Commonly Used Acronyms and Definitions

Here are definitions for some common acronyms and terms used in PFMC documents, as well as  links to some of the Federal and state acts that apply to decision-making.  Many of these definitions come from the United Nations FAO Fisheries Glossary, which is a helpful reference tool.  If you find a new acronym in a PFMC document that you think should be listed on this page, please email jennifer.gilden@noaa.gov.  To find links to organizations, please see our links page. NOTE: These definitions are for informational purposes only. They are not legally binding.

A B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  WXYZ

A
ABC	Acceptable biological catch. See below.
acceptable biological catch	The ABC is a scientific calculation of the sustainable harvest level of a fishery and is used to set the upper limit of the annual total allowable catch. It is calculated by applying the estimated (or proxy) harvest rate that produces maximum sustainable yield to the estimated exploitable stock biomass (the portion of the fish population that can be harvested).
ACLs	annual catch limits
ADFG	Alaska Department of Fish and Game
AFA	American Fisheries Act
AFL-CIO	American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations
AFSC	Alaska Fisheries Science Center (National Marine Fisheries Service)
allocation	Distribution of fishing opportunity among user groups or individuals.  Shares are sometimes based on historic harvest amounts.
alternatives	In the context of an environmental impact statement for annual fisheries management measures, alternatives are different suites of optimum yields and management measures that could be used to manage fisheries.
AM	accountability measures
anadromous	Fish that spend their adult life in the sea, but swim upriver to freshwater spawning grounds in order to reproduce.
angler	A person catching fish or shellfish with no intent to sell; includes people releasing the catch.
annuli	Annual variations in the pattern of growth rings on fish scales or otoliths (ear bones).
APA	Administrative Procedures Act
ATCA	Atlantic Tunas Convention Act
[Top]
B
B25%	25% of unfished biomass (size of fish stock without fishing). For groundfish, this is the threshold for being designated as overfished.
B40%	40% of unfished biomass (size of fish stock without fishing). This is the Council’s threshold for declaring a stock rebuilt, or the size of the stock estimated to produce maximum sustainable yield. This is also referred to as B>MSY.
BA	Biological assessment. See below.
barotrauma	Physical trauma or injury to a fish due to pressure change. When a fish is rapidly brought from deep water to the surface, the drop in pressure can cause a variety of physical problems, such as severe expansion of the swim bladder and gas bubbles in the blood.
bathymetry	The science of measuring the ocean’s depth.
Bathypelagic Zone	The zone of the ocean that extends from 1,000 to 4,000 meters below the ocean surface.
BB	Briefing Book
benthic	Refers to organisms that live on or in the ocean floor.
best available science	The term “best available science” comes from the second National Standard listed in the Magnuson-Stevens Act and is the informational standard mandated for decision making.
bioaccumulation	The build-up over time of substances (like metals) that cannot be excreted by an organism.
biological assessment (BA)	An assessment conducted as part of the Endangered Species Act process.
Biological Opinion (BO)	A scientific assessment issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as required by the Endangered Species Act for listed species. etermines the likelihood of an action to jeopardize the existence of a species listed under the Endangered Species Act.
biomass	The total weight of a stock of fish.
BiOp	Biological opinion. See above.
biota	Refers to any and all living organisms and the ecosystems in which they exist.
BLM	Bureau of Land Management. Administers 261 million acres of public lands, mainly in the West.
blocked quota shares	Quota shares that must be transferred together, and cannot be divided.
BMP	Best Management Practices
BMSY	The biomass that allows maximum sustainable yield to be taken. Also see B40%.
BO	Biological opinion. See above.
Bo	Unfished biomass; the estimated size of a fish stock in the absence of fishing.
BOR	U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Responsible for managing water distribution in the West.
BPA	Bonneville Power Administration. BPA markets electricity from 31 federally-owned dams in the Columbia River basin.
BRD	Bycatch reduction device. See below.
BSAI	Bering Sea Aleutian Islands
bycatch	Fish that are captured in a fishery, but that are discarded (returned to the sea) rather than being sold, kept for personal use, or donated to a charitable organization. Bycatch plus landed catch equals the total catch or total estimated fishing mortality.
bycatch reduction device	Devices (such as finfish excluders) incorporated info fishing gears designed to reduce the take of non-target species.
[Top]
C
C&S	Ceremonial and subsistence.  See below.
CA	California
CAGEAN	Catch-at-age analysis. An analysis used to reconstruct the population history of long-lived fish stocks. They provide an estimate of the current “exploitable biomass” (the part of the population that can be fished) upon which the harvest rate is based.
CalCOFI	California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations
California bight	The region of concave coastline off Southern California between the headland at Point Conception and the U.S./Mexican border, and encompassing various islands, shallow banks, basins, and troughs extending from the coast roughly 200 km offshore.
California Rockfish Conservation Area	The California Rockfish Conservation Area (CRCA) is defined as (1) ocean waters 20 fm to 250 fm between Cape Mendocino and Point Reyes and 20 fm to 150 fm between Point Reyes and the U.S./Mexico Border, and (2) the Cowcod Conservation Areas. The purpose of the CRCA is to regulate all gear types that have a potentially significant affect on rebuilding of overfished rockfish species south of Cape Mendocino.
CAM	Coho Assessment Model
CANSAR-TAM	Catch-at-age Analysis for Sardine - Two Area Model (see CAGEAN)
catch per unit of effort	The quantity of fish caught (in number or weight) with one standard unit of fishing effort. For example, the number of fish taken per 1,000 hooks per day, or the weight of fish, in tons, taken per hour of trawling. CPUE is often considered an index of fish biomass (or abundance). Sometimes referred to as catch rate. CPUE may be used as a measure of economic efficiency of fishing as well as an index of fish abundance.
CBFWA	Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority
CBNMS	Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
CCA	Cowcod Conservation Area(s). See below.
CCAMLR	Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
CCED	Council Chairs and Executive Directors (meeting)
CCC	Central California Coast (coho)
CDFG	California Department of Fish and Game
CDQ	Community development quota
CEQ	Council on Environmental Quality
CEQA	California Environmental Quality Act
ceremonial and subsistence	A harvest category specific to native American tribes.
