Photo Courtesy Tanana Chiefs Conference

Farewell to Steve Williams

The Council said goodbye to Steve Williams, representative on the Council for the State of Oregon, who will be stepping down from his position as a Council member. Mr. Williams has served on the Council since 2022, and previously had a lengthy career with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. The Council recognized him for his commitment to the Council process and his dedicated service, especially developing and maintaining the strong relationships necessary for the Council process to work effectively.

GOA Pacific cod harvest specifications – review assessment, recommend OFL/ABC/TAC

The Council recommended Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Pacific cod harvest specifications [overfishing limit (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), and total allowable catch (TAC) amounts] for the remainder of 2026 and 2027. These specifications supercede the Council’s recommendations from its December 2025 meeting. The Council intends that the National Marine Fisheries Service include these specifications in the 2026/27 final groundfish harvest specifications for the GOA, which need to publish before March 17, when the 2025/26 final harvest specifications for GOA expire. Upon publication in the Federal Register, the 2026/2027 final harvest specifications for GOA Pacific cod will replace the 2025/2026 final harvest specifications. Additionally, NMFS has published an inseason adjustment to Pacific cod subarea TACs and subsequent sector apportionments and seasonal allowances.

The Council acted on the advice of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), which conducted a thorough scientific review of the updated GOA Pacific cod stock assessment. Due to the lapse in Federal appropriations from October 1 – November 12, 2025, Federal stock assessment authors were unable to provide updated assessments reflecting recent survey results at the December meeting. New information presented at this February meeting includes abundance estimates from the AFSC 2025 GOA bottom trawl survey incorporated into the Pacific cod assessment, an abbreviated GOA Ecosystem Status Report (ESR), and updates to the GOA Pacific cod Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile (ESP).

The SSC reviewed the assessment and related documents and recommended OFLs and ABCs as provided in the assessment and as recommended by the GOA Groundfish Plan Team at its January meeting. Their review did not find evidence of additional conservation concerns warranting harvest reductions below the ABC recommended by the assessment author. Pacific cod in the GOA was not overfished in 2025 nor was overfishing occurring in 2023 or 2024.

The Council recommended TACs at the maximum allowed, while accounting for state waters fisheries to avoid exceeding the stocks’ ABC. The Eastern GOA TAC for 2026 accounts for the previously specified (Dec 2025) State water GHL of 680 mt because that fishery is underway.

The Council also recommended updated halibut PSC limits and apportionments for hook-and-line fisheries according to the “GOA Pacific cod split formula” that is prescribed in regulation at § 679.21(d)(2). The Council, along with the SSC and GOA Groundfish Plan Team, benefitted from receiving written and oral public comments before making their recommendations.

Based on the updated stock assessment and SSC recommendations for OFL and ABC, the Council recommended a 2026 GOA Federal Pacific cod TAC of 30,053 mt is a 38% increase from the December recommendation which was not able to account for 2025 survey data.

2026 Gulf of Alaska of Total Allowable Catch limits
Western GOA	Central GOA	Eastern GOA	Total
6,693 mt	21,549 mt	1,811 mt	30,053 mt

The Council acknowledged the exceptional efforts of staff at the AFSC to provide the updated assessment on a shortened timeframe. It is anticipated that updated stock assessment documents for other groundfish will be provided in the fall 2026 assessment/specifications cycle and will be used to inform recommendations for the 2027-2028 specifications, to be finalized in December 2026.

Staff contact is Sara Cleaver.

Chum Salmon Bycatch

At its February 2026 meeting, the Council made final recommendations to establish a bycatch limit and corridor closure, and additional avoidance measures, to minimize Western Alaska chum salmon in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The Council received the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and testimony from more than 170 people, including Tribal leaders and members, Community Development Quota (CDQ) groups, Alaska communities dependent on pollock, and pollock fishery participants, which helped inform the Council’s final recommendation to the Secretary of Commerce. The Council’s action must be consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Act and other Federal law.

The Council recommends a bycatch limit of 45,000 Western Alaska chum salmon with a corridor closure for the Bering Sea pollock fishery. Establishing a Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch cap was critical to the Council’s approach because approximately 80% of the chum salmon in the overall bycatch are not from Western Alaska. The majority of the pollock fishery’s chum salmon bycatch are Russian and Asian hatchery chum, as reported in NOAA’s annual genetics analyses.

The corridor includes 40 ADF&G groundfish statistical areas (stat areas) north of Unimak Pass. The corridor covers the area where consistently more than 80% of the Western Alaska chum bycatch is caught. All western Alaska chum salmon caught as bycatch in the corridor count towards the bycatch cap during a migration period identified as critical for Western Alaska chum salmon (June 10 – August 31), which overlaps with the pollock fishery B season.

The Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch cap is divided among the four pollock fishing sectors. The sector apportionments are as follows:

CDQ: 4,410 – 9.8%
Catcher vessels delivering to shoreside plants: 31,950 – 71%
Catcher vessels delivering to motherships: 4,365 – 9.7%
Catcher processors: 4,275 – 9.5%

If a sector reaches its portion of the corridor bycatch cap, it must close 50% of the corridor for the remainder of the June 10 – August 31 period. The closure must include stat areas 685530, 675500, 655500, and 645501. Failure to do so would result in a closure of the same areas in the following year for the entire period June 10 – August 31.

The Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch cap and corridor were designed in response to information in the draft EIS and public comment highlighting that a bycatch cap on chum salmon overall (i.e., including Russian and Asian hatchery chum salmon) may not reduce Western Alaska chum bycatch, and risks increasing Chinook salmon bycatch. The cap is intended to directly change behavior. Vessels will use NOAA genetic data from previous seasons and newly available in-season genetic data from the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute to try to avoid reaching the limit. By allowing each sector to choose areas to close if its bycatch limit is exceeded, the measures provide some operational flexibility.

The Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch limit and corridor closure will not be in effect if more than approximately 3,871,000 summer chum salmon and 1,390,300 fall chum salmon return to the Yukon River. The Council included this abundance index to acknowledge that, should Yukon River summer and fall chum salmon abundance increase such that returns meet or exceed these values (90^th percentile of each stock’s run reconstruction using data from 1992–2022), the Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch cap and corridor may be constraining for the pollock fishery and could be suspended.

Additionally, the start date of the Winter Herring Savings Area will be adjusted from September 1 to September 30 for the pollock trawl fishery. This start date will not change for any other BSAI groundfish trawl fishery. The herring bycatch limit is not apportioned among the pollock sectors, meaning any one sector’s herring bycatch can trigger the herring savings area closures for all sectors. The Council included this measure to avoid closing off fishing grounds for the catcher processor sector that have had historically low herring, Chinook salmon, and Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch during the month of September, in comparison to other areas.

Finally, the Council’s recommendation includes changes to the pollock fishery’s contractual salmon avoidance plans. The changes focus the fishery on avoidance of Western Alaska chum salmon, incorporating genetics information into inseason avoidance measures, and more transparency in reporting by requiring greater communication among the pollock fishery, salmon users, Alaska Native Tribes, and Tribally-authorized consortia and fish commissions.

The Council focused on minimizing Western Alaska chum salmon bycatch because returns have declined substantially in recent years and reduced or eliminated in-river harvest opportunities. Salmon are integral to the cultural, nutritional, economic, and spiritual well-being of western and interior Alaska residents, families and communities throughout the region who are experiencing severe negative impacts from continued low salmon returns. The pollock fishery is also integral to the viability of many communities in the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands and is the primary revenue source for the Community Development Quota program, which provides community economic development in 65 western Alaska villages.

Available science indicates recent declines in chum salmon populations across many regions of the North Pacific, including Canada, Japan, Russia, Korea, and the U.S., appear to be driven by warmer water temperatures in both the marine and freshwater environments which impact juvenile survival, prey availability and quality, metabolism and growth rates, and reproductive rates. However, Western Alaska chum salmon are also taken as bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery. While responsible for less than 2% of Western Alaska chum mortality from all sources annually, bycatch reduces the amount of salmon that return to western and interior Alaska rivers. Public testimony highlighted that even small increases in the number of salmon returning back to these rivers and the communities that rely on them represents a substantial benefit, and the Council‘s action is intended to aid cumulative factors promoting chum salmon returns to rivers of origin.The next required step is for NOAA to respond to comments and prepare a final EIS and proposed regulations. The full description of the Council’s final recommendation for a preferred alternative is available here.

Staff contact is Kate Haapala.

Cook Inlet Salmon

The Council and SSC reviewed stock assessment information for the 7 salmon stocks harvested in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area Salmon Fishery, as provided in a NMFS preliminary Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report, and the Council recommended overfishing limits (OFLs), allowable biological catch (ABCs), and total allowable catch (TACs) for the 2026 fishery. The SSC’s recommendations include uncertainty buffers (ABC buffer) to mitigate the probability of exceeding the OFL, and the Council’s recommended TACs contain an additional buffer from the ABC to account for management uncertainty. Proposed harvest specifications for Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon stocks in 2026 are shown in the table below.

The SSC provided a number of suggestions for the next assessment cycle, including that the model used to set specifications in the prior year be presented alongside any new models in the current year’s assessment (as is done for groundfish and crab assessments). Additionally, if model changes are proposed for these stocks, the SSC would like to review those changes at a meeting prior to setting final specifications, to the extent possible. The Cook Inlet salmon SAFE report Team will work with Council staff to ensure appropriate SSC review if changes are proposed for the 2027 specifications cycle. The SSC noted that based on the preliminary information provided in the SAFE report, no Cook Inlet salmon stocks were overfished or subject to overfishing in 2025. Further comments and recommendations are contained in the SSC minutes.

