Preview & Prep: October 2026 NPFMC Meeting

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will meet in Anchorage from October 5-13, 2026, to address several critical issues impacting Alaska's fisheries. 

The written public comment period closes Friday, October 2, 2026, at 12pm AKT. Find the meeting schedule and all the details here. 

AMCC will be engaging on two Agenda items: C3: Groundfish Harvest Specifications and E: Staff Tasking. 

For C3: Groundfish Harvest Specifications, the Council annually considers harvest specifications, including Overfishing Limits (OFLs), Acceptable Biological Catches (ABCs), and Total Allowable Catch (TAC), for groundfish managed in the North Pacific. The process begins with the Groundfish Plan Teams, which develop and review stock assessment and management information before the proposed specifications come before the Council for review in October, and adoption in December. AMCC will advocate that the Council take an ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach when setting the following year's harvest levels.

Key agenda items include:

C1: Observer Program Annual Deployment Plan for 2027 – Review

The Council will review NMFS's proposed 2027 Annual Deployment Plan for Observers and Electronic Monitoring in the Groundfish and Halibut Fisheries off Alaska, including the related committee report.

C2: BSAI Crab Specifications – SAFE Report Review and ABC/OFL Adoption

The Council will review the BSAI Crab Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report and adopt ABCs and OFLs for Bristol Bay red king crab, Tanner crab, snow crab, St. Matthew blue king crab, and Western Aleutian Islands red king crab.

C3: Groundfish Harvest Specifications

The Council will consider proposed 2027–2028 groundfish harvest specifications for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), including reports from the Joint, GOA, and BSAI Groundfish Plan Teams.

D1: Charter Halibut Permits Data Request – Discussion Paper

The Council will review a discussion paper and committee report concerning data related to charter halibut permits.

D3: IFQ/CQE Transfer Changes – Expanded Discussion Paper

The Council will review an expanded discussion paper addressing potential changes to Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) and Community Quota Entity (CQE) transfers.

E: Staff Tasking 

The Council will prioritize tasks for staff, committees, and take up new business. 

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Preparing to Engage: As you get ready for the October Council meeting, check out AMCC’s Guidebook for Engaging with the NPFMC.

The guide offers an overview of how the Council works, why community participation matters, and practical tips for making your voice heard.

Photo courtesy of ASMI