CERT	Community Economic Revitalization Teams
cetaceans	Marine mammals of the order Cetacea. Includes whales, dolphins and porpoises.
CFGC	California Fish and Game Commission
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations. See below.
cfs	Cubic feet per second. A measure of running water in a stream or river.
CFZ	Contiguous fishery zone.The area from 3-12 miles offshore.
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary	A 1,252-square-nautical-mile area of the Santa Barbara Channel designated as a marine sanctuary in 1980. It encompasses an area out to six nautical miles around the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. CINMS is one of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries around the country.
CIE	Committee of independent experts
CIMRC	Ad Hoc Channel Islands Marine Reserve Committee
CINMS	Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. See above.
CIP	Conservation Implementation Program
CITES	Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species
cm	Centimeter
coastal pelagic species	Coastal pelagic species are schooling fish, not associated with the ocean bottom, that migrate in coastal waters. They usually eat plankton and are the main food source for higher level predators such as tuna, salmon, most groundfish, and humans. Examples are herring, squid, anchovy, sardine, and mackerel.
Coastal Zone Management Act	The main objective of the CZMA is to encourage and assist states in developing coastal zone management programs, to coordinate state activities, and to safeguard the regional and national interests in the coastal zone. It requires that any federal activity (including fishery management regulations) directly affecting the coastal zone of a state be consistent with that state’s approved coastal zone management program, since activities that take place beyond the territorial sea may affect the coastal zone.
Code of Federal Regulations	A codification of the regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government.  The CFR is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to federal regulation.  Title 50 contains wildlife and fisheries regulations.
coded-wire tag	Coded-wire tags are small pieces of stainless steel wire that are injected into the snouts of juvenile salmon and steelhead. Each tag is etched with a binary code that identifies its release group.
cod-end	The end of a trawl net, which retains the catch.
COE	(U.S. Army) Corps of Engineers. Among other things, the COE manages hydropower facilities, conducts dredging operations, and builds breakwaters and jetties.
cohort	In a stock, a group of fish born during the same time period.
cohort replacement rate	The rate at which each subsequent cohort, or generation, replaces the previous one.
commercial fishing	Fishing in which the fish harvested, either whole or in part, are intended to enter commerce through sale, barter, or trade.
COMPASS	Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea
co-occurring stocks	Different stocks of fish that swim or school near one another and may be caught together.
COP	Council Operating Procedures
Council	Pacific Fishery Management Council
Cowcod Conservation Area(s)	Two areas located in the Southern California Bight southwest of Santa Monica to the California/Mexico border that encompass roughly 4,300 square nautical miles of habitat where the highest densities of cowcod occur.  These areas are closed to bottom fishing in order to rebuild the cowcod stock.
CPFD	Catch per fishing day
CPFV	Commercial passenger fishing vessel (charter boat)
CPS	Coastal pelagic species.  See above.
CPSAS	Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory Subpanel
CPSMT	Coastal Pelagic Species Management Team
CPSPDT	Coastal Pelagic Species Plan Development Team (now called CPSMT)
CPUE	Catch per unit of effort.  See above.
CRCA	California Rockfish Conservation Area. See above.
CRFD	Coastal Fisheries Resources Division
CRFMP	Columbia River Fishery Management Plan
CRFS	California Recreational Fisheries Survey
CRITFC	Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
CRP	Conservation Reserve Program
CRR	Cohort replacement rate. See above.
CSP	Halibut Catch Sharing Plan
CUFES	Continuous Underwater Fish Egg Sampler
cumulative limit	The total allowable amount of a species or species group, by weight, that a vessel may take and retain, possess, or land during a period of time. Fishers may take as many landings of a species or species complex as they like as long as they do not exceed the cumulative limit that applies to the vessel or permit during the designated period.
cumulative limit stacking	The association of cumulative limits with permits, rather than with vessels, allowing a vessel with multiple limited entry permits to harvest multiple cumulative limits. Also known as “permit stacking.”
CV	Coefficient of variation
CVI	Central Valley Index. The annual ocean fishery landings south of Point Arena plus the spawning escapement of adult Central Valley stocks in the same year.
CVPIA	Central Valley Project Improvement Act
CWA	Clean Water Act
CWP	Central-Western Pacific
CWT	Coded-wire tag. See above.
CZMA	Coastal Zone Management Act. See above.
[Top]
D
DAH	Domestic annual harvest. See below.
DAP	Domestic annual processing (see below); or dedicated access privilege (related to individual fishing quotas)
DAPP	Dedicated Access Privilege Program
DBCA	Darkblotched (rockfish) Conservation Area
DEIS	Draft Environmental Impact Statement (see EIS, NEPA)
demersal	Living near, and depending on, the sea floor. For example, cods, groupers, and halibut are demersal. (Pronounced “deMERsal”).
density dependence	The degree to which spawning biomass effects recruitment of a fish stock.
DEPM	Daily egg production method
derby fishery	A fishery of brief duration during which fishers race to take as much catch as they can before the fishery closes.
DFO	(Canada) Department of Fisheries and Oceans
DFW	Department of Fish and Wildlife
DGN	Drift gillnet
DOC	Department of Commerce. Parent organization of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
DOI	Department of Interior
DOJ	Department of Justice. DOJ attorneys represent the Secretary of Commerce in litigation on fishery management plans.
DOM	Domestic catch
domestic annual harvest	The domestic annual fishing capacity, modified by other factors (such as economic factors), which will determine estimates of what the fleets will harvest.
domestic annual processing	The amount that will be domestically processed, based not only on physical capacity, but on a demonstrated intent, and the effects of domestic harvesting, markets, and other fisheries.
DOS	Department of State
downwelling	The process whereby prevailing seasonal winds create surface currents that cause surface water to sink, bringing nutrient-poor ocean surface water into an area.
DTL	Daily-trip-limit
DTS	Dover sole, thornyhead, and trawl-caught sablefish complex
[Top]
E
EA	Environmental assessment (see NEPA, EIS). See below.
