Royal Fish Alert: New Limits for Queen Triggerfish in VI
Published Date: 3/18/2026
Rule
Summary
Starting April 17, 2026, new rules will change how many queen triggerfish fishermen can catch around the U.S. Virgin Islands. These updates help protect the fish by using the latest science to stop overfishing and keep the fish population healthy. Fishermen in St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John should get ready for these new catch limits that aim to balance fishing fun and fish survival.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
OFL, ABC, and MFMT Updated Through 2027
Framework Action 3 updates management reference points: MFMT is set to 0.14 for St. Croix and 0.16 for St. Thomas and St. John; for St. Croix the OFL will be 22,773 lb (10,330 kg) in 2025, 22,316 lb (10,122 kg) in 2026, and 22,025 lb (9,990 kg) in 2027 with the ABC decreasing to 18,808 lb (8,531 kg); for St. Thomas and St. John the OFL will be 193,378 lb (87,715 kg) in 2025, 166,220 lb (75,396 kg) in 2026, and 148,223 lb (67,233 kg) in 2027 with the ABC decreasing to 97,809 lb (44,365 kg). These updated reference points drive future catch limits and accountability actions.
St. Croix ACL Reduced
Starting April 17, 2026, the annual catch limit (ACL) for queen triggerfish in Federal waters around St. Croix decreases from 21,450 lb (9,729.5 kg) to 18,808 lb (8,531 kg). If you fish commercially or sometimes sell queen triggerfish in St. Croix, the official allowable catch for the stock is now lower.
St. Thomas & St. John ACL Reduced
Starting April 17, 2026, the annual catch limit (ACL) for queen triggerfish in Federal waters around St. Thomas and St. John decreases from 97,670 lb (44,302.3 kg) to 92,919 lb (42,147 kg). If you fish commercially or sell queen triggerfish in St. Thomas or St. John, the allowed total annual harvest for the stock is now lower.
Different ACL Buffers by Island
The Council set different management uncertainty buffers: for St. Croix the ACL equals the ABC (no management uncertainty buffer), while for St. Thomas and St. John the ACL equals 95 percent of the ABC (a 5% buffer). This means St. Thomas and St. John fisheries have an extra 5% tightening relative to the ABC, while St. Croix does not.
Agency Finds No Significant Small-Business Impact
NMFS certified that the ACL changes will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and its Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis concluded there would be no impact on small businesses in St. Croix or St. Thomas and St. John, because landings in years with price data (2015–2019) and more recent years (2020–2022) never reached the current or revised ACLs.
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