Fisheries Off West Coast States; Coastal Pelagic Species Fisheries; Annual Specifications; 2026-2027 Annual Specifications and Management Measures for Pacific Sardine
Key claim: NMFS proposes to prohibit most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the U.S. West Coast for 2026–2027, setting an annual catch limit of 2,200 metric tons to conserve and rebuild the stock.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) NMFS proposes to implement annual harvest specifications and management measures for the northern subpopulation of Pacific sardine (hereafter, Pacific sardine), for the fishing year from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. This proposed rule would prohibit most directed commercial fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Pacific sardine harvest would be allowed for use only as live bait, in minor directed fisheries, as incidental catch in other fisheries, or as authorized under exempted fishing permits. The proposed harvest specifications for 2026-2027 include an overfishing limit of 4,645 metric tons (mt), an acceptable biological catch (ABC) of 3,613 mt, an annual catch limit (ACL) of 2,200 mt, and an annual catch target (ACT) of 2,100 mt. This proposed rule is intended to conserve, manage, and rebuild the Pacific sardine stock off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.
Why this matters
Annual catch specifications directly determine which commercial fisheries can operate and at what scale, affecting West Coast sardine fleet livelihoods, bait supply for other fisheries, and downstream seafood processors. Continued restriction reflects an ongoing rebuilding posture for a stock that historically supported one of the largest U.S. fisheries, with limited near-term effect on consumer prices given the small remaining harvest footprint.