EBFM	Ecosystem-based fishery management
EC	Enforcement Consultants. See below.
ED	Environmental Defense (formerly the Environmental Defense Fund)
ED	Executive Director
EDCP	Enhanced Data Collection Project
EDF	Environmental Defense Fund
EDM	Estimated discard mortality. See below.
EEZ	Exclusive Economic Zone. See below.
EFH	Essential fish habitat. See below.
EFHRC	Essential Fish Habitat Review Committee
EFIN	Economic Fishery Information Network, administered by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
EFP	Exempted fishing permit. See below.
EIR	Environmental impact review
EIS	Environmental impact statement. See below.
El Niño Southern Oscillation	Abnormally warm ocean climate conditions, which in some years affect the eastern coast of Latin America (centered on Peru) often around Christmas time. The anomaly is accompanied by dramatic changes in species abundance and distribution, higher local rainfall and flooding, and massive deaths of fish and their predators. Many other climactic anomalies around the world are attributed to consequences of El Niño.
EMS	Electronic monitoring system
Endangered Species Act	An act of federal law that provides for the conservation of endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants. When preparing fishery management plans, councils are required to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to determine whether the fishing under a fishery management plan is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of an ESA-listed species or to result in harm to its critical habitat.
endorsement	A designation on a limited entry permit that authorizes the use of the permit for a particular gear, length of vessel, or in a particular segment of the fishery.
Enforcement Consultants	A Council committee that provides advice on enforcement of fishery regulations.
ENSO	El Niño Southern Oscillation. See above.
environmental assessment	As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, an EA is a concise public document that provides evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact.
Environmental impact statement	As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, an EIS is an analysis of the expected impacts resulting from the implementation of a fisheries management or development plan (or some other proposed action) on the environment.  EISs are required for all fishery management plans as well as significant amendments to existing plans.  The purpose of an EIS is to ensure the fishery management plan gives appropriate consideration to environmental values in order to prevent harm to the environment.
EO	Executive Order
EO 12866	A Federal executive order that, among other things, requires agencies to assess the economic costs and benefits of all regulatory proposals and complete a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) that describes the costs and benefits of the proposed rule and alternative approaches, and justifies the chosen approach. See RIR.
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
EPO	Eastern Pacific Ocean
equilibrium yield	The harvest that would maintain a stock at its current level, apart from the effects of environmental conditions.
ESA	Endangered Species Act.  See above.
escapement	The number or proportion of fish surviving (escaping from) a given fishery at the end of the fishing season and reaching the spawning grounds. Term generally used for salmon management.
essential fish habitat	Those waters and substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding or growth to maturity.
Estimated discard mortality	Estimates of discards can be made in a variety of ways, including samples from observers and logbook records. Fish (or parts of fish) can be discarded for a variety of reasons such as having physical damage, being a non-target species for the trip, and compliance with management regulations like minimum size limits or quotas.
ESU	Evolutionarily significant unit
ETP	Eastern tropical Pacific
evolutionarily significant unit	An Evolutionarily Significant Unit or “ESU” is a distinctive group of Pacific salmon, steelhead, or sea-run cutthroat trout that is uniquely adapted to a particular area or environment and cannot be replaced.
Exclusive Economic Zone	A zone under national jurisdiction (up to 200 nautical miles wide) declared in line with the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, within which the coastal State has the right to explore and exploit, and the responsibility to conserve and manage, the living and non-living resources.
exempted fishing permit	A permit issued by National Marine Fisheries Service that allows exemptions from some regulations in order to study the effectiveness, bycatch rate, or other aspects of an experimental fishing gear. Previously known as an “experimental fishing permit.”
exploitable biomass	The biomass that is available to a unit of fishing effort. Defined as the sum of the population biomass at age (calculated as the mean within the fishing year) multiplied by the age-specific availability to the fishery.  Exploitable biomass is equivalent to the catch biomass divided by the instantaneous fishing mortality rate.
EY	Equilibrium yield. See above.
[Top]
F
F	The instantaneous rate of fishing mortality. The term “fishing mortality rate” is a technical fishery science term that is often misunderstood. It refers to the rate at which animals are removed from the stock by fishing. The fishing mortality rate can be confusing because it is an “instantaenous” rate that is useful in mathematical calculations, but is not easily translated into the more easily understood concept of “percent annual removal.”
F=0	Fishing mortality equals zero (no fishing).
FAD	Fish aggregating device. See below.
FAO	Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
fathom	Used chiefly in measuring marine depth. A fathom equals six feet.
FEAM	Fishery economic assessment model. See below.
Fecundity	The potential to produce offspring.
Federal Register	The Federal Register is the official daily publication for Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential documents. Fisheries regulations are not considered final until they are published in the Federal Register.
FEIS	Final Environmental Impact Statement (see EIS, NEPA).
FEMAT	Federal Ecosystem Management Assessment Team
FEP	Fishery ecosystem plan
FERC	Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Regulates hydropower operations.
FFA	(South Pacific) Forum Fishery Agency
Finding of no significant impact	As part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) is a document that explains why an action that is not otherwise excluded from the NEPA process, and for which an environmental impact statement (EIS) will not be prepared, will not have a significant effect on the human environment.
Fish aggregating device	Artificial or natural floating objects placed on the ocean surface, often anchored to the bottom, to attract several schooling fish species underneath, thus increasing their catchability.
Fish stock	A population of a species of fish from which catches are taken in a fishery. Use of the term “fish stock” usually implies that the particular population is more or less isolated from other stocks of the same species, and hence self-sustaining.
Fishery economic assessment model	FEAM uses historical landings data, information on industry cost and margin structure (vessels and processors), and income multipliers generated by IMPLAN to produce estimates of “regionalized” local income impact after deducting for leakage of payments to non-residents and to non-local suppliers, wholesalers, and manufactures.
Fishery management council	A fisheries management body established by the Magnuson-Stevens Act to manage fishery resources in designated regions of the United States. Membership varies in size depending on the number of states involved. There are eight regional Councils, including the Pacific Council.
