Allocation of 2026 Northeast Multispecies Annual Catch Entitlements and Notice of Default Specifications
Summary
NOAA Fisheries previously approved 15 sectors to operate in fishing year 2026 (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027). The Northeast multispecies sector management system includes an annual allocation of available catch for portions of the Northeast multispecies stocks to each approved sector. These annual sector allocations are known as ACE and are based on the collective fishing history of the permits held by a sector's members. This final rule allocates Northeast multispecies ACE to approved groundfish sectors and permit banks for fishing year 2026 based on 2026 annual catch limits (ACL) set in Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) or default specifications.
The groundfish regulations implement default catch limits for any stock for which final specifications are not in place by the beginning of the fishing year on May 1. The FMP's default specifications provision sets catch limits at 75 percent of the previous year's (2025) catch limits, except in instances where 75 percent of the previous year's catch limit would exceed the Council's recommendation for the final specifications. This rule announces default specifications for 11 stocks that do not have specifications set for the 2026 fishing year. Default catch limits are effective May 1, 2026, through October 31, 2026, unless replaced by another action before November 1, 2026.
Northeast multispecies annual catch entitlements for sectors are effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. This rule allocates ACE to sectors based on the following ACLs for fishing year 2026.
Northeast Multispecies Catch Limits for 2026 in metric tons (mt)
| Stock | Total ACL | Groundfish sub-ACL | Final Sector sub-ACL | Final Common Pool sub-ACL |
| GB Cod* | 140 | 105 | 101 | 3.6 |
| GOM Cod* | 245 | 223 | 127 | 5.2 |
| GB Haddock# | 1,553 | 1,514 | 1,480 | 35 |
| GOM Haddock† | 3,429 | 3,359 | 2,155 | 58 |
| GB Yellowtail Flounder† | 93 | 76 | 71 | 5.0 |
| SNE/MA Yellowtail Flounder# | 29 | 25 | 18 | 6.8 |
| CC/GOM Yellowtail Flounder# | 654 | 606 | 571 | 36 |
| American Plaice† | 6,632 | 6,597 | 6,393 | 204 |
| Witch Flounder† | 1,452 | 1,406 | 1,352 | 54 |
| GB Winter Flounder# | 1,084 | 1,073 | 1,020 | 53 |
| GOM Winter Flounder# | 579 | 455 | 385 | 70 |
| SNE/MA Winter Flounder# | 453 | 331 | 281 | 49 |
| Redfish† | 7,997 | 7,997 | 7,898 | 99 |
| White Hake# | 1,294 | 1,287 | 1,273 | 15 |
| Pollock† | 10,676 | 9,391 | 9,288 | 103 |
| N. Windowpane Flounder† | 127 | 94 | na | 94 |
| S. Windowpane Flounder† | 205 | 30 | na | 30 |
| Ocean Pout# | 63 | 37 | na | 37 |
| Atlantic Halibut† | 34 | 23 | na | 23 |
| Atlantic Wolffish# | 65 | 65 | na | 65 |
* These catch limits are based on default specifications and would be replaced when the final rule for Amendment 25 becomes effective, if approved. If the final rule for Amendment 25 is not approved or implemented on or before October 31, all fishing for these stocks would be prohibited beginning November 1.
†These catch limits are based on Framework 69. Framework 72, if approved, would replace the fishing year 2026 specifications for GB yellowtail flounder and redfish.
# These catch limits are based on default specifications and would be replaced when the final rule for Framework 72 becomes effective, if approved. If Framework 72 is not approved or implemented on or before October 31, all fishing for these stocks would be prohibited beginning November 1.