Table 1: Proposed 2026 harvest specifications for Cook Inlet EEZ Area salmon stocks. The SSC recommended maximum fishing mortality threshold (MFMT), minimum stock size threshold (MSST), preseason overfishing level (OFL), acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limit (ACL), and Council recommended total allowable catch (TAC) are in numbers of fish.

Stock	Tier	MFMT	MSST	OFL	OFL_PRE	ABC Buffer	ABC/ ACL	TAC Buffer	TAC
Kenai Sockeye (KNSOCK)	1	0.265	3,030,000	NA	1,284,478	27.0%	937,993	6%
Kasilof Sockeye (KASOCK)	1	0.538	555,000	NA	617,006	20.6%	489,936	6%	1,487,153*
Aggregate Sockeye (AOSOCK)	3	NA	NA	906,757	181,351	15%	154,149	6%
Aggregate Chinook (ACHIN)	3	NA	40,500	2,237	373	30%	261	8%	240
Aggregate Coho (COHO)	3	NA	NA	268,053	67,013	60%	26,805	38%	16,619
Aggregate Chum (CHUM)	3	NA	NA	390,030	97,508	20%	78,006	12%	68,645
Aggregate Pink (PINK)	3	NA	NA	282,813	141,406	10%	127,266	2%	124,721

* Combined sockeye salmon TAC. The sum of KNSOCK, KASOCK, and AOSOCK.

Staff contact is Diana Stram.

Staff Tasking / B reports

The Council received several presentations during B reports, and also had the opportunity to ask questions of Mr. Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, who attended the first day of the meeting.

Fishery Reports

IFQ Report to the Fleet: The Council received a presentation on the annual IFQ report to the fleet, which includes information on halibut and sablefish IFQ and CQE activity and is usually presented at the April meeting.

Bycatch Report: The Council received a short presentation on Alaska bycatch data that they had requested at their December meeting. The report included bycatch data that is compiled annually by the Alaska Fisheries Information Network (AKFIN), and updated information provided in the “Fish Bycatch in the North Pacific Halibut, Hippoglossus stenolepis, and Groundfish Fisheries,” (Witherell and Fey 2023) paper. The Council appreciated the report and has requested to receive an update of this information annually.

Public Comments on EO 14276 / Opportunity to Review the Council Workplan

The Council received a summary of public comments received by NOAA Fisheries on Regulatory Reform, Seafood Industry Challenges, and Innovative Approaches in Response to the Executive Order Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness (EO 14276) from December 1-15, 2025 (90 FR 55089, December 1, 2025). The Council does not have access to the actual comment letters and noted that the summary is at a very high level. Given the new information provided, the Council did not identify any issues that warranted updating their priority actions and workplan submitted to NOAA Fisheries in October 2025. In response to Council members questions, Mr. Rauch noted that if the agency identifies any new priorities in the North Pacific from these comments, these will be communicated to the Council for future review.

Request from NMFS to develop a risk-value matrix of North Pacific stocks

NOAA Fisheries has proposed a methodology to develop a risk/value matrix for all stocks and stock complexes currently included in Council FMPs nationwide, to assist with reassessing resource priorities. Each Council has been asked to work with their Regional Office and Science Center to co-develop a regional matrix by June 30th, and potentially identify management adjustments needed based on reprioritization of assessments or data collection. The Council noted that the North Pacific has been actively engaged in prioritization for several years, and the SSC provided additional recommendations on ongoing efforts at this meeting in their review of the AFSC report (see separate article). The Council is waiting to hear the outcome of an all-Councils letter that expressed concerns about the proposed methodology, and asked for clarification. Depending on the agency’s response, the Council Chair will decide whether to schedule this for Council review in June.

Staff Tasking

The Council did not take up Staff Tasking due to time constraints. We appreciate the understanding from members of the public who were intending to provide public testimony at this meeting. The next opportunity for public comment will be at the June meeting.Please note that a revised 3 meeting outlook is posted here, and the June Council meeting agenda will be published at the beginning of April.

Staff contact is Anna Henry.

SSC-only agenda items: AFSC Planning, Fall 2026 Groundfish Assessment Planning, EFH 5-year Review, Progress on HCRs

AFSC Planning

The SSC reviewed an AFSC presentation describing a planning framework to align surveys, assessments, and ecosystem science with changing staffing and budget constraints, and supported and provided recommendations regarding the agency’s ongoing efforts to communicate science efforts and management consequences transparently to the SSC and Council. The Council had received a similar presentation in December 2025.