Fishery management plan	A plan, and its amendments, that contains measures for conserving and managing specific fisheries and fish stocks.
Fishery management unit	The species or stocks of fish managed under a fishery management plan.
Fishing	The catching, taking, or harvesting of fish; the attempted catching, taking, or harvesting of fish; any other activity that can reasonably be expected to result in the catching, taking, or harvesting of fish; any operations at sea in support of, or in preparation for, any of these activities. This term does not include any activity by a vessel conducting authorized scientific research.
Fishing community	A community which is substantially dependent on or substantially engaged in the harvest or processing of fishery resources to meet social and economic needs. Includes fishing vessel owners, fishing families, operators, crew, recreational fishers, fish processors, gear suppliers, and others in the community who depend on fishing.
Fixed gear	Fishing gear that is stationary after it is deployed (unlike trawl or troll gear which is moving when it is actively fishing). Within the context of the groundfish limited entry fleet, “fixed gear” means longline and fishpot (trap) gear. Within the context of the entire groundfish fishery, fixed gear includes longline, fishpot, and any other gear that is anchored at least at one end.
FL	Fork length. See below.
Fm	Fathom (6 feet)
FMA	Fishery management area
FMC	Fishery Management Council. See above.
FMP	Fishery management plan. See above.
FMSY	The fishing mortality rate that maximizes catch biomass in the long term.
FMU	Fishery management unit
FOIA	Freedom of Information Act
FONSI	Finding of no significant impact. See above.
Footrope	The rope along the bottom of a trawl net’s opening. Small footropes can get caught or tangled in rocky reef areas, so regulations that require small footropes protect these rocky areas by encouraging skippers to fish elsewhere.
Fork length	A measurement used frequently for fish length when the tail has a fork shape. Projected straight distance between the tip of the fish and the fork of the tail.
FR	Federal Register. See above.
FRAM	Fishery Regulation Assessment Model. Typically used for salmon.
FRFA	Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. The FRFA includes all the information from the initial regulatory flexibility analysis. Additionally, it provides a summary of significant issues raised by the public, a statement of any changes made in the proposed rule as a result of such comments, and a description of steps taken to minimize the significant adverse economic impact on small entities consistent with stated objectives.
FTE	Full time employee
FWS	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
FX%	The rate of fishing mortality that will reduce female spawning biomass per recruit to x percent of its unfished level. F100% is zero, and F35% is a reasonable proxy for FMSY. (All figures after “F” should be subscript.)
[Top]
G
GAC	Groundfish Allocation Committee
GAO	General Accounting Office
GAP	Groundfish Advisory Subpanel. See below.
GCA	Groundfish Conservation Area
GDOP	Groundfish Disaster Outreach Program (Oregon Sea Grant)
GDP	Gross Domestic Product
GF	Groundfish
GFNMS	Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
GFSP	Groundfish Fishery Strategic Plan
GIPC	Groundfish Information Policy Committee
GIS	Geographic Information System
GLM	Generalized Linear Models
GMT	Groundfish Management Team. See below.
GPS	Global Positioning System
Groundfish Advisory Subpanel	The Council established the GAP to obtain the input of the people most affected by, or interested in, the management of the groundfish fishery. This advisory body is made up of representatives with recreational, trawl, fixed gear, open access, tribal, environmental, and processor interests. Their advice is solicited when preparing fishery management plans, reviewing plans before sending them to the Secretary, reviewing the effectiveness of plans once they are in operation, and developing annual and inseason management.
Groundfish Management Team	Groundfish management plans and annual and inseason management recommendations are prepared by the Council’s GMT, which consists of scientists and managers with specific technical knowledge of the groundfish fishery.
GSA	General Services Administration
GSI	Genetic stock identification
[Top]
H
Habitat areas of particular concern	Subsets of essential fish habitat (see EFH) containing particularly sensitive or vulnerable habitats that serve an important ecological function, are particularly sensitive to human-induced environmental degradation, are particularly stressed by human development activities, or comprise a rare habitat type.
Habitat TRC	Ad Hoc Groundfish Habitat Technical Review Committee
HAPC	Habitat areas of particular concern. See above.
Harvest guideline(s)	A numerical harvest level that is a general objective, but not a quota. Attainment of a harvest guideline does not require a management response, but it does prompt review of the fishery.
Harvest specifications	The detailed regulations that make up management measures – for example, trawl footrope size, depth limits, net mesh size, etc.
HC	Habitat Committee
HG	Harvest guideline(s).  See above.
High seas	All waters beyond the EEZ (3-200 mile zone) of the United States and beyond any foreign nation’s EEZ.
Highly migratory species	In the Council context, highly migratory species in the Pacific Ocean include species managed under the HMS Fishery Management Plan: tunas, sharks, billfish/swordfish, and dorado or dolphinfish.
HMS	Highly migratory species.  See above.
HMS FMP	Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan. This is the fishery management plan (and its subsequent revisions) for the Washington, Oregon, and California Highly Migratory Species Fisheries developed by the PFMC and approved by the Secretary of Commerce.
HMSAS	Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel
HMSMT	Highly Migratory Species Management Team
HMSPDT	Highly Migratory Species Plan Development Team
HRM	Harvest Rate Model
HSFCA	High Seas Fisheries Compliance Act
[Top]
I
IATTC	Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
IBQ	Individual bycatch quota. IBQs are used to control the catch of prohibited species.
ICA	Initial catch allowance (related to individual quotas)
ICB	Information Collection Budget
ICCAT	International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
ICES	International Convention for the Exploration of the Sea
IFA	Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act
IFEMS	Integrated fishery and environmental management statement.
IFQ	Individual fishing quota. See below.
IGH	Iron Gate Hatchery
IMECOCAL	A program in Baja California concerning small pelagics and climate change.
IMPLAN	IMpact Analysis for PLANning - a regional economic impact model
Incidental catch or incidental species	Species caught when fishing for the primary purpose of catching a different species.
Incidental take	The “take” of protected species (such as listed salmon, marine mammals, sea turtles, or sea birds) during fishing. “Take” is defined as to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.
