NOAA Fisheries Announces Closure of 2026 Illex Squid Directed Fishery

NOAA Fisheries has projected that 96 percent of the Illex squid domestic annual harvest (DAH) will be harvested by August 23, 2026. Therefore, effective 0001 hr local time on August 23, 2026, through 24:00 hr local time on December 31, 2026, permitted vessels may not fish for, possess, or land more than 10,000 lb of Illex squid at any time per trip, and may only land Illex squid once per calendar day. Vessels issued an Illex squid moratorium permit that enter port before 0001 hr local time on August 23, 2026, may land and sell more than 10,000 lb of Illex squid from that trip, consistent with the possession limits applicable to the vessel's Illex squid permit.

Also effective 0001 local time on August 23, 2026, through 2400 hr local time on December 31, 2026, federally permitted dealers may not purchase more than 10,000 lb of Illex squid from a federally permitted Illex squid vessel, unless the vessel enters port before 0001 hr local time on August 23, 2026.

For more information, please read the notice as filed in the Federal Register .

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