Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Amendment 25

Overview

Amendment 25 incorporates the following Atlantic cod stocks into the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP): 

• Eastern Gulf of Maine (EGOM) cod
• Western GOM (WGOM) cod
• Georges Bank (GB) cod
• Southern New England (SNE) cod

These new cod stocks replace the previous two cod stocks (GOM and GB cod) in the FMP. Figure 1 shows the new stock areas, and how they overlap with the previous stock areas.

Amendment 25 sets annual catch limits for the four new cod stocks for fishing year 2026, which began May 1, 2026, and ends April 30, 2027, replacing the quotas the fishery has been operating under since May 1. It also sets commercial and recreational management measures for the cod stocks.

The New England Fishery Management Council took final action on Framework 72 in December 2025.  Framework 72 includes specifications for other groundfish stocks for fishing year 2026, including a revised GB cod ABC.  This action is still under review by NOAA Fisheries and has not yet been approved or implemented.

Figure 1. Map of New Atlantic Cod Units.

Fishing Year 2026 Catch Limits 

Amendment 25 sets fishing year 2026 annual catch limits (ACL) for the four cod stocks, as listed in Table 1.

Amendment 25 does not change an individual’s qualifying fishing history. Instead, it uses the existing GOM cod and GB cod potential sector contributions (PSC) to allocate quota to sectors and the common pool. Sector annual catch entitlements (ACE) for the four cod stocks are shown in Table 2, replacing the cod ACEs implemented by the May 1, 2026, sector rule.  Sector and common pool quotas are based on preliminary fishing year 2026 rosters. Due to the change from two to four stocks of cod, sectors will not be allowed to carry over GOM cod and GB cod from the 2025 fishing year to the 2026 fishing year.

1. Table 2. Cumulative PSC (Percentage) and Estimated ACE (in lb) for Each Sector by Cod Stock for Fishing Year 2026*

* The data in this table are based on final sector rosters for fishing year 2026. 

Common Pool

Amendment 25 includes the fishing year 2026 common pool trip limits for the cod stocks, as shown in Table 3.

Table 3. 2026 Common Pool Daily and Trip Possession Limits

Amendment 25 sets the common pool’s Trimester Total Allowable Catches (TAC) for the four cod stocks, as shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Fishing Year 2026 Common Pool Trimester TACs for Atlantic Cod Stocks (mt, live weight)*

* The data in this table are based on final sector rosters for fishing year 2026.

Amendment 25 establishes Trimester TAC Areas for each of the four cod stocks (Table 5, Figure 2). When the common pool catch is projected to reach 90 percent of the Trimester TAC for that stock, the Trimester TAC Area is closed for common pool vessels fishing with trawl, gillnet, or longline/hook gear.

Table 5. Trimester TAC Areas for Atlantic Cod Stocks, by Statistical Area 

Figure 2. Common Pool Trimester TAC Areas for Atlantic cod stocks.

Recreational Management Measures

Amendment 25 includes the fishing year 2026 recreational measures for WGOM cod, GB cod, EGOM cod, and SNE cod, in Table 6.

Table 6 -- Recreational Cod Management Measures

n/a: No minimum size set for SNE cod, because it is zero retention.

This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.