Individual transferable (or tradeable) quota	A type of quota (a part of a total allowable catch) allocated to individual fishermen or vessel owners and which can be transferred (sold, leased) to others.
Initial regulatory flexibility analysis	An analysis required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
INMARSAT	International Marine Satellite
INP	Instituto Nacional de Pesca
INPFC	International North Pacific Fishery Commission. See below.
Inseason adjustments	Regulatory changes that affect an ongoing fishery.
International North Pacific Fishery Commission	International North Pacific Fisheries Commission (INPFC) areas are used to define fishing areas.  The INPFC was established in 1952 and dissolved in 1993, but the areas defined by the Commission are still commonly used in marine fisheries management.
International Pacific Halibut Commission	A Commission responsible for studying Pacific halibut stocks and the halibut fishery. The IPHC makes proposals to the U.S. and Canada concerning the regulation of the halibut fishery.
Invertebrate	An animal, such as a mollusk, with no spinal column
IPHC	International Pacific Halibut Commission. See above.
IPOA	International Plan of Action
IPQ	Individual processing quota
IQ	Individual quota
IRFA	Initial regulatory flexibility analysis. See above.
ISC	Interim Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean
ITQ	Individual Transferable (or Tradable) Quota. See above.
[Top]
J
JV	Joint Venture
JVP	Joint venture processing
[Top]
K
KFMC	Klamath Fishery Management Council
kg	kilogram
KMZ	Klamath management zone (ocean zone between Humbug Mountain and Horse Mountain where management emphasis is on Klamath River fall chinook)
KOHM	Klamath Ocean Harvest Model (for salmon)
KRTAT	Klamath River Technical Advisory Team
[Top]
L
LAP Program	Limited Access Privilage Program
LCN	Lingcod - North
LCS	Lingcod - South
LE	Limited entry fishery.  See below.
Length requirement	The requirement that specifies that permits may not be registered for use with vessels more than five feet longer (in overall length) than the length endorsed on the permit.
LFI	Lyons Ferry age three/four fall Chinook index
Limited entry fishery	A fishery for which a fixed number of permits have been issued in order to limit participation.
LNG	Liquified natural gas
Local depletion	Local depletion occurs when localized catches take more fish than can be replaced either locally or through fish migrating into the catch area.  Local depletion can occur apart from the status of the overall stock, and can be greater than decreases in the entire stock.
LOS	Law of the Sea
LRB	Lower river bright Chinook salmon from the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.
LRH	Lower Columbia River hatchery (tule fall chinook returning to hatcheries below Bonneville Dam)
LRW	Lower Columbia River wild (bright fall chinook spawning naturally below Bonneville Dam)
LWD	Large woody debris
[Top]
M
M	Instantaneous rate of natural mortality (as opposed to F, fishing mortality)
m	Meter(s)
MAFAC	Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. Advises the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce.
Magnuson-Stevens Act	Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. See below.
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act	The MSFCMA, sometimes known as the “Magnuson-Stevens Act,” established the 200-mile fishery conservation zone, the regional fishery management council system, and other provisions of U.S. marine fishery law.
Marine Mammal Protection Act	The MMPA prohibits the harvest or harassment of marine mammals, although permits for incidental take of marine mammals while commercial fishing may be issued subject to regulation. (See “incidental take” for a definition of “take”).
Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistical Survey	A national survey conducted by National Marine Fisheries Service to estimate the impact of recreational fishing on marine resources.
MARPOL	International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
MAX CAT	Maximum Allowable Catch
Maximum fishing mortality threshold	A limit identified in the National Standard Guidelines. A fishing mortality rate above this threshold constitutes overfishing.
Maximum sustainable yield	An estimate of the largest average annual catch or yield that can be continuously taken over a long period from a stock under prevailing ecological and environmental conditions. Since MSY is a long-term average, it need not be specified annually, but may be reassessed periodically based on the best scientific information available.
mb	megabyte
MBTA	Migratory Bird Treaty Act
MBNMS	Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
MCB	Mid-Columbia River brights (bright hatchery fall chinook released in the Columbia River downstream from McNary Dam.)
MCMC	Monte Carlo Markov Chain (analysis)
mean generation time	A measure of the time required for a female to produce a reproductively-active female offspring.
MEW	Model Evaluation Workgroup (for salmon)
MFCMA	Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Fishery Conservation and Management Act was renamed the “Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act” in 1980. The MFCMA established the 200-mile fishery conservation zone and the regional fishery management council system.
MFMT	Maximum fishing mortality threshold. See above.
MHHW	Mean higher high water level (high tide line)
MHLC	Multilateral High-Level Conference for Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Species of the Central and Western Pacific
Minimum stock size threshold	A threshold biomass used to determine if a stock is overfished. The Council proxy for MSST is B25%.
Mixed stock exception	In “mixed-stock complexes,” many species of fish swim together and are caught together. This becomes a problem when some of these stocks are healthy and some are overfished, because even a sustainable harvest of the healthy stocks can harm the depleted stock. In order to avoid having to shut down all fisheries to protect one particular overfished stock, the national standard guidelines allow a “mixed-stock” exception to the “overfished” definition. This would allow higher catches of some overfished species than ordinarily allowed in order to avoid severe hardship to fishing communities.
MLR	Minimum landing requirement
mm	Millimeter
MM	Mass marking (of salmon)
MMPA	Marine Mammal Protection Act. See above.
MOA	Memorandum of Agreement
MOC	Mid-Oregon coast
MOU	Memorandum of Understanding
MPA	Marine protected areas
MPRSA	Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act. The MPRSA authorizes the Secretary of Commerce (with Presidential approval) to designate ocean marine sanctuaries.
MRFSS	Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey. See above.
MRPZ	Marine resources protection zone
MRWG	Marine Reserve Work Group
MSA	Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. See above.
MSFCMA	Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. See above.
MSP	Maximum sustainable production
MSRA	Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006. See above.
MSST	Minimum stock size threshold. See above.
MSY	Maximum sustained yield. See above.
mt	Metric ton. 1,000 kilos or 2,204.62 pounds. (A “short ton” is 2,000 lbs.)
