Fisheries Management – Pacific Coast Groundfish

Current understanding

To be populated as evidence accumulates.

Evidence log

• 2026-10-13 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Fixed Gear Marking and Entanglement Risk Reduction: 2026 — NOAA final rule requires Pacific Coast groundfish fixed-gear fishers to mark gear so entanglements of marine animals can be traced to the fishery, and adds measures to reduce entanglement risk from fishing line. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-09-22 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 38; 2027-28 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures: 2026-07-21 — NOAA proposed rule sets 2027–28 biennial harvest specifications and management measures for West Coast groundfish, implements Amendment 38 ending rebuilding plans for yelloweye and California quillback rockfish (both declared rebuilt), and modifies some area closures that also constrain Pacific halibut bycatch. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-08-20 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2025-2026 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures; Inseason Adjustments: 2026 — NOAA inseason final rule raising commercial sablefish trip limits coastwide while reducing vermilion and sunset rockfish sub-limits south of Point Conception to align harvest with stock abundance under the 2025–26 biennial specifications. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-07-22 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 36; Limited Entry Fixed Gear Follow-On Actions: 2026 — NMFS final rule implementing Amendment 36 follow-on actions for the limited entry fixed gear (LEFG) primary sablefish fishery: adds gear-endorsement flexibility, removes the LEFG base-permit designation and primary sablefish season hour limits, and establishes a cost-recovery program funded by permit holders. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-07-21 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries Off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan; Amendment 38; 2027-28 Biennial Specifications and Management Measures: Proposed Amendment 38 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP would remove rebuilding plans for yelloweye rockfish and California quillback rockfish after both stocks were determined rebuilt, with a draft NEPA EA open for public comment as part of the 2027–28 biennial specifications process. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-05-11 — Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries off West Coast States; Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery; 2026 Pacific Whiting Harvest Specifications, 2026 Tribal Allocation, and 2026 Incidental Set-Aside: 2026 Pacific whiting harvest specifications finalized by NOAA, setting total allowable catch with Tribal allocations and incidental set-asides to prevent overfishing and implement Tribal treaty rights (final rule). (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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