also updates how these released fish are counted in yearly catch limits to keep things fair. Fishermen using fixed gear under special quota programs will feel the change, and public comments are open until January 5, 2027.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Fixed-gear catcher vessels may release small sablefish
If implemented, catcher vessels (CVs) using fixed gear in the IFQ (Individual Fishing Quota) and CDQ (Community Development Quota) sablefish fisheries would be allowed to discard (release) small sablefish instead of being required to retain them. This change is intended to increase operational flexibility for those fishermen and is described in proposed Amendment 128 (BSAI) and Amendment 116 (GOA).
Sablefish discard allowance (SDA) deducted from TAC before IFQs
The amendments would establish a sablefish discard allowance (SDA) for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) and for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). Each year the SDA would be deducted from the fixed-gear total allowable catch (TAC) after any CDQ adjustments and before deriving sablefish IFQs; discard mortality rates (DMRs) recommended by the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee would be used to account for discard mortality.
Catcher/processors in CDQ allowed to discard sablefish
If approved, catcher/processor vessels (C/Ps) participating in the fixed-gear sablefish CDQ fishery would be allowed to discard sablefish by being excluded from the revised prohibition on discarding. The rule would keep the current practice for C/Ps in the fixed-gear IFQ fishery (they would continue to be able to discard).
All discarded sablefish must be carefully released
The amendments would require that all sablefish discarded by vessels in the IFQ and CDQ programs be carefully released as specified in regulation. This creates a handling and operational requirement for fishermen who discard sablefish.
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Key Dates
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