MUS	Management Unit Species
[Top]
N
NA	Not available
NAO	NOAA Administrative Order
National Environmental Policy Act	Passed by Congress in 1969, NEPA requires Federal agencies to consider the environment when making decisions regarding their programs. Section 102(2)(C) requires Federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) before taking major Federal actions that may significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The EIS includes: the environmental impact of the proposed action, any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposed action be implemented, alternatives to the proposed action, the relationship between local short-term uses of the environment and long-term productivity, and any irreversible commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be implemented.
National Marine Fisheries Service	A division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NMFS is responsible for conservation and management of offshore fisheries (and inland salmon). The NMFS Regional Director is a voting member of the Council.
National standard guidelines	Guidelines issued by National Marine Fisheries Service to provide comprehensive guidance for the development of fishery management plans and amendments that comply with the national standards of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. These guidelines are found in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, part 600.
NCRS	National Resource Conservation Service
NE	Northeast
Nearshore	“Nearshore” is defined (by the California Nearshore Fishery Management Plan) as the area from the high-tide line offshore to a depth of 120 ft (20 fm).
NEI	Northern Economics, Inc.
NEPA	National Environmental Policy Act. See above.
Neritic	Inhabiting coastal waters primarily over the continental shelf, generally over bottom depths equal to or less than 183 meters (100 fm) deep.
NEV	Net economic value(s)
NFCC	National Fisheries Conservation Center
NGO	Nongovernmental organization
nm	Nautical mile
NMFS	National Marine Fisheries Service. See above.
NMFS NWFSC	National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Fisheries Science Center
NMFS NWR	National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region
NMFS SWR	National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Region
NMS	National Marine Sanctuary
NMSA	National Marine Sanctuaries Act
NMSP	National Marine Sanctuaries Program
NOAA	National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. The parent agency of National Marine Fisheries Service.
NOC	North Oregon coast
NOF	North of (Cape) Falcon, Oregon
NOI	Notice of Intent
Nontrawl	Within the context of the groundfish limited fleet, “nontrawl” and “fixed gear” are the same, i.e. longline and fishpot gear. Within the context of the entire groundfish fishery, nontrawl gear includes longline, fishpot, and any other gear that is not trawl gear (troll, gillnet, vertical hook-and-line, etc.).
NORPAC	North Pacific Database Program
NOS	National Ocean Service
NPCC	Northwest Power and Conservation Council (formerly known as the Northwest Power Planning Council)
NPDES	National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPFMC	North Pacific Fishery Management Council. The NPFMC consists of the state of Alaska, with representation by Washington and Oregon.
NPOA	National Plan of Action
NPPA	Northwest Power Planning Act of 1980
NPPC	Northwest Power Planning Council (now known as the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, NPCC)
NRC	National Research Council
NRDC	Natural Resources Defense Council
NS	Nearshore. See above.
NSF	National Science Foundation
NSG	National Standards Guidelines. See above.
NURP	National Undersea Research Program
NWAFC	Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Centers (two separate science centers)
NWFSC	Northwest Fisheries Science Center (in Seattle; a division of NMFS).
NWIFC	Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
NWR	Northwest Region
[Top]
O
OA	Open access fishery. See below.
OC	Oregon Coast (coho)
Oceanic	Inhabiting the open sea, ranging beyond the continental and insular shelves, beyond the neritic zone.
OCN	Oregon coastal natural (coho)
OCNL	Oregon coastal natural (coho) lake component
OCNR	Oregon coastal natural (coho) river component
OCZMA	Oregon Coast Zone Management Act
ODFW	Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
OFWC	Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission
OLE	Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA Fisheries)
OMB	Office of Management and Budget
OPAC	(Oregon) Ocean Policy Advisory Council
Open-access fishery	The segment of the groundfish fishery or any other fishery for which entry is not controlled by a limited entry permitting program.
OPI	Oregon Production Index. See below.
OPIH	Oregon production index hatchery (coho)
Optimum yield	The amount of fish that will provide the greatest overall benefit to the Nation, particularly with respect to food production and recreational opportunities, and taking into account the protection of marine ecosystems. The OY is developed on the basis of the Maximum Sustained Yield from the fishery, taking into account relevant economic, social, and ecological factors. In the case of overfished fisheries, the OY provides for rebuilding to a level that is consistent with producing the Maximum Sustained Yield for the fishery.
OR	Oregon
Oregon production index (OPI)	A measure of the abundance of adult coho salmon produced in the Columbia River and Oregon coastal hatcheries and streams. It is the sum of ocean sport and troll catches off the Columbia River, Oregon, and California; Oregon coastal hatchery returns; and the inriver gillnet catch, Bonneville Dam counts, and hatchery returns to the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam.
OSP	Optimum sustainable production, Oregon State Police
OSU	Oregon State University
OTC	Oregon Trawl Commission
Overcapacity	A level of fishing pressure that threatens to reduce a stock or complex below the abundance necessary to support maximum sustainable yield and allow an economically sustainable fishing industry.
Overfished	Any stock or stock complex whose size is sufficiently small that a change in management practices is required to achieve an appropriate level and rate of rebuilding.  The term generally describes any stock or stock complex determined to be below its overfished/rebuilding threshold. The default proxy is generally 25% of its estimated unfished biomass; however, other scientifically valid values are also authorized.
Overfishing	Fishing at a rate or level that jeopardizes the capacity of a stock or stock complex to produce MSY on a continuing basis. More specifically, overfishing is defined as exceeding a maximum allowable fishing mortality rate. For any groundfish stock or stock complex, the maximum allowable mortality rate will be set at a level not to exceed the corresponding MSY rate (FMSY) or its proxy.
Overhead	The amount by which the allocation of a fishery would be exceeded if every vessel took the available cumulative limit.
OY	Optimum yield.  See above.
[Top]
P
PacFIN	Pacific Coast Fisheries Information Network. Provides commercial fishery information for Washington, Oregon, and California. Maintained by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Pacific decadal oscillation	A long-term, El Nino-like pattern of Pacific Ocean climate variability.
