Pacific Island Fisheries; Catch and Retention Limits for Striped Marlin in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean North of the Equator
Key claim: U.S. boats in the western and central North Pacific face a 393.4-metric-ton striped marlin cap in 2026, and Hawaii longliners must stop keeping the fish after 381.6 metric tons so the national limit is not exceeded.
Abstract
(Rule · Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) This final rule implements a framework for specifying catch limits for all U.S. fisheries and retention limits by U.S. longline fisheries under a Hawaii longline limited entry permit for Western and Central North Pacific Ocean (WCNPO) striped marlin (Kajikia audax), consistent with the requirements of Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2024-06. If the retention limit is reached, NMFS will prohibit retention of WCNPO striped marlin by longline fishing vessels until the end of the year to prevent the U.S. catch limit from being exceeded. Because the U.S. limit under the framework can change each year, NMFS will specify the updated catch and longline retention limits by notice in the Federal Register early each calendar year. For fishing year 2026, NMFS specifies a U.S. WCNPO striped marlin limit of 393.4 metric tons (mt) (867,300 pounds (lb)) and a U.S. longline retention limit of 381.6 mt (841,300 lb) using the framework.
Why this matters
Catch and retention caps directly shape how much billfish Hawaii-based longliners can land and sell, affecting fishing income, dockside supply, and consumer prices for marlin in Pacific markets. The rule also marks the U.S. share of an internationally negotiated conservation measure, so overruns could trigger tighter future limits.