February 12, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries is inviting public comment on proposed changes in the West Coast groundfish fishery. The proposal would allow bottom-fishing gear to use only one vertical line to the surface and require the lines to be clearly marked. The actions would give fishing crews more leeway to adjust their gear to conditions and reduce the risk of lines entangling marine life.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council sought the changes to help reduce the number of whales and other marine life that get entangled in fishing gear along the West Coast. The changes would also lay groundwork for reducing regulations to give groundfish vessels more flexibility in how and when they pursue groundfish.
Marking the lines according to their fishery and owner would also help collect better data on entanglements, providing more clarity for fisheries and managers.