North Pacific Fishery Management Council

What North Pacific Fishery Management Council does

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) is a federal regulatory body established in 1976 under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, one of eight regional councils managing U.S. fisheries in the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone. Headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, the Council develops and recommends fishery management plans, annual harvest specifications, and bycatch and habitat regulations for groundfish, crab, scallop, halibut, and salmon fisheries across the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska — a region that produces over half of the nation's seafood. Its technical framework centers on ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM), codified in the Bering Sea Fishery Ecosystem Plan (adopted December 2018), and includes the OFL six-tier control rule for setting acceptable biological catches, Essential Fish Habitat designations, and action modules for climate change and local/traditional knowledge (LKTKS Protocol, adopted October 2023). The Council operates through a 15-17 member voting/non-voting body drawn from Alaska, Washington, and Oregon appointees plus federal agencies, supported by a Scientific and Statistical Committee, an Advisory Panel, and four annual public meetings (typically April, June, October, December), with all proceedings broadcast on YouTube.

Name

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

Legal name

North Pacific Fishery Management Council

Website

https://npfmc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is a federally-mandated regional body that develops management plans and harvest specifications for U.S. fisheries in the 200-mile EEZ off Alaska, covering groundfish, crab, scallop, halibut, and salmon across the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fisheries Management

NAICS

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11), Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration (BPAIAAAO), Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments (EUAHAHAB)

Keywords

• Fishery management plans
• Federal fisheries regulation
• Ecosystem-based management
• Harvest specifications
• Bycatch management

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Appropriation: The Council is funded through federal appropriations as one of eight regional councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. Funding is administered through NOAA/NMFS.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council develops and recommends Fishery Management Plans (FMPs), annual harvest specifications, and bycatch limits for federal fisheries in the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska). It conducts stock assessments, sets allowable biological catch and total allowable catch, and coordinates with NOAA Fisheries, the State of Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conserve and manage groundfish, crab, scallop, and salmon resources.

Product overview

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) is a government regulatory body established under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. It is not a product or technology company but rather a federal fisheries management council that oversees fishery management plans (FMPs) for waters off the coast of Alaska. The council manages multiple fisheries including BSAI Crab, BSAI Groundfish, GOA Groundfish, Halibut, Scallop, and Salmon fisheries through advisory bodies including an Advisory Panel (AP), Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), and various Plan Teams. It provides public participation mechanisms through council meetings, public comment periods, and educational resources rather than commercial products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fishery Management Plans (FMPs)

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• U.S. Coast GuardcoreOthersCoast Guard operations in Alaska, the North Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Bering Sea include protecting life and property, enforcing federal laws, protecting marine environment, preserving living marine resources, and promoting national security. Rear Admiral Bob Little serves as a non-voting member of the Council.
• NOAA Fisheries (NMFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office implements Council decisions and provides scientific support through the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Jon Kurland serves as NMFS Alaska Regional Administrator and voting Council member.
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates federal and state fisheries management through joint protocol agreements. Rachel Baker serves as ADF&G Deputy Commissioner and Vice Chair of Council.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)supportingOthersProvides expertise on anadromous and protected species management, habitat conservation, and interagency coordination. Boyd Blihovde serves as USFWS non-voting Council member.
• Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSMFC Executive Director Barry Thom serves as a Council member. PSMFC manages fisheries data collection programs across Alaska, West Coast, and Hawaii, including the PacFIN program for commercial landing data.
• International Pacific Halibut CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Ian Stewart of IPHC serves on the Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee. Coordinates international halibut management between U.S. and Canada.
• Alaska Board of FisheriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Protocol Operating Agreement coordinates management between NPFMC (federal waters) and Alaska Board of Fisheries (state waters 0-3 nm).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Fisheries (NMFS): Parent agency that implements Council recommendations, funds Council operations, and supplies scientific support through the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Overlapping regulatory authority and direct line of accountability.

Direct peers

• Caribbean Fishery Management Council: Eighth U.S. regional fishery management council, managing federal fisheries around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Same statutory mandate and meeting/public-participation framework.
• Pacific Fishery Management Council: Sister U.S. regional fishery management council under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, managing West Coast groundfish, salmon, and coastal pelagic species. Directly comparable governance structure, mandate, and operating model.
• Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council: Sister regional council managing Mid-Atlantic fisheries (summer flounder, scallops, squid). Same statutory authority, meeting structure, and stakeholder process as NPFMC but with different ecological and economic context.
• South Atlantic Fishery Management Council: Sister regional council managing snapper-grouper, mackerel, and shrimp fisheries. Same statutory authority, providing a peer benchmark for habitat protection and stakeholder engagement practices.
• Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council: Sister council covering Hawaii, U.S. Pacific territories, and remote Pacific islands. Comparable role in managing federal EEZ fisheries with strong Indigenous and subsistence considerations, parallel to NPFMC's LKTKS work.
• Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council: Sister regional council managing Gulf reef fish, shrimp, and red drum. Identical statutory framework and advisory structure, useful for comparing how EBFM and IFQ programs scale across geographies.
• New England Fishery Management Council: Another of the eight U.S. regional fishery management councils with overlapping authority, FMP development, and SSC processes. Comparable mandate with different species mix and more developed groundfish catch share history.

Regional players

• International Pacific Halibut Commission: Binational U.S.-Canada body that sets halibut catch limits across the North Pacific. Directly comparable science-based mandate with international treaty authority; staff scientist serves on NPFMC's SSC.

Others

• Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission: Interstate commission providing fisheries data, technology, and policy coordination across West Coast states. Comparable regional fisheries governance scope and provides data infrastructure used by NPFMC staff.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@npfmcAP/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthPacificFisheryManagementCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-pacific-fishery-management-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about North Pacific Fishery Management Council