Administration Commercial Fishing Industry Wins

Through the strategic use of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and executive action, NOAA Fisheries has successfully removed red tape, reversed decades-old closures, and maximized harvest quotas. These actions have unlocked billions of dollars in economic value, secured vital domestic supply chains, and established collaborative partnerships with the commercial fishing fleet.

Unleashing Historic Economic Value and Quota Increases

The Administration has expedited openings and increased catch limits based on the best available science, delivering financial returns to coastal communities.

Alaska Groundfish ($2.9+ Billion Impact)

Novel Approaches to Allow for Opening of Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries published final rules for harvest specifications in both the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands in 2025 and 2026. This decisive administrative action ensured these critical groundfish fisheries opened on time, with quotas strictly grounded in the best scientific information available.

Economic Impact

These fisheries include the Bering Sea pollock fishery, the largest U.S. fishery by volume. According to the 2024 Economic Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation report (the best available data as of February 2026), these timely rulemakings secure a total value of $301.1 million for the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries and more than $2.64 billion for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands groundfish fisheries.

Pacific Halibut Fishery ($126.5 Million Value)

Expediting Opening of U.S. Halibut Fishery

NOAA revised its approach to data collection and regulatory implementation in order to allow for the timely opening of the Alaskan Groundfish and Halibut fisheries.

Economic Impact

While 2025 estimates are pending, in 2024, commercial landings of Pacific halibut in Alaska totaled approximately 14.37 million pounds and were valued at more than $126.5 million, according to the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region catch accounting system and fishery volume and value reports. 

Reviving West Coast Salmon ($76 Million Impact)

2026 Ocean Harvest Salmon Management Measures

This action resulted in the first full commercial salmon fishery off the West Coast in 3 years. The 2026 fisheries will successfully expand fishing days in the California recreational and commercial fisheries and southern Oregon compared to 2025.

Economic Impact 

The 2026 season will support more jobs and more than $76 million in revenue or value. This represents an anticipated 63 percent increase in coastwide commercial ex-vessel value and an increase of more than 30 percent in community income impacts for the recreational fishery compared to 2025.

Historic Bluefin Tuna Expansion ($8.6+ Million Impact)

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Quotas

NOAA Fisheries published a proposed rule that increases the total U.S. annual baseline Atlantic bluefin tuna quota by 17 percent, the largest single-year increase in the history of the U.S. bluefin tuna fishery. It also facilitates faster future quota changes for swordfish and albacore.

Economic Impact

This rule has net benefits to the nation particularly for handgear and pelagic longline commercial fishermen as well as for recreational anglers. This action provides an additional estimated $2.6 million in commercial fishing opportunities for bluefin tuna. Additionally, maximum adjusted quotas for North Atlantic swordfish and northern albacore could provide an additional estimated $5.7 million and $307,000, respectively, in commercial fishery opportunity.

Atlantic Mackerel (1,200 Percent Quota Increase and $16 Million Impact)

Increase Commercial Fishery Quota, Framework Adjustment 17

NOAA Fisheries published an interim final rule to increase the commercial fishery quota for Atlantic mackerel by nearly 1,200 percent. It also increased the per-trip possession limit by an order of magnitude for Tier 1 permit holders. 

Economic Impact

This action provides substantially increased fishing opportunities for this important fishery resource. If fully harvested, the increased commercial quota provides an additional $16 million in fishing opportunity.

Gulf of America Red Grouper ($31 Million Annual Boost by 2028)

Securing the Red Grouper Season and Catch

NOAA Fisheries implemented a temporary measure in 2025 to increase red grouper catch limits and prevent premature fishing season closures. We published a notice announcing the long-term measures (Amendment 62) to increase catch limits and expand access.

Economic Impact

Red grouper generates approximately $15 million in commercial ex-vessel revenue and $245.8 million in sales annually. The combined increase in net economic benefits for these catch limit increases is $14.7 million in 2026, $22.7 million in 2027, and scales up to $31.3 million in 2028 and subsequent years.

Reversing Closures and Expanding Access 

NOAA, in coordination with the Department of Interior, reviewed commercial fishing opportunities in existing Marine National Monuments. We recommended lifting commercial fishing restrictions in those Marine National Monuments currently closed to all commercial fishing. 

Rose Atoll Marine National Monument

Restoring Access to Commercial Fishing

On June 11, 2026, the President opened an additional 10,146 nautical square miles to commercial fishing, or 6 percent of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone around American Samoa. This allows the American Samoa longline fishery to follow fish that enter into the monument. This removes undue burdens on island fisheries in eliminating the need to track boundaries and restricted waters when fishing near the monument.

