NMFS closes blackspotted and rougheye rockfish retention in Central and Western Aleutians

NOAA Fisheries Information Bulletin IB 26-35, posted Sept. 9, 2026, prohibited retention of blackspotted and rougheye rockfish in the Central Aleutian and Western Aleutian districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area effective 12 noon Alaska local time that day. Alaska Regional Administrator Jonathan M. Kurland issued the bulletin; the Federal Register temporary rule followed on Sept. 11 (91 FR 57805).

The reason is the 2026 total allowable catch. NMFS said the TAC in those two districts — 325 metric tons under the final 2026–27 BSAI harvest specifications — will soon be or has been reached. The closure is issued under 50 CFR 679.20(d)(2) and runs through the rest of 2026 (midnight Alaska time Dec. 31 in the Federal Register dates).

While the prohibition is in force, those rockfish must be treated as prohibited species under §679.21(a), except catcher vessels using hook-and-line, pot, or jig gear as described in §679.20(j). Section 679.20(j)(4) applies for the duration. This is a commercial groundfish retention ban, not a sport bag change. Boats should read the Federal Register text, not the information bulletin alone, for compliance.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: NOAA Fisheries IB 26-35 (Sept. 9, 2026). Also: Federal Register 2026-18583 (Sept. 11, 2026).