Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Cook Inlet; Proposed 2025 Harvest Specifications for Salmon

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

Proposed rule; harvest specifications and request for comments.

NMFS proposes 2025 harvest specifications for the salmon fishery of the Cook Inlet exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for salmon during the 2025 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska (Salmon FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the salmon resources in Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

Comments must be received by May 5, 2025.

A plain language summary of this proposed rule is available at https://www.regulations.gov/​docket/​NOAA-NMFS-2025-0017. You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA-NMFS-2025-0017, by any of the following methods:

• Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit https://www.regulations.gov and type NOAA-NMFS-2025-0017 in the Search box. Click on the “Comment” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.
• Mail: Submit written comments to Gretchen Harrington, Assistant Regional Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Alaska Region, NMFS. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.

Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on https://www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information ( e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter “N/A” in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).

Electronic copies of the draft Environmental Assessment for the Harvest Specifications of the Cook Inlet Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ Off Alaska (EA); and the draft Finding of No Significant Impact prepared for this action are available from https://www.regulations.gov. The Environmental Assessment (EA)/Regulatory Impact Review for amendment 16 (A16 EA/RIR) to the Salmon FMP are available from the NMFS Alaska Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​action/​amendment-16-fmp-salmon-fisheries-alaska. A preliminary version of the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) was presented at the February 2025 North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and NMFS incorporated the recommendations of the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and posted the final SAFE at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/​alaska/​population-assessments/​alaska-stock-assessments.