Pacific Salmon Treaty	Created in 1985 through cooperative efforts of tribes, state governments, U.S. and Canadian governments, and sport and commercial fishing interests. The Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) was created to implement the treaty. The PSC establishes fishery and allocation regimes, develops management recommendations and is a forum for working on fishery issues.
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission	The PSMFC is a non-regulatory agency that serves Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. PSMFC (headquartered in Portland) provides a communication exchange between the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and a mechanism for federal funding of regional fishery projects. The PSMFC provides information in the form of data services for various fisheries.
PBR	Potential biological removal. See below.
PCFFA	Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
PDO	Pacific decadal oscillation. See above.
PEF	Production expansion factor. The total number of salmon released from a hatchery divided by the total number of tagged fish released. Used to learn about hatchery contribution and fish survival rates.
PEIS	Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. An EIS that applies to an entire program or management regime, rather than a specific action.
Pelagic	Inhabiting the water column as opposed to being associated with the sea floor; generally occurring anywhere from the surface to 1000 meters (547 fm). See also epipelagic and mesopelagic.
Permit stacking	The registration of more than one limited entry permit for a single vessel, where a vessel is allowed additional catch for each additional permit registered for use with the vessel.
PFMC	Pacific Fishery Management Council
PMAX	The estimated probability of reaching TMAX.  May not be less than 50%.
PMCC	Pacific Marine Conservation Council
POP	Pacific Ocean perch
Potential biological removal	The maximum number of animals, not including natural mortalities, that may be removed from a marine mammal stock while allowing that stock to reach or maintain its optimum sustainable population.
PRA	Paperwork Reduction Act
Preferred alternative	The alternative that is identified as preferred by the authors of an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment. It is identified to indicate which alternative is likely to be selected, thereby helping the public focus its comments.
PRIH	(Oregon coastal) private hatchery (coho)
Processing	The preparation or packaging of fish to render it suitable for human consumption, retail sale, industrial uses, or long-term storage, including but not limited to cooking, canning, smoking, salting, drying, filleting, freezing, or rendering into meal or oil, but not heading and gutting unless additional preparation is done.
Proposed alternatives	Alternatives proposed by the Council for a proposed management action (such as annual management specifications). The alternatives are presented to the public for comment, and are voted upon at a subsequent Council meeting. The options always include a “status quo” alternative (for example the current season’s ABCs and OYs).
PSARC	Pacific Stock Assessment Review Committee (having to do with Joint Canada-US Review of salmon)
PSC	Pacific Salmon Commission
PSEIS	Programmatic Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
PSMFC	Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. See above.
PSTA	Pacific Salmon Treaty Act of 1985. See above.
[Top]
Q
Q	The relation between selectivity of survey fishing and actual (commercial) fishing. Selectivity is a measure of the proportion of fish encountered by gear to those that are actually caught.
QS	Quota share (related to individual fishing quotas; see below)
QSM	Quota species monitoring. See below.
Quota	A specified numerical harvest objective, the attainment (or expected attainment) of which causes closure of the fishery for that species or species group.
Quota shares	A share of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) allocated to an operating unit such as a vessel, a company or an individual fisherman (individual quota) depending on the system of allocation. Quotas may or may not be transferable, inheritable, and tradable. While generally used to allocate total allowable catch, quotas could be used also to allocate fishing effort or biomass.
Quota species monitoring	Quota species monitoring is a PacFIN database that monitors the cumulative landings of species managed either with individual OYs or OYs prescribed for a species complex (grouping of species in a single management unit).  The GMT uses quota species monitoring to develop inseason groundfish fishery management recommendations to attempt to attain, but not exceed, prescribed OYs.
[Top]
R
R	Recruits or recruitment.
R/S	Recruits per spawner
R0	Level of unfished recruitment
RCA	Rockfish Conservation Area, riparian conservation area
RCG	Rockfish-Cabezon-Greenling
RD	Regional Director. Usually, the Regional Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Rebuilding	Implementing management measures that increase a fish stock to its target size.
Rebuilding analysis	An analysis that uses biological information to describe the probability that a stock will rebuild within a given timeframe under a particular management regime.
Rebuilding plan	A document that describes policy measures that will be used to rebuild a fish stock that has been declared overfished.
RecFin	Recreational Fishery Information Network. A database managed by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission that provides recreational fishery information for Washington, Oregon, and California.
Recruits	Recruits are a group (“cohort”) of young fish that enter a fish stock in one year.
Recruits/recruitment	The estimated production of new members to a fish population as measured at a specific life stage.
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (or Act)	Regulatory Flexibility Act (see IRFA and FRFA above). See below.  The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) requires federal agencies to consider the effects of their regulatory actions on small businesses and other small entities and to minimize any undue disproportionate burden.
Regulatory Impact Review	RIRs are prepared to determine whether a proposed regulatory action is “major.” The RIR examines alternative management measures and their economic impacts.
RER	Recovery Exploitation Rates
RF	Rockfish
RFA	Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, or Regulatory Flexibility Act. See above.
Riparian area	A land area adjacent to water.  Technical definition: “riparian area” means an area of land that (a) is adjacent to a stream, river, lake or wetland, and (b) contains vegetation that, due to the presence of water, is distinctly different from the vegetation of adjacent upland areas. (Code of British Columbia)
RIR	Regulatory Impact Review.  See above.
RK	Rogue-Klamath coho
rkm	River-kilometer
RMP	Resource management plan. Covers impacts to listed species from activities of state and local governments, under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act.
ROD	Record of Decision
ROV	Remotely operated vehicle (submarine)
RPAs	Reasonable and prudent alternatives
Rulemaking	The process of developing Federal regulations which occurs in several steps, including publishing proposed rules in the Federal Register, accepting comments on the proposed rule, and publishing the final rule. An “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking” is published when dealing with especially important or controversial rules.
[Top]
S
SAB	Select Area Brights
SAC	Salmon Amendment Committee, Sanctuary Advisory Council
SAFE	Stock assessment and fishery evaluation. See below.
Saltonstall-Kennedy Act	The Saltonstall-Kennedy Act allocates 30% of the duties for imported fishery products to technological, biological, marketing, and other research and services in order to promote the free flow of domestically-produced fishery products and to develop markets for domestic fishery products.
