NOAA Fisheries has issued the final rule that implements the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan for the International Pacific Halibut Commission’s regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California. This rule also announces that it may be necessary to further modify the opening dates or other fishing days for some subareas shortly after the publication […]
2020 Salmon seasons set In April the Council adopted ocean salmon season recommendations that provide recreational and commercial opportunities for most of the Pacific coast, and achieve conservation goals for the numerous individual salmon stocks on the West Coast. Due to the COVID-19 social distancing requirements, all meetings associated with the decision were held via […]
NMFS presents California Current Ecosystem and Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Report The NOAA Fisheries Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) Team presented the annual California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment report to the Council in March. Highlights of 2019 ecosystem conditions include: The system experienced weak to neutral El Niño conditions, average to slightly positive Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and […]
Nominations open for advisory body vacancies The Council is accepting nominations for a Washington position on the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel and the Northern Charter Boat Operator position on the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel. Nominations for both are due Monday, May 18. Advisory body appointments made in March In March the Council appointed Andrew Babich […]
Council tackles large list of inseason adjustments, including shorebased carryover In April, the Council heard from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and members of the Groundfish Advisory Subpanel on the unfolding impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on fishing communities. A report from the Groundfish Management Team […]
Pacific sardine assessment, harvest specifications, and management measures set In April the Council adopted the 2020 Pacific sardine assessment with the following harvest specifications and management measures: Biomass: 28,276 metric tons (mt) Overfishing limit: 5,525 mt P* (uncertainty) buffer: 0.40 Acceptable biological catch: (Tier 2): 4,288 mt Annual catch limit: 4,288 mt Annual catch target: […]
NMFS publishes final rule on drift gillnet hard caps The National Marine Fisheries Service published a final rule on “hard caps” for certain protected species taken in the California/Oregon thresher shark/swordfish large mesh drift gillnet (DGN) fishery on February 7, 2020, which implemented a 2015 Council recommendation. Under the regulations, the DGN fishery would immediately close […]
As part of its Climate and Communities Initiative (CCI) the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) is sponsoring a series of webinars with its advisory bodies, which are open to the public. The webinars will be held on the following dates and times: Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel and Management Team: Wednesday, May 20, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Scientific […]
The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Groundfish Electronic Monitoring Policy Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee (Committees) will hold an online meeting, which is open to the public. The meeting will be held Tuesday, May 26, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Daylight Time, or until business for the day is completed.
The Groundfish Subcommittee of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee and invited scientific experts will hold a meeting to review proposed length-based assessment methods followed by a workshop to explore data-limited assessment methods.