Economic Impact

Allows American Samoa the freedom to continue to develop and improve its fisheries, providing increased catch volumes and new economic opportunities for local communities, seafood processors, and related maritime industries.

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Restoring Access

On June 11, 2026, the President restored fishing access to the Mau and Ho‘omalu Zones, which encompass the entirety of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, totaling 442,781 square miles of fishing grounds.

Economic Impact

The Mau Zone historically produced more than 22 percent of Hawaiʻi’s bottomfish landings and generated more than $600,000 annually in 2003 dollars (equivalent to more than $1 million today) prior to closure. Restrictions of these fishing grounds resulted in approximately $3.5 million in lost annual revenue for affected Hawai’i longline vessels.

Mariana Trench Marine National Monument (Restored Access)

Rescinding Commercial Fishing Bans

On June 11, 2026, President Trump signed a proclamation, Restoring American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific, to restore commercial fishing access to more than 16,000 square nautical miles in the Islands Unit of the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

Economic Impact

Allows the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands the opportunity to develop their commercial fisheries, allowing island communities to expand their local economies. It removes restrictions on commercial trolling for pelagic fish, bottom fishing with rod and reel, and spear fishing for reef fish in the Islands Unit.

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (Restored Access)

Rescinding Commercial Fishing Bans

On February 6, 2026, the President signed a proclamation, Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Atlantic, to allow for well-regulated commercial fishing use in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument. NOAA published a final rule on April 6, 2026, rescinding regulations issued under the Magnuson-Stevens Act that restrict commercial fishing within the boundaries of the Monument.

Economic Impact

Restores crucial access to historic fishing grounds in the Atlantic, reducing unnecessary burdens on the industry and maximizing economic opportunity for the domestic commercial fleet.

Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (Expanded Access)

Lifting Fishing Restrictions

In response to the President's proclamation, Unleashing American Commercial Fishing in the Pacific, NOAA is removing regulations that prohibited commercial fishing from 50–200 nautical miles offshore of Johnston Atoll and Wake and Jarvis Islands.

Economic Impact

Reopens roughly 310,000 square nautical miles of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, increasing operational flexibility and reducing operating costs. This increases landings into the American Samoa tuna cannery, which is the territory's largest employer (84 percent of private sector employment) and accounts for 99.5 percent of its exports.

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (Decades-Old Closures)

Restoring Access to Productive Fishing Grounds

NOAA Fisheries published a final rule (Amendment 15) that modifies areas that have been closed to longline fishing for more than 20 years. Two of these areas can now be accessed by fishermen subject to additional monitoring requirements.

Economic Impact

Delivers strong financial benefits including access to productive fishing grounds closer to shore, increased sales of catch, lower transit costs, and easier crew recruitment. These financial returns heavily outweigh the costs of complying with the newly created monitoring requirements.

Cordell Bank Groundfish Exclusion Area ($7 Million Supported)

Open Areas Previously Excluded

The final rule removed the Cordell Bank Groundfish Conservation Area and implemented an Exclusion Area. It opens a net area of 10.2 square miles to trawl gear and 40.1 square miles to non-trawl commercial and recreational gear.

Economic Impact

Directly supports and expands opportunities for the commercial fisheries in the six port areas nearest to Cordell Bank, which generate annual estimated average vessel revenues of $7 million.

Slashing Red Tape and Deregulation

The Administration is aggressively cutting bureaucratic red tape and replacing outdated, micromanaged restrictions with adaptive, flexible standards—maximizing profitability for the domestic fleet and keeping fisheries open.

Scallop Regulation Reform ($180 Million Benefit)

Deregulatory Action

NOAA Fisheries implemented Framework Adjustment 39 for the Atlantic sea scallop fishery to provide the industry with critical operating specifications, including access area allocations and a specific start date tailored to harvest larger, more valuable scallops.

Economic Impact

This action provided market stability and maximized the economic return of the fishery, an estimated $180 million in economic benefits to the scallop industry. It ensures a reliable supply chain and stable prices for a premium domestic seafood product.

Loper-Bright Industry-Funded Monitoring Rescission

Important Step in Resolving Cases

NOAA Fisheries requested that the New England Fishery Management Council initiate action to rescind the Atlantic herring industry-funded monitoring regulations at issue in the Loper Bright Enterprises and Relentless cases.

Economic Impact

This action takes an important step toward resolving these major cases and ending the controversial herring industry-funded monitoring program, which would remove the financial burden of government-mandated at-sea monitoring costs from domestic fishermen.

West Coast Groundfish Flexibility

Eliminating Permit Red Tape and Maximizing Flexibility

The rule implementing Amendment 36 provides increased flexibility to limited-entry fixed-gear participants by removing current gear-specific endorsements for permits.

