West Coast sablefish season loses its time-of-day rules Aug. 6

West Coast sablefish permit holders lose the clock and gain a bill.

A federal rule taking effect Aug. 6 ends the time-of-day boundaries that have framed the primary sablefish season, which ran noon to noon from April 1 to Dec. 31. Fishers with limited entry fixed gear permits will no longer be bound to those hours. The same rule drops the base permit designation and loosens gear endorsement requirements, trimming paperwork.

It also sets up something permit holders have not faced before: a cost recovery program that charges fees to offset the government's cost of managing the fishery. Those payments are deferred until no earlier than December 2027.