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The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has temporarily banned fishing for Pacific cod with jig gear in a specific area of the Gulf of Alaska. This decision aims to ensure that the amount of fish caught does not exceed the allowed limit for the A season of 2025. The restriction is active from April 14, 2025, to June 10, 2025, and is based on regulations established to protect fish populations. The agency expedited the rule's implementation due to urgent, recent data indicating the catch limit was nearly reached.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of NOAA and the Commerce Department, has announced a temporary rule to stop directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in a specific part of the Gulf of Alaska. This decision is to ensure the 2025 total allowable catch for this area is not exceeded and will be in effect from February 28, 2025, to June 10, 2025. The rule was enacted quickly without prior public notice or comment due to the urgent nature of the situation, based on data that became available in January 2025.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a temporary rule to stop directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using pot gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This action, effective from March 10 to June 10, 2025, is necessary to ensure the Pacific cod catch does not exceed the allowed limit for the 2025 season. The imposed closure responds to recent data indicating that the catch quota is nearing its limit. The rule was implemented without prior public notice or delay to quickly address the situation as per the guidelines of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is announcing the standard prices and the fee percentage for cost recovery for the Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Program for the 2024 fishing year, which runs from May 1 to November 15. The fee percentage is set at 3.00 percent, which is the maximum allowable by law, even though the calculated cost recovery rate was higher. These fees are used to cover management and enforcement costs and must be paid by February 15, 2025. The significant increase in program costs and the decrease in fishery value led to the higher calculated recovery rate.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has released the final rule for the 2021 and 2022 harvest limits in the Gulf of Alaska's groundfish fishery. This rule sets the total allowable catch limits for various fish species to sustain fish populations and comply with management plans. The specifications are intended to balance environmental conservation with economic opportunities for fisheries and are in line with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. These regulations take effect from February 19, 2021, ensuring the responsible management of fisheries resources in the region.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has issued a temporary rule to close directed fishing for Pacific cod using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This closure is necessary to ensure the total allowable catch for the 2021 A season is not exceeded. The rule is effective from February 3, 2021, until June 10, 2021, as the limit of 1,060 metric tons has been reached, with an additional 8 metric tons reserved for bycatch. This action is based on the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council will hold a series of public meetings from March 27 to April 7, 2025. The meetings will cover several topics, including vessel use caps, sablefish release procedures, crab protection measures in the Gulf of Alaska, and more. The sessions will be held virtually, allowing participants to join online through the Council's website. Public comments can be submitted in writing from March 7 to March 28, 2025, to ensure all voices are heard without technical issues affecting oral testimonies.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued a temporary rule that prohibits the retention of shortraker rockfish in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This rule applies to all vessels except those enrolled in the Central GOA Rockfish Program with a cooperative quota permit. It is effective from April 15, 2025, through the end of the year, because the allowable catch limit for these fish has already been reached. This decision ensures the sustainability of the fish population as part of broader efforts to manage fishery resources under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is temporarily stopping directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska from January 20, 2021, to May 31, 2021, to prevent exceeding the designated catch limit for the A season. This closure is because the 2021 total allowable catch of 799 metric tons for this area has been set aside to support other groundfish fisheries as incidental catch. The NMFS determined that reaching the directed fishing limit was necessary and acted quickly to implement the closure based on recent data to avoid surpassing the allowable catch limits. This action is in accordance with the regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has implemented a temporary rule to stop fishing for Pacific cod in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. This rule applies specifically to catcher vessels that are less than 50 feet in length and use hook-and-line gear. The ban is effective from February 5, 2021, to June 10, 2021, to prevent exceeding the allowed catch limits for the season. This decision ensures sustainable fishing practices and complies with the management plans set for the region.