NOAA extends temporary fishing limits for three West Coast species through end of 2026
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Table of Contents
The National Marine Fisheries Service is extending an emergency rule that increases the amount of shortspine thornyhead, canary rockfish, and petrale sole fishermen are allowed to catch in 2026. This extension keeps the higher limits in place until December 31, 2026, instead of letting them expire on July 20, 2026.
Why it matters: This matters to commercial fishermen and processors on the West Coast because it allows them to harvest more fish this year than was originally planned. It prevents a sudden drop in available catch that would have occurred if the emergency rule had expired in July without being extended. The change is driven by updated science showing healthier fish populations, not by new regulations.
Who it affects
- Commercial fishing vessels operating off Washington, Oregon, and California
This information comes from a final rule published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Federal Register; readers should consult the original document for exact tonnage allocations and regulatory text.
Agency: Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Source: Federal Register — read the official document