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
Key claim: NOAA sets the 2026 total allowable catch and harvest specifications for Pacific whiting off the U.S. West Coast, including Tribal allocations and incidental set-asides, to prevent overfishing and implement Tribal treaty rights.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) This final rule announces the 2026 U.S. total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific whiting and implements the domestic 2026 harvest specifications for Pacific whiting fisheries off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California (collectively, the West Coast), including the 2026 Tribal allocation for the Pacific whiting fishery, the non-Tribal fishery Harvest Guideline and sector allocations, and a set-aside for research activities and incidental mortality in non- groundfish fisheries. These measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, achieve optimum yield, ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available, and provide for the implementation of Tribal treaty fishing rights.
Why this matters
Annual Pacific whiting harvest specifications directly determine the commercial catch available to West Coast groundfish fleets and shoreside processors, affecting fisher incomes and seafood supply. The rule also operationalizes Tribal treaty fishing rights through explicit allocations, making it a recurring intersection of federal fisheries science, coastal economies, and Tribal sovereignty.