SAP	Sanctuary Advisory Subpanel
SAS	Salmon Advisory Subpanel
SBA	Small Business Administration
SCB	Southern California Bight
SCH	Spring Creek Hatchery (tule fall chinook returning to Spring Creek Hatchery on the Columbia River)
Scientific and Statistical Committee	An advisory committee of the PFMC made up of scientists and economists. The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that each council maintain an SSC to assist in gathering and analyzing statistical, biological, ecological, economic, social, and other scientific information that is relevant to the management of Council fisheries.
SCTB	Standing Committee on Tuna and Billfish
Secretary	U.S. Secretary of Commerce
SEIS	Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (see Environmental Impact Statement)
SFA	Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996. Amended the MSFCMA.
SFO	Sustainable Fisheries Office (NMFS)
Shelf rockfish	Rockfish that live on the continental shelf
SIA	Social impact analysis
S-K	Saltonstall-Kennedy. See above.
Slope rockfish	Rockfish that live on the continental slope.
SOC	Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary has responsibility for reviewing, approving, and implementing a fishery management plan.
SONCC	Southern Oregon Northern California coastal coho (an evolutionarily significant unit)
SOPP	Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures
Southern California bight	See California Bight, above.
Spawning biomass	The biomass of mature female fish at the beginning of the year. If the production of eggs is not proportional to body weight, then this definition is construed to be proportional to expected egg production.
SPR	Spawning potential ratio. The ratio of spawning potential per recruit under a given fishing regime relative to the spawning potential per recruit with no fishing.
SPTT	South Pacific Tuna Treaty
SRFI	Snake River fall chinook index
SRS	Stratified Random Sampling
SRW	Sacramento River winter (Chinook); Snake River wild (fall Chinook)
SSB	Spawning stock biomass
SSC	Scientific and Statistical Committee. See above.
SST	Sea surface temperature
STAR	Stock assessment review (Panel)
STAR Panel	Stock Assessment Review Panel. A panel set up to review stock assessments for particular fisheries.  In the past there have been STAR panels for sablefish, rockfish, squid, and other species.
STAT	Stock Assessment Team.  Develops stock assessments.
STEP	Salmon Trout Enhancement Program (Oregon)
Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation	A SAFE document is a document prepared by the Council that provides a summary of the most recent biological condition of species in the fishery management unit, and the social and economic condition of the recreational and commercial fishing industries, including the fish processing sector. It summarizes, on a periodic basis, the best available information concerning the past, present, and possible future condition of the stocks and fisheries managed in the FMP.
STT	Salmon Technical Team
SWFSC	Southwest Fisheries Science Center (NMFS)
[Top]
T
TAC	Total allowable catch.  See below.
TALFF	Total allowable level of foreign fishing
Target fishing	Fishing for the primary purpose of catching a particular species or species group (the target species).
TDR	Time & depth recorder
Territorial sea	The territorial sea of the United States extends 12 nautical miles offshore. States exercise authority over marine fisheries in waters from the coastline to 3 miles offshore.
TES	Threatened and Endangered Species
TIN	Tax Identification Number
TIQ	Trawl individual quota
TIQC	Ad Hoc Groundfish Trawl Individual Quota Committee
TMAX	The maximum time period to rebuild an overfished stock, according to National Standard Guidelines. Depends on biological, environmental, and legal/policy factors.
TMDL	Total maximum daily load. See below.
TMIN	The minimum time period to rebuild an overfished stock, according to National Standard Guidelines. Technically, this is the minimum amount of time in which a fish stock will have a 50% chance of rebuilding if no fishing occurs (depends on biological and environmental factors).
Total allowable catch	The total regulated catch from a stock in a given time period, usually a year. (NMFS)
Total catch OY	Total catch optimum yield. The landed catch plus discard mortality.
Total maximum daily load	The amount of pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards.  Set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
TRH	Trinity River Hatchery
TTARGET	The target year, set by policy, for a fish stock to be completely rebuilt.
[Top]
U
U/A	Usual and accustomed (usually used when referring to tribal fishing, hunting or gathering areas)
ULS	Unconstrained Least Squares
UNIA	United Nations Implementing Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
URB	Upper river brights (naturally spawning bright fall chinook normally migrating past McNary Dam)
USC	United States Code
USCG	U.S. Coast Guard. A representative of the USCG is a non-voting member of the Council.
USDA	U.S. Department of Agriculture
USFS	U.S. Forest Service
USFWS	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A representative of USFWS is a non-voting member of the Council.
USGS	U.S. Geological Survey
Vessel Monitoring System	A satellite communications system used to monitor fishing activities­—for example, to ensure that vessels stay out of prohibited areas. The system is based on electronic devices (transceivers), which are installed on board vessels. These devices automatically send data to shore-based “satellite” monitoring system.
[Top]
V
VMS	Vessel monitoring system.  See above.
VPA	Virtual population analysis. A modeling method used in conducting stock assessments.
VSI	Visual stock identification
[Top]
WXYZ
WA	Washington
WCGOP	West Coast Groundfish Observer Program
WCPFC	Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
WCSPA	West Coast Seafood Processors Association
WCVI	West Coast Vancouver Island
WDFW	Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. A representative of WDFW sits on the Council.
WFMP	Willamette River Basin Fish Management Plan
WFOA	Western Fishboat Owners Association
WOC	Washington, Oregon and California
WPFMC	Western Pacific Fishery Management Council
Yield per recruit	A model that estimates yield in terms of weight, but more often as a percentage of the maximum sustainable yield, for various combinations of natural mortality, fishing mortality and time exposed to the fishery (NOAA).
YPR	Yield per recruit. See above.
YRCA	Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area(s)
ZMRG	Zero Mortality Rate Goal. A goal stated in the Marine Mammal Protection Act that the “incidental kill or incidental serious injury of marine mammals permitted in the course of commercial fishing operations be reduced to insignificant levels approaching a zero mortality and serious injury rate.”
[Top]

PFMC
07/17/08