NOAA Fisheries allocates Northeast multispecies annual catch entitlements (ACE) to approved groundfish sectors and permit banks for fishing year 2026

NMFS previously approved 15 sectors to operate in fishing years 2025 and 2026. This final rule allocates Northeast multispecies annual catch entitlements (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 and provides notice of specifications for 11 stocks that are set by default in accordance with existing regulations. This action is intended to allow limited access permit holders to continue to operate sectors, as authorized under the FMP.

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.

Northeast multispecies annual catch entitlements for sectors are effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. Default catch limits are effective May 1, 2026, through October 31, 2026, unless replaced by another action before November 1, 2026.