Amendment 33 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan: 2025-2026 Groundfish Harvest Specifications and Management Measures

This rule proposes 2025–26 harvest specifications for groundfish caught in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This rule also proposes the management measures that are intended to keep the total annual catch of each groundfish stock or stock complex within the annual catch limits. These measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.

This rule also proposes to implement Amendment 33 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The comment period for Amendment 33 began on August 2, 2024, and ends on October 1, 2024. If approved, Amendment 33 would establish a rebuilding plan for California quillback rockfish and revise the allocation structure for shortspine thornyhead.