NOAA says directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska will close at 12 noon, Alaska local time, on April 7, 2026. The agency announced the action in a fishery management bulletin issued on April 6 and said the closure applies specifically to catcher vessels using trawl gear in that part of the Gulf of Alaska.
The notice matters because it shows how quickly inseason fishery management can change when catch levels approach seasonal limits. NOAA says the closure is needed to prevent the fishery from exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch assigned to this vessel and gear category in the Central Regulatory Area. That makes the action important for vessel operators, seafood businesses, and others following Pacific cod harvest activity in Alaska waters. The official NOAA bulletin is here NOAA Fisheries bulletin.
NOAA says the Pacific cod closure starts at noon on April 7
According to the bulletin, the National Marine Fisheries Service is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska effective at 12 noon, Alaska local time, on April 7. The notice identifies Jonathan M. Kurland, Regional Administrator for the Alaska Region, as the official connected to the action.
The bulletin describes the decision as a fishery management action rather than a broad policy shift. That means the closure is tied to inseason management of harvest levels, not a permanent change to how Pacific cod is managed across the region.
The closure is tied to the A season allowance for 2026
NOAA says the closure is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2026 total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels using trawl gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska. In other words, the agency is acting because the fishery is approaching the portion of the annual catch limit that is available for this season and fleet category.
This is the core reason behind the shutdown. The notice points to the regulatory authority for the action under federal fishery rules, and it fits the broader inseason system that NOAA uses to monitor catch and apply closures when needed. Readers who want background on the catch monitoring system can also review NOAA’s 2025-2026 Alaska groundfish harvest specifications.
Retainable amount rules still apply during the closure
The bulletin also makes clear that the closure does not end all Pacific cod related compliance obligations at sea. NOAA says that while the closure is in effect, the maximum retainable amount rules at 50 CFR 679.20(e) and (f) apply at any time during a trip.
That detail matters for operators because it means the closure is not simply a stop notice with no other conditions attached. Vessel activity still has to follow the retainable amount limits that govern what can be kept onboard while the directed fishery is closed.
NOAA says fishermen should look to the Federal Register for the legal text
The agency adds an important legal reminder in the bulletin. NOAA says the information bulletin only provides notice of a fishery management action and advises the public to consult the actual text of the action in the Federal Register for compliance purposes. That means the bulletin works as an alert, while the Federal Register carries the controlling legal language.
For broader fisheries coverage in English, readers can also visit Agroinformacion. The official report was published by NOAA Fisheries in its Alaska bulletin on April 6, 2026.