Planning for Fall 2026 Groundfish Stock Assessment Cycle

Following the government shutdown and lack of assessments in 2025, an internal agency workgroup composed of AFSC staff, Council staff and SSC members met in late January to discuss and propose priority stock assessments for the 2026 groundfish assessment cycle. At the February meeting, the SSC recognized the importance of completing and reviewing as many assessments as possible during the 2026 assessment cycle, and explored the possibility of adding additional review opportunities in June and October, rather than reducing the total number of operational assessments to those that could be reviewed in December alone.

Using the SSC’s feedback, Council staff will work with leadership at the AFSC, SSC, and Groundfish Plan Teams to finalize a schedule for review of 2026 groundfish assessments. This year, it is expected that several Gulf of Alaska operational assessments will be reviewed, and OFLs and ABCs will be recommended, at the SSC’s October meeting. This differs from past years when the October meeting has been heavily focused on reviewing proposed models for assessments that would be completed and reviewed at the December SSC meeting. The Council will likely continue to adopt TACs for all species only at the December meeting.

Tentative dates for the fall 2026 Groundfish Plan Team meetings have changed; while not final, it is likely that the upcoming Groundfish Plan Team meetings will occur in-person (with a virtual option) September 8-11 and November 9-10,12-13. The feasibility of reviewing three GOA Groundfish stocks at a pre-June Groundfish Plan Team meeting and the June SSC meeting is still being determined. The Council will post more information to the website as the June Council agenda and Groundfish Plan Team schedules are finalized over the coming weeks.

It is expected that at the upcoming June meeting, the SSC will receive a presentation on the potential impacts of changes to the design of the GOA bottom trawl survey (implemented in 2025) on evaluation of certain stocks.

Staff contact is Sara Cleaver.

Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-year Review Workplan

The SSC received a presentation on three discussion papers that included the overall work plan for the 2028 Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-year Review, and methodology for Component 1 (EFH descriptions and maps) and Component 2 (fishing effects). At the December 2025 Council meeting, the Council advanced the workplan and agreed that the approach reflects the current priorities of the Council and NMFS (Dec 2025 Council motion). Similarly, the SSC supported the scope of the proposed workplan and provided a number of suggestions and recommendations (see some highlights below):

Support of the prioritized core group of species
Concurs that the scope of work is appropriate for the current review process and, to the extent practicable, to incorporate suggestions due to their utility in future fisheries research and management
Recommendation to document related products that contain EFH materials to highlight the value of this 5-year Review process and the tools that are developed
Recommendations to incorporate alternative data sources (Component 1)
Request for an opportunity to review the updated gear parameter table and any updates to habitat recovery parameters (Component 2)

The Ecosystem Committee is scheduled to receive an informational EFH 5-year Review presentation at their inaugural meeting on March 6, 2026. The EFH team plans to return to the Council in approximately one year (tentatively February 2027) with preliminary draft results from Component 1 (EFH descriptions and maps) and Component 2 (fishing effects), prior to meeting with stock authors.

Staff contact is Anita Kroska.

Progress on Developing Alternative Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) to Support Climate Resilience

The SSC received a presentation and provided feedback to analysts on progress toward developing alternative harvest control rules (HCRs) to support climate resilience. The SSC received reports from the Joint Groundfish Plan Team and Crab Plan Team’s January meetings regarding a proposed structure outlining the process and objectives for the June 2026 discussion paper.

The discussion paper will focus primarily on three general categories of HCRs:

Status quo HCR approaches (HCR 1)
Alternative HCRs that link fishing mortality and biomass reference points to covariates, for those species whose productivity is believed to vary predictably with environmental conditions (HCR 7)
Alternative HCRs that include a proportional reduction in fishing mortality based on biomass levels, and which may operate similarly to defined maximum ABC caps (e.g., 2 million mt cap in Bering Sea) (HCR 10)

The paper will explore draft goals and objectives for using alternative HCRs for the Council to consider in June, as well as proposed performance metrics for assessing HCR performance against these goals and objectives. The intent is for the June discussion paper to provide enough information for the Council to initiate an action, with a purpose and need statement and alternatives, should that be their interest.

The SSC supported the structure of the paper as presented, and the species groupings of cod, pollock, sablefish, POP, snow crab, and king crab, in order to describe potential outcomes across stock groupings. The SSC had a number of suggestions for the paper including a robust description of status quo (particularly as it relates to crab species); options for exploring HCR performance under alternative levels of uncertainty in data inputs to stock assessments; and a description of tradeoffs regarding when climate-resilient strategies should be applied in assessment models, HCRs, or TAC-setting. Additional recommendations and suggestions are contained in the SSC report.The Ecosystem Committee will review the HCR paper at their meeting on May 8^th and provide their feedback to the Council in June.