Economic Impact

Creates a single limited entry non-trawl permit, heavily reducing administrative burdens. Vessels are now permitted to shift between any legal non-trawl groundfish gears to harvest their limits, maximizing efficiency.

Guam Deepwater Bottomfish (11 Percent Quota Increase and Stability)

Increased Annual Catch Limit

NOAA Fisheries increased the annual catch limit by 11 percent (from 31,000 pounds to 34,500 pounds). It also replaced rigid in-season accountability measures with a post-season adjustment, removing the performance standard that aggressively closes the fishery in federal waters.

Economic Impact

Dramatically reduces the chance the fishery will be closed in federal waters, providing stability, certainty, and maximized fishing opportunities for participants in this culturally and economically vital fishery.

Quillback Rockfish In-Season Action (Expanded Fishing Access)

Removing Restrictive Depth Limits

Implemented in-season actions to remove depth restrictions in the northern and central California recreational fishery, reduce depth-based area closures, and increase trip limits in the commercial groundfish fisheries.

Economic Impact

Relieving these spatial and depth restrictions restores access to fishing grounds and allows for the immediate additional harvest of healthy groundfish stocks off the West Coast.

Emergency West Coast Specifications (Up to 11 Percent Quota Increases)

Emergency Rule for 2026 Harvest Specifications

Enacted an emergency action temporarily increasing the 2026 catch limits (overfishing limits, acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits, harvest guidelines) and sector allocations for shortspine thornyhead (9 percent), canary rockfish (9.5 percent), and petrale sole (11 percent).

Economic Impact

These targeted quota increases allow for the additional harvest of highly valuable groundfish stocks off the West Coast.

Industry-Led Science and Cooperative Research

• For FY2026, the agency’s Cooperative Research Program has allocated $8 million to engage and support cooperative research projects with the commercial fishing industry. 
• NOAA Fisheries scientists collaborated with industry to design a safer and more efficient trawl net for the Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey. They incorporated the latest net and mensuration technology to collect biomass estimates for multiple fishery stocks used in assessments for fishery management.
• NOAA Fisheries partnerships with industry through cooperative research with the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation and the Alaska Seafood Cooperative have led to improved survey designs, informed industry-management decisions, reduced impacts of fishing gear, and reduced non-target bycatch of crab in Alaskan fisheries—thus increasing sustainable fishery catches.
• NOAA Fisheries worked with the fishing industry to develop the new Atlantic Mackerel Cooperative Research Initiative, which includes partnerships with more than 50 fishing vessels.
• The eMOLT program engages more than 150 fishing vessels in collecting environmental data that is used in oceanographic forecast models and stock assessments
• The Northeast Cooperative Research Summit provides an opportunity for fishermen to meet scientists and develop research ideas for future cooperative research projects.
• As part of the Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey, NOAA Fisheries has partnered with commercial fishing vessels to conduct cooperative acoustic and biological sampling of nearshore waters where traditional large research vessels cannot navigate. This cooperative research partnership benefits the fishing industry by providing commercial vessel captains with alternative, paid service contracts during periods when the directed Pacific sardine fishery is closed due to low stock levels. 
• The cooperative Bottomfish Fishery Independent Survey in Hawaiʻi helps NOAA scientists estimate the abundance of Hawai‘i “Deep 7” bottomfish aims. It provides managers with the best available information to set commercial catch limits and help ensure a sustainable Deep 7 fishery.
• NOAA Fisheries worked with the fishing industry to develop the new Atlantic Mackerel Cooperative Research Initiative, which includes partnerships with more than 50 fishing vessels.
• The Alaska Sablefish Longline Survey is a textbook example of a cost-recovery survey. This public-private partnership between the Alaska Fisheries Science Center and a chartered commercial freezer longline vessel provides population data to support fishery stock assessments and harvest advice while using the resource to offset the costs of data collection. The longline vessel conducting the survey catches, processes, and sells the retained fish on the commercial market and the revenue directly offsets the expense of survey, including crew wages, bait, fuel, and other vessel-related costs. Fish prices can be volatile, but survey-generated revenue has typically covered half the cost of the survey, selling for between $500,000–$1 million.
• NOAA Fisheries partners with the commercial fishing industry through the Greater Atlantic Region's Scallop and Monkfish Research Set-Aside Programs, where a small portion of available quota or days-at-sea is set aside and awarded through competitive research projects. The resulting harvest generates funding for fishery-independent surveys, stock assessment research, gear innovation, and other management-supporting science without requiring additional federal appropriations. This creates a direct link between industry participation and the scientific information needed to sustain future fishing opportunities.